The RBOC Bankruptcies 2009: The Impact on the Future of the Yellow Pages Industry

This publication has been discontinued on January 6, 2012.

Introduction

Abstract

The yellow pages industry has been rocked in the last few months by economic woes resulting in two major publishers - Idearc Media and R.H. Donnelley - filing for bankruptcy protection and one international yellow pages publisher - Yell Group (London), the publisher of Yellowbook in the U.S. - announcing that it had begun a process to refinance its debt in the hope it could extend the maturity dates and change terms.

While many view the bankruptcies as a sign of a collapsing yellow pages print industry brought on by the Internet, others share the view that the economic woes resulted from decisions at Idearc and Donnelley that caused them to grow too much, too fast and too soon, expanding beyond the abilities to meet financial obligations as easy credit became hard credit.

The RBOC Bankruptcies 2009 takes an in-depth look at the actions behind the scenes that led to bankruptcy court and projects where the companies and the entire industry - both independent and incumbent - are likely to find themselves in the future.

• The cases behind the financial collapse of Idearc and R.H. Donnelley;
• The likely fate of the remaining mega publishers: AT&T, Local Insight and Yellow Pages Group;
• The impact on CMRs and suppliers;
• Delivering yellow pages information through print vs online or mobile;
• The keen competition to print the yellow pages heightens with Quebecor World in bankruptcy and R.R. Donnelley trying to buy the financially ailing printer;
• A look at the industry' s competition - both print and electronic;
• A segment by segment breakdown of the industry.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Methodology

The RBOC Bankruptcies 2009: The Impact on the Future of the Yellow Pages Industry

• Introduction
• The Financial Challenges
  • R.H. Donnelley
  • Idearc Media
  • Yell Group
• Other Publishers with Financial Investors
  • AT&T Advertising Solutions
  • Local Insight Media
  • Yellow Pages Group
  • Phone Directories Co.
  • User-Friendly Phone Book
• Industry Size, Growth and Usage
• Total Advertising and Yellow Pages Advertising
• Industry Trends and Analysis
  • Syndicated Usage Research Stalls: No Studies Scheduled in 2009
  • Mergers, Acquisitions, Divestitures Relatively Flat
  • The Ticking Time Bomb: Do Not Deliver
• Leading Certified Marketing Representatives (CMRs)
  • TMP Directional Marketing
  • Wahlstrom Group
  • The Berry Co.
  • Ketchum Directory Advertising
• Markets for Printers and Suppliers
  • R.R. Donnelley
  • Quebecor World
• Directory Unit Production by Publisher
• Paper Consumption by Directory Publishers
• The Pre-Media Market
  • Amdocs
• Forecast and Conclusions

• Table 1: RBOC Yellow Pages Revenue, 2007-2009P
• Table 2: RBOC Revenue Change, 1998-2009P
• Table 3: Statistical Summary of the Yellow Pages Industry, 2003-2008
• Table 4: National vs. Local Advertising Revenue, 2006-2009P
• Table 5: Yellow Pages Advertising Compared to Local Advertising and All Advertising, 2006-2009P
• Table 6: Yellow Pages' Share of U.S. Advertising, 2002-2009P
• Table 7: Yellow Pages Revenue Growth by Publisher Category, 1996-2010P
• Table 8: Yellow Pages Market Share by Type of Publisher, 1996-2010P
• Table 9: National vs. Local Yellow Pages Advertising, 2006-2009P
• Table 10: Selected Certified Marketing Representatives (CMRs) by Billings, 2005-2008
• Table 11: Summary of Leading Directory Printers, Major Customers and Print Runs, 2006-2008
• Table 12: Capacity and Consumption, Uncoated Groundwood Paper, 2007-2008
• Table 13: U.S. Demand for Directory Paper, 2007-2008
• Table 14: Outlays for Printing, Paper, Other Production and Distribution; Directory Publishing Industry, 2004-2008

Profiles of Leading Yellow Pages Publishers and Suppliers

• AT&T Advertising Solutions
• Idearc Media
• Local Insight Media
• Phone Directories Co.
• Quebecor World
• R.H. Donnelley
• User-Friendly Phone Book
• Yellowbook
• Your Community PhoneBook

Related Reports