USPS to Mailers: ‘Slim Jim’ Mailing Standards Likely to Change

The USPS has begun cautioning catalogers who may be considering moving to a “slim jim” or letter-size booklet format that the mailing standards for these pieces are likely to change.

Online Automotive Adspend to Reach $4.2 Billion by 2011

While qualified leads on automotive dealer and seller websites have increased dramatically since 2005, conversion rates have dropped, according to data from the National Automotive Dealers Association.

U.S. Singles: The New Nuclear Family

America’s 89.6 million singles head over half of its households - 50.3 percent, per the 2006 U.S. Census - and they have a love of media and socializing that can reward marketers who realistically depict the unmarried lifestyle, according to a recent report, writes MarketingCharts.

Clear Channel Takeover Moves Closer to Reality

The proposed takeover of Clear Channel Communications has a better chance of becoming reality with the announcement that Highfields Capital Management, one of Clear Channel’s largest shareholders, has changed its position and agreed to vote all of its shares in favor of a proposed transaction.

Google, Microsoft Top Sites in Germany, U.K., France

Google and Microsoft sites were the top online destinations in Western Europe in April, according to the comScore World Metrix reports for Germany (the first such report for the country), the U.K. and France, reports MarketingCharts.

Newspaper Ad Expenditures Down 5% in Q1, Online Jumps 22%

Advertising expenditures for newspaper websites increased 22.3 percent, to $750 million, in the first quarter compared with the first quarter of 2006, according to preliminary estimates from the Newspaper Association of America, writes MarketingCharts.

SF Chronicle Managing Ed. Departs Prior to Cuts

A round of severe editorial cuts is looming on the horizon at the San Francisco Chronicle, and in order to give editor Phil Bronstein a freer hand in making the painful restructuring changes to the newsroom, managing editor Robert Rosenthal is leaving the paper.

Successor Speculations Soar As Rosie Departs ‘The View’

Shepherd

Rosie O’Donnell has left The View earlier than planned following an on-air cat-fight with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck, and speculation is rampant about who will take her place.

Dow Jones Investor Urges Bancroft’s to Sell

The largest economic shareholder in Dow Jones has said that the Bancroft family should agree to sell the company to News Corp. The offer, at $60, is a “fairly attractive” one, and the company seems to have no plan in place to get shares to $60 on its own, according to Brian Rogers, chairman and chief investment officer of T. Rowe Price

Madison Dearborn to Acquire CDW

Madison Dearborn Partners is expected to acquire computer direct marketer CDW Corp. for $7.3 billion.

The transaction should close by the fourth quarter, writes Direct Magazine. Completion of the transaction is subject to approval of CDW shareholders and regulatory approval, according to CDW (pdf).