Happy New Year!

By Mark Smelzer -- JCK Online, 1/1/2007 2:00:00 AM

The first issue of the year is a great moment to pause and project goals and ambitions for the year ahead.

At the JCK Publishing Group, our mission remains the same: To deliver peerless, high-quality editorial to the jewelry industry’s most influential leaders in retail, manufacturing, and wholesale. To accomplish that mission, here are some objectives for 2007:

Further establish the JCK brand as the premier provider of quality products in the jewelry industry. In news and information in print or online, or in the power of the industry’s greatest trade show, the JCK brand represents best in class.

Strengthen the JCK Publishing Group’s position as a media-neutral, omnibus provider of essential news and information. In 2007 and beyond, we want to expand the perception of JCK beyond just “magazine” to JCKonline.com, our niche magazines JCK Luxury and JCKstyle, our show guides and planners, our multiple supplements, etc.

Continue to employ the leading editorial voices in the industry. The expert voices of Rob Bates on diamonds, Anthony DeMarco on the Web, Gary Roskin, G.G., FGA, on gems, William George Shuster on watches, Carrie Soucy on fashion, and the rest of our excellent staff—led by Hedda Schupak—are the foundation of our products and our success.

Explore the exciting opportunities presented by the Internet. JCKonline.com allows our group to go beyond a one- direction “push” of content and build an interactive “two-way” community online. Our blogs—The Industry Blog, JCK Voices, Behind the Counter, and Style 360—are dynamic, successful, and a great example of this goal.

Continue to deliver a high-quality, exclusive audience. A recent survey revealed that the JCK reader is truly ours alone. Among the No. 2, 3, and 4 magazines in the market, just 34 percent, 34 percent and 37 percent of JCK readers, respectively, read them regularly. That means about two-thirds of our audience is exclusively ours!

Continue to deliver a premium product to readers and for advertisers.JCK magazine remains the only paid circulation magazine in the industry. Our advertising rates reflect the investments we make in the book. For both readers and advertisers, we must deliver the premium they expect.

Many thanks to all for your business, support, and friendship. We all look forward to continuing our relationships in 2007!