I thought that trade shows were struggling for profits as much as magazines, but apparently not at VNU. This development may reflect the fact that trade shows are almost a multichannel operation, with programs to distribute and email announcements, etc. Mandese’s article also has some fine insight on VNU’s media research division, which includes AC Nielsen.

MediaPost – Nielsen Drives VNU Growth, Magazines Shift From Ad Sales To Trade Shows by Joe Mandese

While ad pages have been slipping for business magazines like VNU’s Adweek, Billboard, and The Hollywood Reporter, van den Bergh said trade shows now account "for the great majority" of the magazines’ earnings. "Looking to the future, we continue to introduce new trade shows and expand existing concepts into new markets, and develop new e-media platforms, rich data, and other information services that should spur additional growth,"