Germany: Seasonal advertising rates at all major publishers

Most of Germany's major magazine publishers are definitely on board with the new advertising rates for their most important titles. It has been clear for a few days that seasonal advertising rates are coming (see:
Germany: magazines introduce seasonal advertising rates). As Horizont.net now reports, it is now clear that almost all major German publishers are participating in this new regulation with most of their important titles: Axel Springer with Bild der Frau, Hörzu and TV Digital; Bauer and Gruner + Jahr with all their major titles; Burda with Bunte, Focus, Freundin, TV Spielfilm and Superillu; and Spiegelverlag with Spiegel and Manager Magazin. The illustrious absentees from this list include Condé Nast, which publishes Glamour and Vogue, MVG with Cosmopolitan and the quality paper Die Zeit.The fears of the advertising industryA total of 157 out of around 700 publications will show advertising prices differentiated by month or price zone from next year. The aim of the new regulation is to make better use of the publications' capacity and optimize revenues by reducing prices in weak months and increasing them in strong periods. This approach has long been common practice in the television business.  
The introduction of seasonal prices led to heated debates in specialist circles. The advertising industry feared hidden price increases without corresponding proof of performance. The predicted increase in advertising rates for next year is 2.4 percent, which, according to the Association of German Magazine Publishers (VDZ), corresponds to the level of the previous year when adjusted for inflation. For Holger Busch from VDZ, this is good news: "In view of the uncertain economic outlook, price stability is the right signal for advertisers when planning their budgets".