The recent merger of the Transcontinental Media IT Business Group with IT World Canada followed the same logic that that brings together rival firms in many other parts of the technology industry. When there is a significant overlap in product sets and features, a duplication of effort in reaching a target audience and the potential for synergies, the market trends towards consolidation. IT managers saw this happen in the PC industry with the merger of HP and Compaq, and in the software sector with Oracle and PeopleSoft, among many others.As a combined organization, IT World Canada now has the opportunity to serve the country’s CIOs, IT managers and network professionals in both the public and private sector across six print platforms and four Web portals. These include the most trusted brands in Canadian technology media, including CIO Canada, Direction Informatique and NetworkWorld Canada. Through IT World’s relationship with International Data Group (IDG), we have access to a global affiliation of publications, multimedia and conferences that we can draw upon to better serve our readership.
More importantly, IT World Canada now employs the most talented, experienced group of journalists who have spent the majority of their careers chronicling the evolution of technology as it has developed in the Canadian market. We have always respected each other as competitors. Together, we are building a dream team of editors and writers who will have an increased opportunity to address the information needs of IT professionals, managers and business strategists, and the industry that supports them.
The next stage – and often the most difficult one in any merger – is integrating the product lines and culture of two separate organizations. Starting on May 11, our readers will be introduced to a new ComputerWorld, one that offers new sections while incorporating Computing Canada and many of the changes we have made to this magazine over the last few months.
The one thing that won’t change is our mission of offering a voice to a highly creative, dynamic and hard-working community of IT professionals. We have a passion for this work because we have witnessed first-hand how the use of technology can improve communication, bridge distances and increase collective knowledge. Our readers have not only kept us honest; they have spent countless hours sharing their stories so that we can offer them to the rest of the country. We thank all of you for supporting us separately, and we look forward to serving you as a united force.