Four Newspaper Printers Join Install Base Relying on Kodak Thermal CTP Solutions

Quality, reliability and flexibility drive sales of KODAK equipment and consumables

ROCHESTER, NY—Sept. 5—Newspaper printers in Georgia, Oregon, Louisiana, and Ohio are the latest to purchase Kodak thermal CTP solutions to improve output quality and enhance operating efficiencies.

Athens Newspapers LLC of Athens, GA, which prints the Athens Banner-Herald, a number of weeklies, the daily student newspaper at the University of Georgia and a large number of commercial projects, purchased two Kodak Trendsetter News 70 thermal platesetters, Kodak thermal digital plates, a Kodak Prinergy Evo workflow system, Kodak PREPS imposition software and Kodak Staccato screening. Athens Newspapers is part of Morris Communications Co.

“We started looking at the platesetter units a while ago. With Kodak able to offer the total package of equipment, consumables and workflow, it was very attractive to our company,” said Gary Cleveland, Production Director at Athens Newspapers. “We had limited space for our new equipment and Kodak showed us how we could make it all work in the space we had available.”

At Courier Publishing Co. of Grants Pass, OR, they are adding two Trendsetter News 70 platesetters. Courier Publishing, a PAGE Co-op member, prints the Grants Pass Daily Courier, a total market coverage weekly and commercial jobs.

“We talked with a number of peer publications and vendors about platesetters. We liked how long the Kodak Trendsetter units have been on the market and we visited several locations to see different types of technology. We liked everything we saw with the Kodak thermal CTP devices,” said Randy Omdahl, Production Manager at Courier Publishing.

Gannett River States Publishing in Monroe, LA, which prints The News-Star, purchased two Trendsetter News 70 platesetters and Kodak Thermalnews digital plates. Founded in 1890, The News-Star is part of the Gannett chain of newspapers and joins 30 other Gannett locations with a Kodak thermal CTP solution.

Findlay Publishing Co. of Findlay, OH, purchased two Trendsetter News 70 platesetters, ThermalNews digital plates, Kodak NewsManager and Prinergy Evo workflow systems, and Staccato screening. Findlay, which is a PAGE Co-op member, prints The Courier, a morning paper serving Findlay, and the Review Times, an afternoon daily serving Fostoria, OH, as well as commercial work.

The Trendsetter News thermal CTP device comes in five models, ranging in speed from 60 to more than 240 plates per hour to suit newspaper printing facilities of all sizes. The Trendsetter News platesetter delivers fast, reliable imaging with a standard file format interface for newspaper production systems. It is available with semi automatic or fully automated plate loading and unloading. The machine to machine accuracy of the Kodak Squarespot thermal imaging heads, combined with the binary nature of thermal imaging, achieves consistent and repeatable halftone dot structures.

ThermalNews printing plates meet the rigorous demands of newspaper printing. Precise reproduction of high resolution, first generation thermal dots, with no dot gain at plate level, provides outstanding quality output and run lengths of more than 200,000 without postbaking. And, faster makeready and plate reliability gives newspapers extra editorial time.

Staccato screening produces high fidelity, artifact free images that exhibit fine detail and more impactful color in newspapers. Staccato screening creates images without halftone rosettes, screening moiré, gray level limitations or abrupt jumps in tone, with no impact on RIPing or rendering time.

Kodak NewsManager workflow system, a powerful PDF workflow management tool for high performance newspaper prepress, enables a flexible, automated workflow from edition plan to plate production. Based on open standards, it easily integrates into existing systems. The NewsManager workflow system is scaleable to meet all needs, from contract printers to metropolitan, national and international newspapers with multiple print sites.

Kodak Prinergy Evo workflow system helps newspapers deal with last minute changes easily, without causing delays. Based on the latest standards and proven Prinergy technology, Prinergy Evo software delivers exceptional PDF processing capabilities. A flexible PDF workflow featuring proven color management, late stage editing and imposition, and advanced screening options to optimize output on Trendsetter News CTP devices, Prinergy Evo systems help deliver the end to end automation, speed, control, and flexibility that newspapers need to accommodate tight editorial and ad deadlines and output large numbers of pages more quickly.

Kodak PREPS imposition software supports PostScript, PDF, EPS, DCS and TIFF source files. It works with all KODAK and many major third party workflow systems. PREPS imposition software helps prepress professionals remove even more manual steps from their preferred workflow by providing digital imposition. PREPS software enhances production efficiency by integrating more thoroughly with various workflows and accepting more than 200 types of file inputs. PREPS imposition software also enhances prepress efficiency and enables greater postpress reliability by automatically generating bar codes that can be read by WST bar code readers.

Kodak products are backed by Kodak Service and Support, Kodak’s worldwide service organization. Named Best Support Organization at the 2006 International Business Awards, Kodak Service and Support includes more than 3,000 professionals in 120 countries. These professionals are fully qualified to help customers control costs, maximize productivity, and minimize business risk.

About Eastman Kodak Company

Kodak is the world’s foremost imaging innovator, providing leading products and services to the photographic, graphic communications and healthcare markets. With sales of $14.3 billion in 2005, the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth strategy focused on helping people better use meaningful images and information in their life and work. Consumers use Kodak’s system of digital and traditional image capture products and services to take, print and share their pictures anytime, anywhere; Businesses effectively communicate with customers worldwide using KODAK solutions for prepress, conventional and digital printing and document imaging; Creative Professionals rely on KODAK technology to uniquely tell their story through moving or still images; and leading Healthcare organizations rely on Kodak’s innovative products, services and customized workflow solutions to help improve patient care and maximize efficiency and information sharing within and across their enterprise. More information about Kodak (NYSE: EK) is available at www.kodak.com.

For more information about Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group, visit www.graphics.kodak.com.