The Transformation of Telecom's "Ugly Duckling"

Telecom's directory publishing business produced the White and Yellow Pages directories from 1975 to 1991. In 1976 the directory publishing business was in a crisis; it ranked in the top three of Telecom's public relations problems, was operating at a loss which would rapidly increase, and was becoming untenable. Over the next 15 years the publishing business was transformed to become the most profitable and innovative business in Telecom. This is the story of that transformation.