[FARReps] To Publish or Not To Publish

[Alan Bosch]

Bill:

I will continue to gnosh, and I could help temporarily with straight 
copy-edit -- but I know nothing about computer layout, etc.

LAB

w3qx at qsl.net wrote:

>
> On 8/10/05 at 1:47 PM -0400, w3qx at qsl.net wrote:
>
>>  FAR's monthly meeting Wednesday 10 August
>>
>>  [....]
>>     Future magazine publication
>
> [.../]
>
>
> Ladies and Gentlemen,
>
> Those who attended the FAR meeting last night learned a major part of 
> the Auto Call staff will be unable to continue working on the magazine 
> beyond the next issue.
>
> If nothing else were done, Auto Call publication would be suspended 
> after the November or "Winter" scholarship issue.
>
> FAR's intent is to put this out to its members:  If a new team can be 
> formed that has the needed skills, a business plan, and is 
> fully-staffed, FAR will work with this new team to continue periodical 
> publication.
>
> Skills refers to ability and tools to produce a publication to 
> schedule.  A plan can be as simple as a forward growth budget and the 
> steps that will be taken to realize measurable goals.  A full staff 
> would have one or more persons responsible for increasing the number 
> of subscribers, one or more people responsible for selling the 
> advertising space in the magazine, and two or more editors who would 
> assure the quality of the publication and assemble and produce it.
>
> FAR will help as it can.  It expects make the remaining Auto Call 
> subscriber list available.  It has existing relationships with a 
> printer and a mail service.  Individuals who have experience with Auto 
> Call have already said they would be available to help with start up.  
> Of course, publishing in FAR's name means FAR will retain control.  
> FAR is open to new ideas:  The publication that continues after 
> November may look completely different and may have a different 
> publication frequency.  Different printing and mailing solutions may 
> be used.  Several individuals may identify themselves or a club or 
> group of clubs could take responsibility.  Discussions with 
> individuals or member clubs (or both) that want to do this will 
> determine further details.
>
> Based on what's known now, Auto Call's contributing 
> departments--Rules&Regs, Gnoshes, VE Testing, Public Service, DXDXDX, 
> AreaEvents--will be available.
>
>
> What will be hard about this is the time--there's not much.
>
> If a group salespeople and editors can step forward to take over, FAR 
> has to know it by Thursday 15 September.
>
> There are two overriding reasons only 35 days remain to do this. First 
> is the fact that doing the next issue of an ongoing magazine is very 
> different from doing a final issue.  When the November issue closes 
> and production starts, FAR must know if it will be suspending 
> publication or introducing a new successor publication.  Second, if 
> there is no workable option by 15 September and FAR does suspend 
> publication, the existing subscribers need to see a letter addressed 
> to them that explains what is happening, gives them some choices, and 
> shows FAR's appreciation for their support--before they see the last 
> issue.
>
> In a few words
>
>     FAR is putting this matter out to its member clubs
>     to see it they want publication to continue and,
>     if so, whether there are people who will do
>
>       Subscriptions
>
>       Advertising
>
>       Editing, and
>
>       Editing, layout, and design
>
>
> Why is this coming to a decision now?  There are two main reasons. 
> First, people are busy.  In the last three weeks, schedule changes 
> affecting the lives of three of the current Auto Call staff resulted 
> in their decisions to not continue with Auto Call.  Factors include 
> increasing work responsibility, big job relocations, or promotions. 
> However, the more somber and more serious side is that, in terms of 
> subscribers, advertisers, and even contributing authors, Auto Call's 
> overall trend over the last 10 years has been down.  Improvements 
> since 2002, when FAR re-assumed control of Auto Call, were done at 
> considerable effort and included producing a high quality product, 
> having people in the editorial process available at every FAR meeting, 
> and focusing on a positive future for Auto Call.  These editorial and 
> customer service improvements garnered words of praise and 
> appreciation but only temporarily stemmed the decline of advertising 
> and subscriber sales.  Auto Call achieved break-even only when FAR cut 
> printing and postage 66 percent by publishing quarterly.
>
>
> Again, FAR wants its members involved in this.  If you have any 
> questions or need more information to help you take this to the others 
> in your clubs, please just ask.
>
> Send messages about interest in being part of the new staff to 
> w3qx at qsl.net.
>
> Thank you all for keeping an eye on the clock and working within this 
> very short time period.
>
>
> Best regards,
>
> William Hatfield
> Executive Vice President
>
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