Howard, This director thinks you and the magazine staff are "right on target". I believe the risks are small (and manageable) while the opportunities are great. This is going to create a very positive incentive for hams to become ARRL members. The challenge, as you mentioned in A&F, is attracting talented authors to submit quality articles. 73's, Rod, K0DAS On Mon, Dec 2, 2019 at 1:46 PM Michel, Howard, WB2ITX (CEO) <wb2itx@arrl.org> wrote:
Mark, Mike, Ria, ODV,
Yes, all members and subscribers will get the digital edition of NCJ and QEX free with either their membership or subscription. (Members will get both, subscribers who are not members will only get one.)
The digital edition will be available in the new ARRL magazine app that we will rollout with the addition of On The Air. We anticipate that some members who have not subscribed to either NCJ or QEX will try the digital version of one or both and increase engagement in the respective topics. We are trying this approach because subscriptions to both magazines have been declining. Both are becoming increasingly difficult to support. If we can increase readership of the magazines, even if they are not as profitable as in the past, ARRL will benefit from increase engagement and members will find increased value in membership.
Financially, we are not expecting many subscribers will switch to the digital only version. Previous survey data tells us that current subscribers want the paper copy. In terms of income, we receive about $51K for NCJ and $172k for QEX from subscription fees. Direct costs for printing and mailing are $26k for NCJ and $72k QEX. Direct costs do not include staff or overhead/indirect costs, or lost opportunity costs. These magazines are not a large source of income for ARRL.
I put the risk of providing a free digital edition as a few thousand dollars. The upside is that a targeted subscription with more readers may increase revenue from advertising. That, coupled with increased member value, and hopefully increased recruitment and retention, should more than offset any potential reduced subscription income.
I discussed this with A&F. You will see the projected numbers in the 2020 plan.
We also received enthusiastic support from the editors.
73, Howard, WB2ITX
On 12/1/2019 6:42 PM, Mark J Tharp wrote:
" We don't anticipate a significant drop in subscription or adverting revenue."
Sounds like everyone is going to get it.
Is this something like vanity call fees? Where the cost of processing the subscription is more than we can charge, and it actually cost less to give it away free?
Howard, please provide some background on this decision.
Thanks.
Mark, KB7HDX VD NW Div.
On Sun, Dec 1, 2019 at 3:10 PM rjairam@gmail.com <rjairam@gmail.com> wrote:
I’m also hoping it’s subscribers and that was my impression.
Clarification is in order.
73 Ria N2RJ
On Sun, Dec 1, 2019 at 5:56 PM Michael Ritz <w7vo@comcast.net> wrote:
Howard;
"....we will be providing both NCJ and QEX in digital form to all members starting with the March/April issue or the May/June issue."
This makes no sense. Did you mean to say "current subscribers", or is this really to be free to all "members"?
If so, why would anybody want to subscribe? What are the projected long term cost/benefit impacts of this decision? What are the short term costs? How will the decision affect revenue?
73; Mike W7VO
On December 1, 2019 at 1:06 PM "Michel, Howard, WB2ITX (CEO)" < wb2itx@arrl.org> wrote:
Dear Officers, Directors and Vice-Directors,
Because of the positive feedback we have received regarding On the Air, and consistent with the "mini-mags" that I discussed, we will be providing both NCJ and QEX in digital form to all members starting with the March/April issue or the May/June issue. Current subscribers will continue to receive their paper editions. We don't anticipate a significant drop in subscription or adverting revenue. We are planning to roll-out a messaging campaign next month or after the holidays, but consider this email as part of a soft rollout. Feel free to discuss this with your members starting on Tuesday.
73, Howard, WB2ITX
-- Howard E. Michel, WB2ITX Chief Executive Officer ARRL, The National Association for Amateur Rad <https://www.google.com/maps/search/National+Association+for+Amateur+Rad?entry=gmail&source=g>io®
225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111-1494 USA Telephone: +1 860-594-0404 email: hmichel@arrl.org
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-- Howard E. Michel, WB2ITX Chief Executive Officer ARRL, The National Association for Amateur Radio® 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111-1494 USA Telephone: +1 860-594-0404 email: hmichel@arrl.org
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