We could save over $100k+ each year if we followed in their footsteps..
http://www.freemasoninformation.com/2010/08/the-texas-two-step/
http://www.freemasoninformation.com/2010/08/the-texas-two-step/
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Texas Mason Magazine
- Thread starter Blake Bowden
- Start date
Dave in Waco
Premium Member
I totally agree again Bro. Blake! At the very least provide an option for us to be able to receive digital and save some money.
Benton
Premium Member
An option for digital would be fine, but I like a paper copy in my hands, personally. (I'm 22 years old, fyi.)
In my college fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi, they recently stopped mailing out the newsletter to every member. Now its only one copy per chapter (lodge), with the rest of the fraternity encouraged to view it online. We were told that if we requested extra copies, they would be mailed to us.
I, as president of the chapter at the time of this change, requested extra copies. Of course none came.
The end result of the change is this.
1) No one reads the dang thing. Unless they're really, really gung ho into the fraternity, they won't go to the website and read the magazine online. Getting them to do this was pulling teeth. It didn't work.
2) Ever since then, since there is no mailing due date to meet, every 'digital edition' of the newsletter has come out at least a month later than we would have received it in the mail. One issue was almost six months late. (It's only a biannual publication!)
As an aside, we also had a more frequent publication called NewsNotes that went out with less important information, general announcements, and the like. It went electronic before I rushed the fraternity. I didn't even know it EXISTED until the debate to digitize the biannual publication came up. (Four years after it went digital.) Why? Because no one reads the electronic publications. No one in my chapter even knew what it was. This is what I fear will happen to the biannual publication in a few years time, and then it'll be cut entirely.
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Now, I'm not saying that Texas Grand Lodge would be this disorganized. These are two totally different organizations. However, my feelings on digital newsletters and magazines are lukewarm at best. They don't grab the attention like paper copies do, at least not for the general public. Easily forgotten or ignored.
Then there is also the issue of heritage and archival. You can file away a physical copy of a newsletter in a library for future generations, you can't rightfully do the same with a PDF. Digital data storage, over long periods of time, still isn't very stable.
I understand the trend towards digital media, but I won't be happy if this move is forced on us. Optional? Ok. Only option? I wouldn't be happy.
EDIT: The same "You can print out a copy if you want" argument was used in the floor debate in my college frat convention. Doesn't really hold water. For an image heavy publication, economies of scale makes it cheaper for Grand Lodge to print out and mail than for me alone to print. I think the glossy magazine that my college frat prints cost about 67 cents to print, then about a buck to mail. Compare that to the cost of half an ink cartridge in my printer, and yikes, no bueno.
The whole thing is more bitter to me because the debate was ended by a calling of the question, which prevented many of us to gets answers about the printing subject at hand and more importantly, the overall budget. Maybe, in retrospect, I'm too bitter about the whole thing. It was handled poorly. But the tone of the article linked has the exact same tone of the pro digital distribution camp back at my college frat national convention, and they were more interested in cutting costs than providing a good, accessible publication. No offense intend to the author of the article, I don't know him at all. But that's simply my association from prior experiences.
In my college fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi, they recently stopped mailing out the newsletter to every member. Now its only one copy per chapter (lodge), with the rest of the fraternity encouraged to view it online. We were told that if we requested extra copies, they would be mailed to us.
I, as president of the chapter at the time of this change, requested extra copies. Of course none came.
The end result of the change is this.
1) No one reads the dang thing. Unless they're really, really gung ho into the fraternity, they won't go to the website and read the magazine online. Getting them to do this was pulling teeth. It didn't work.
2) Ever since then, since there is no mailing due date to meet, every 'digital edition' of the newsletter has come out at least a month later than we would have received it in the mail. One issue was almost six months late. (It's only a biannual publication!)
As an aside, we also had a more frequent publication called NewsNotes that went out with less important information, general announcements, and the like. It went electronic before I rushed the fraternity. I didn't even know it EXISTED until the debate to digitize the biannual publication came up. (Four years after it went digital.) Why? Because no one reads the electronic publications. No one in my chapter even knew what it was. This is what I fear will happen to the biannual publication in a few years time, and then it'll be cut entirely.
---
Now, I'm not saying that Texas Grand Lodge would be this disorganized. These are two totally different organizations. However, my feelings on digital newsletters and magazines are lukewarm at best. They don't grab the attention like paper copies do, at least not for the general public. Easily forgotten or ignored.
Then there is also the issue of heritage and archival. You can file away a physical copy of a newsletter in a library for future generations, you can't rightfully do the same with a PDF. Digital data storage, over long periods of time, still isn't very stable.
I understand the trend towards digital media, but I won't be happy if this move is forced on us. Optional? Ok. Only option? I wouldn't be happy.
EDIT: The same "You can print out a copy if you want" argument was used in the floor debate in my college frat convention. Doesn't really hold water. For an image heavy publication, economies of scale makes it cheaper for Grand Lodge to print out and mail than for me alone to print. I think the glossy magazine that my college frat prints cost about 67 cents to print, then about a buck to mail. Compare that to the cost of half an ink cartridge in my printer, and yikes, no bueno.
The whole thing is more bitter to me because the debate was ended by a calling of the question, which prevented many of us to gets answers about the printing subject at hand and more importantly, the overall budget. Maybe, in retrospect, I'm too bitter about the whole thing. It was handled poorly. But the tone of the article linked has the exact same tone of the pro digital distribution camp back at my college frat national convention, and they were more interested in cutting costs than providing a good, accessible publication. No offense intend to the author of the article, I don't know him at all. But that's simply my association from prior experiences.
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The Prince Hall newsletter is so awesome. I love it.
Brother Benton I also love a paper magazine to carry into the throne room with me and agree going digital would add but decrease readers but things changed SO fast for the GL financially after the economy went south and investment plummeted that it literally is catching us with our pants down. Now the problem comes with either proposing a massive increase in per-capita like has been done or find ways to chop the budget for a few years so we can slowly adjust. The Texas Mason now being mostly unsatisfying to the majority of Masons and being SO expensive it is first on the chopping block. I love getting mine in the mail and read it cover to cover every time and they seem to have more and more attempt to garner donations and not much if any masonic education. Subscription is always an option for paper copy. Bottom line is that it has to get better or go away for awhile so we can pay for absolute necessities.
Brother Benton I also love a paper magazine to carry into the throne room with me and agree going digital would add but decrease readers but things changed SO fast for the GL financially after the economy went south and investment plummeted that it literally is catching us with our pants down. Now the problem comes with either proposing a massive increase in per-capita like has been done or find ways to chop the budget for a few years so we can slowly adjust. The Texas Mason now being mostly unsatisfying to the majority of Masons and being SO expensive it is first on the chopping block. I love getting mine in the mail and read it cover to cover every time and they seem to have more and more attempt to garner donations and not much if any masonic education. Subscription is always an option for paper copy. Bottom line is that it has to get better or go away for awhile so we can pay for absolute necessities.
Sirius
Registered User
Every time I get the Texas Mason, I cringe. I really get no benefit from it whatsoever. I can't believe anyone thinks it worth the 100k.
That being said, the GL of Louisiana puts out a lovely quearterly magazine that cots only 14k. The last issue had 6 educational articles. Now, its not the prettiest magazine ever - b&w, simple graphics, etc - but everyone at Lodge reads and talks about it.
Blake has a good point, the way to do something is not necessarily the way we have been doing it. No more 'in the box' thinking.
That being said, the GL of Louisiana puts out a lovely quearterly magazine that cots only 14k. The last issue had 6 educational articles. Now, its not the prettiest magazine ever - b&w, simple graphics, etc - but everyone at Lodge reads and talks about it.
Blake has a good point, the way to do something is not necessarily the way we have been doing it. No more 'in the box' thinking.
Benton
Premium Member
I think another fair consideration is the brothers who aren't computer literate, or, in many cases, don't even have computers. Many of the older gentlemen in our lodge don't bother with it, as computers weren't really on the upswing in personal use until after their retirement. We send out reminder emails in my lodge about just about everything, but those brothers don't receive them. Yet, some of them, eighty years old, are excellent brothers, sources of Masonic knowledge, and are always there for regular events with static times. (Stated meetings, monthly breakfast, etc.)
I think that's another strong argument for making it *optionally* electronic. One of the professional societies I belong to has both a mailing option, and an 'E-membership' option thats slightly cheaper in dues, since they don't have to mail a magazine to your door. It works out great. Hard copy if you want it, but you pay more for it. Your choice. Perhaps this would be a viable option for us to pursue?
I think that's another strong argument for making it *optionally* electronic. One of the professional societies I belong to has both a mailing option, and an 'E-membership' option thats slightly cheaper in dues, since they don't have to mail a magazine to your door. It works out great. Hard copy if you want it, but you pay more for it. Your choice. Perhaps this would be a viable option for us to pursue?
Dave in Waco
Premium Member
From what I've seen of the Texas Mason magazine, there is no real benefit of it. About the only one that has any information if the winter issue with the Grand Officer and Law updates. Other then that, it has about as much benefit toward Masonry as reading it while hoodwinked. 100k a year is way too much for a very nice looking glossy catalog.
Where is our Lodge of Research? Why don't they have articles in the Texas Mason. Grand Lodge needs to appoint a real editor for it. Just compare it to this site. The Texas Mason magaize doesn't have even half of what Blake and company post here on a monthly basis, and Grand Lodge has 4 months.
Where is our Lodge of Research? Why don't they have articles in the Texas Mason. Grand Lodge needs to appoint a real editor for it. Just compare it to this site. The Texas Mason magaize doesn't have even half of what Blake and company post here on a monthly basis, and Grand Lodge has 4 months.
You again bring up an excellent point Brother that needs strong consideration. Our older Brothers who do not use computers do not need to be overlooked but the issue is those same brothers are hard up for money so if we hit them with a large increase they will not be able to afford dues and have to leave the craft not all of them of course but a good portion. Smaller increases over time seem to be more manageable and easier for those on fixed incomes to adjust to. This is as close to a catch 22 as it gets "keep the magazine and raise dues or cut it (hopefully) for a few years till things get straight again and all of us are still masons" is a tough decision for any Mason to make but it is one we have to do this year as a GL.
Benton
Premium Member
Absolutely its a fine line to tread. In these cases, I think moderation on both sides would be appropriate. A small increase on dues. ($5.00 annually per member? Never been to a Grand Lodge, know nothing of the budget, just shooting in the dark) would help the financial situation, while offering an electronic option for the newsletter would cut costs for those who opt for it. Since we already have a newly refurbished website for our Grand Lodge, which isn't too shabby, PDF's could easily be posted to the site. If you opted to not have the magazine delivered to you, they would simply remove you off the mailing list and you would be responsible for checking the electronic version yourself. This would close the gap and stabilize the budget, we could then see what further action needs to be taken.
And of course, it would be wise to go through all the programs we currently have and evaluate our allotted budget for them. I think it's better to trim a little fat off of everything than hitting a few programs particularly hard.
And of course, it would be wise to go through all the programs we currently have and evaluate our allotted budget for them. I think it's better to trim a little fat off of everything than hitting a few programs particularly hard.
Hippie19950
Premium Member
I have an issue from 1934, and it is so much more informational. I don't understand why they were able to produce a plain black and white (Ok, blue covers), more pages, and put so much more info in it, than we can do today. I don't know that we need the slick pages they use (harder to turn), I can enjoy B&W photos with no trouble, and many times they are much better quality, and it seems many more Lodges were involved in sending in articles, or news. As for myself, I am fine with a digital issue. My Father-in-law on the other hand would not be, he is not a computer savvy person, and at his age, has no intention of being so. Perhaps there could be a request for a paper edition for some of our "mature" brethren, or perhaps those who do not have internet access (we have a couple of Brethren in our Lodge who have been hit with serious medical and finance problems, and they cut their expenses). I would even print out copies for those in my Lodge, or any others who needed if it would help the GLoT get back on it's feet. I just know that our Lodge is struggling harder than GL is, and we are making it somehow. Cut what we can, or need to. Or.... Find gas/oil under the GL building, and make money from that like they have from the Old School property...
Paul Munsel
Golden Rule 361
Hearne, Tx.
Paul Munsel
Golden Rule 361
Hearne, Tx.
Preston DuBose
Registered User
Here's the thing about "save money by opting to get it electronically"... about the only cost that's going to be saved is in postage. I'm not involved in the magazine, but I worked in marketing and print production for about a dozen years. More than 50% of the cost is in getting the publication on the press. It's the cost of layout, editing, pre-production, and the cost of making the plates that go on the press. The cost is very incremental as to whether you run 500 copies of something or 1,000 (for instance). So yeah, those of us who are computer literate could opt to get it electronically and save the GL bulk rate postage, but the cost of the paper itself is probably negligible.
The quality of the magazine is a different matter altogether. It's possible that the quality might go up if they hadn't cut the page count to the bare bones. I'm sure it's politically impractical to cut too many "grip and grin" photos, so that only leaves so much room for articles of interest.
As far as e-zines go, how many of you are aware of Small Town Texas Masons E-Magazine? I've found it way more informational than the GL magazine. http://www.mastermason.com/STTM-Emag/
The quality of the magazine is a different matter altogether. It's possible that the quality might go up if they hadn't cut the page count to the bare bones. I'm sure it's politically impractical to cut too many "grip and grin" photos, so that only leaves so much room for articles of interest.
As far as e-zines go, how many of you are aware of Small Town Texas Masons E-Magazine? I've found it way more informational than the GL magazine. http://www.mastermason.com/STTM-Emag/
My lodge produces a newsletter that far exceeds the Texas Mason at no cost to the Lodge to do it electronically. There are so many free publication software programs. If a Brother chooses to have it in paper form then a subscription could be purcahsed. If I knew that $10 of a $20 a year subscription went to the GL general fund then I would purchase one in a heartbeat.
Our newsletter: http://www.fortworth148.org/newsletters/Lantern2010May.pdf
Our newsletter: http://www.fortworth148.org/newsletters/Lantern2010May.pdf
Just finished up reading a copy of the Texas Masons Magazine from 2003. What a difference!
http://www.grandlodgeoftexas.org/texas_mason/2003-spring.pdf
http://www.grandlodgeoftexas.org/texas_mason/2003-spring.pdf
david918
Premium Member
Here is my other Grand Lodges Magazine
http://www.mn-masons.org/sites/mn-masons.org/files/MN Mason July Aug 2010.pdf
http://www.mn-masons.org/sites/mn-masons.org/files/MN Mason July Aug 2010.pdf
I think the importance of a physical magazine is the public relations aspect. If every Mason in Texas has one on his coffee table, there's an opportunity to reach possible candidates that I would rather not eliminate. Jack Kelly really understood that aspect. We should be mailing a copy to every public library in Texas.
Dave in Waco
Premium Member
Wow that has more pages in that one issue then whole combined printing from last year!!
Benton
Premium Member
That's an excellent idea I hadn't considered. It would do a lot to let the public know about our charitable works. You know there would be people curious when they see the S&Cs on the cover, and decide to pick it up and see what our secrets are... only to find out about many of the charitable works we're involved in. That's really quite the brilliant idea.
That's sharp!