Just got The Journal in the mail

[midnight star stables]

If you look at old Journals, you'll see a wide mix of all different colours, sizes and types of ads. Ads were usually tastefully placed next to or near related topics in the Journal - Such examples include National All-Star ads beside the All-Star list, and Canadian All-Star ads beside the Canadian All-Star List, and breeder's farm adds beside breeding articles. It was always classy and you could tell that a lot of thought went into each page ~ even if it WAS late.

Now I find there is a CLEAR CUT in ads in the Journal, split right where one's wallet lies.

You open the newer Journals and are hit with big beautiful COLOUR ads. And there are many beautiful ads. Then part way through, there are a few black and white ads tossed in at the back...

Advertising is EXPENSIVE! I don't care if you have 10 full page colour ads or 1 half page black and white, each advertiser should be treated fairly.

I have a yearly contract with the Journal and I am devastated that my hard earned money is just tossed in the back because I don't fork out as much money as another farm. It leaves a real bad taste in my mouth and I really wonder if I want to renew? I'm sitting her deciding if it is worth my money to invest in a full page B&W ad if it too is only going to be tossed in the back. It makes me sad.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I'm sorry I love the new Journal, I don't pay that close attention to detail but I look at them all. With the old Journal I spent maybe 5 min. looking thru it, the new one with articles to read and more advertising too look at I probably take 30 min. to look thru. I appreciate that we get the Journal on time unlike in the past you get months of delay and loosing advertisers left and right.

 

[kaykay]

I have a lot of issues with the new Journal. I hate hate hate the flat font of the cover "Journal" It used to look so classy.

I hate that most of the articles are reprints from old magazines or from internet archives. We have so many talented members that I don't know why we have to resort to reprinted articles? Also it has been printed with a lot of big mistakes in the past few issues.

And this cost is going to be much higher than previous years. With advertisers down and costs up that won't be good come the end of the year.

 

[ruffian]

I love the new Journal - especially the fact that I GET IT!! LOL

I don't have any problem with the color photo ads being in the front of the magazine. I look at all of them. I saw your ad MSS - it's a great ad.

It's no different than going to a concert - the best seats are up front and cost more. You want to ride in the front of the plane? You're going to pay more. I'm sorry, but I'm a little tired of everybody saying that even if they don't pay as much as someone else, they deserve the same treatment. It goes along with what's going on in the nation today - not against you personally

but I've worked hard for my entire life, advertise as I can afford, and don't expect to get the front cover if I didn't pay for it. (By the way, the protestors at the "Occupy" nonsense, is getting 5 star meals for free.

At one time the entire Journal was black and white - they wouldn't ALLOW color ads. I'm so glad that that rule has been eliminated.

If you want to be in the front part of the Journal, like anything else, you have to pay for it.

 

[Minimor]

I agree with Kay--what is so impressive about shiny pages, recycled articles, and too many typing errors?

I'd rather see one good, in depth and original article per issue rather than multiple recycled articles that really don't say anything at all.

Where is the advertising price list that specifies which placements cost extra? I haven't seen the rate sheet in awhile & cannot remember. I know covers (inside & out) cost more, and maybe there was something about the first so many pages costing more (or was it "special placement"?)--color ads cost more than B/W ones do, but I didn't think there were any specifications about the first 1/3 or 1/4 of the magazine being more expensive. Please share the source of that information ruffian?

 

[sdmini]

Yes and no ruffian. A year long contract with the Journal guarantees them x amount of dollars and x amount of ads. The Journal wants and encourages these type of ads so much so they give you a discount to do so. A more even distribution of color ads also encourages you to browse from cover to cover, not just till you reach the "cheap seats".

Is it about the money? Absolutely which is exactly why a balance needs to struck. If Worlds or Nationals only catered to the trainers because they brought in more horses, ie money, that would be suicide so why would the breed magazine be any different?

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I love the new front cover, especially the latest one its so stiking. I enjoy the articles, yes if I find interest in them I do read them, I don't know why you think we are getting fewer advertisers, I think since the new Journal their have been more advertisers, with the old Journal when it was months delay fewer and fewer advertisment and how much money did the Journal lost cause they had to pay back for dated material. Also I know there were mistakes printed by the old Journal as well. I don't know if there has been increase in prices as I don't have anything from the latest old Journal but I would be curious to see how much money the Journal has gained compared to last year. Like anything prices go up, but I heard there has been no increase.

With the old Journal many members were unhappy. They didn't want to even receive the Journal anymore just to save money on membership, I was on the fence but I defintelly see what they were coming from. It was nothing special. But it was our official "newletter" to get news spread to members, but word wasn't getting spread to members as the Journal was suppose to. The new Journal I really feel like its an acutal breed magazine.

Desiree I looked bag to this issue and I do notice what you are talking about. I think they should be able to mix it up, I think it would look better. If you want to look at it this way tho their are some people who start in the back and read towards the front. I've always noticed your ad too btw

 

[disneyhorse]

Personally, I love this recent issue of the Journal. I think it's got way more in it than the past, especially advertisers... and I don't mind that all the "expensive" ads are in the front. When it comes to advertising, you get what you pay for! If it was supposed to be fair, there would just be a blanket size and color scheme and one flat fee.

The articles, although perhaps recycled, are new to me. I don't generally like magazine articles because they are recycled and recycled and recycled... I don't see how anyone can have a magazine subscription longer than a year because after that, it's just a rehash of the same old thing...

Andrea

 

[Minimor]

Well, Andrea, that's not exactly true. I've been going through my Morgan magazines one last time before passing them on to someone else. These magazines have some really great articles in them. Some are general and may be reprints from elsewhere, but they are still in depth articles that give some seriously good information. Many of the articles are written specifically for that publication--some general, some breed specific--and again, they are good, in depth articles.

One of my favorites is a form to function article that goes into different conformation traits and what the effect of those traits has on the horse's performance--with input from trainers from each division, which each trainer going into some detail about why he chooses what he does when selecting a horse for his division. The same type of article appearing in our Journal would amount to little more than a few paragraphs that never go any further than "Good conformation is important because it helps the horse to move better" or "A longer shoulder makes for a better stride"--which all in all tell a person ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

Surely to goodness it must be possible to come up with one good, in depth article per issue? 6 original articles per year, written just for this breed publication shouldn't be impossible?

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

The articles, although perhaps recycled, are new to me. I don't generally like magazine articles because they are recycled and recycled and recycled... I don't see how anyone can have a magazine subscription longer than a year because after that, it's just a rehash of the same old thing...

Andrea

I've been getting EQUUS magazine for 31 YEARS and haven't yet seen a repeated article....and since things do change all the time you may see articles on the same issues but they sure aren't just "rehashed"...

 

[~Lisa~]

I love the new Journal and think with the fact it is FINALLY coming out on time on a regular basis you will see advertisers pick up. Many stopped advertising including myself I used to place a Nationals ad every year but when that was not seen until Feb or March or whatever it was it just seemed a waste of money. I know several farms who felt the same way.

You cant please everyone but it is sure nice to see threads with the majority actually getting the Journal and enjoying it then those were people were getting them months late and not much content at all.

 

[2minis4us]

I don't care for the all the black and white ads being in the back of the magazine. It's like they don't matter. Unfortunately he/she with the most money wins.

 

[valshingle]

I don't mind that the black and white ads are in the back. That's how it is in many magazines. Generally, black and white ads are cheaper so it is no surprise to me that they are placed towards the back. I suppose if you have a contract to put in monthly black and white ads, then you should be placed towards the front of the black and white ads. Those that spend the most tend to get the most.

BTW, I look at every ad - color and black and white. So I don't think your money would be ill spent. When looking at an ad, I take into account who the farm is, knowing that some farms have a lot of money to spend. Or the people may be older and not so 'tech savvy'. But there are many small farms with less money that have excellent horses. You never know where the next big winner is going to come from. Heck, there are gorgeous horses coming from people who never advertise or don't have a website.

As to article content, I know that Melissa of the Miniature Horse World magazine (AMHA's magazine) is often looking for well written, informative articles. I imagine the same holds true for The Journal. You could always submit one, or suggest one for them to reprint (provided they can get permission). I think The Journal has come a long way in working out some of their previous bugs.

 

[maestoso]

When you buy concert or theater tickets you pay more for the better seats.

When you want to eat better food you go to more expensive restaurants.

Bigger, better homes cost more money.

Unfortunately service providers don't care that a $20 bill hits me just as hard as a million dollar bill might hit someone else.

I see no reason why ads in the Journal should be different than any other service. It's just the way it is.

 

[LaVern]

Love the New Journal. Kind of quit doing much for a while when it was so late, but now am having a ball thinking of new ads. Betty wants Christmas ads, so she is going to get one from me. Tara will be home this weekend and she has a doozie planned. The Journal is so cheap to advertise in comparison to other horse publications that it is crazy, and then now with it on line it is even better. Other than Our Own Mary Lou's sale board -which is FREE,- you can't beat it.

 

[sdmini]

No where does the Journal state that color ads will receive preferential placement so it's not the same as buying a better concert seat. The only real excuse for all color ads up front and black and white ones in the back is if the color ads all paid the extra $20 for placement. That may certainly be the case, I have no idea. I haven't advertised with the Journal for a while now and have no real dog in this fight, just a point.

The Journal does not make $225 more off of color verses black and white. Every printing I've ever been involved in full color makes the price at least double. When I buy color verses black ink cartridge for my home printer I pay double, not for any better service but for the color. In this case price does not indicate how much more the Journal is benefiting. I can tell you at the vet clinic I worked for we "benefited" a lot more from $40 cat neuters than we did from $100 spays.

 

[gvpalominominis]

WOW... really? Complaining? Firstly, "I feel" it is GREAT to get the Journal back on track and received regularly and timely. Secondly, I agree with that said above about the Journal is one on the most economical ways to advertise your farms, stallions, wins or industry services. I also REALLY like the new ad size's offered and it splashes color throughout the magazine... did you see them?! I haven't read the articles yet.... I'm a look at the pictures first kinda reader and then go back more in depth later... so can't really comment at this time. Yes, personally I'd like to see full page color ads all the way through to keep "my" attention....simply because I tend to start skimmin' once the black print starts, but I understand the concept of advertising placement... so my bad, and I'm not complaining... just being selfish... LOL So all in all, I'd like to thank Betty Teall for all her efforts and I'm sure she'd be happy to have your article subject requests.... instead of complaining.... or write and submit an original article or human interest story others might find enjoyable reading. The economics of magazine publishing is simple. The amount of editorial subject matter percentage (articles and newsy stuff) is governed by the number of paid advertisement each month. The more ads there are...the more articles and fun stuff can go in.

Betty's only done a few issues... let's all give her a chance to gear up and support her to make the Journal one of the best periodicals around!

 

[Minimor]

Well, I hope that someone at Convention will ask the question "What is the cost per page?" because that is the best way to measure how the magazine is really doing. One can't look at just the total cost--because that will depend upon membership and other things...people keep saying that membership is down. If member numbers are down then that means fewer magazines to print and mail. Fewer magazines to mail means less cost.

People here say they're likely to advertise more now, but at the same time there are those who say they are now going to stop advertising--so will there really be an increase in advertising?

And the person above is correct--unless the color ad owners paid the $20 preferred placement fee they no more deserve the front of the magazine than do the B/W ad owners. There is nothing anywhere that says color ads take precedence over (or get better placement than) the B/W ads do!

 

[~Lisa~]

Holly I am curious why the sudden worry about cost? With advertising as down as it was due to the Journal being so late for years not just for months things will be a bit more costly but seeing as we are a registry who does not think losses and money count when it comes to things like Congress or even Nationals then why this sudden worry over cost when it comes to what we have been told for years is not a magazine but a OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER of the registry?

 

[Minimor]

What SUDDEN worry about cost, Lisa? Cost is always a concern, or it should be, for any publication, be it magazine or newsletter. In this case, cost is something I've wondered about when I look at the "new" Journal. Take the All Star issue for instance. Larger print meant more space used. It looked like an awful lot of pages of all star results! Can't help it--when I looked at that I did wonder how much did this cost???