NEC Meeting, CAP News

[abysmal]

Copied from.
http://capblog.typepad.com/capblog/2005/05/from_the_recent.html#more

The National Executive Committee met recently (13 & 14 May) in Cincinnati, OH. 

Out of this, a few nuggets have emerged from the minutes that I thought were interesting and informative about the inner workings of Civil Air Patrol and our national governance structure.  Its sometimes difficult for our newer members to understand how our organization is organized and run at the echelons above reality.

(Note: these are not the official minutes, but gleaned from notes taken during the meeting. There was more, but these are some of the more interesting points...)



Civil Air Patrol News

"Progress in transitioning Civil Air Patrol News from a newspaper format to a magazine format. First issue for the new format is January 2006. 48 pages, four-color magazine.  CAP expects that increased advertising revenues will offset the $45K/yr increase in cost. Material for the new Civil Air Patrol news will be developed as in-depth feature articles, while more 'current' news will continue to be shown on the NHQ news pages on the website. "

:: 'Bout darn time.  I've been saying this for years. Every membership organization I belong to (and I belong to 3-4 besides Civil Air Patrol) has a "four-color glossy" magazine-style monthly publication.  One that I belong to has a tabloid-style monthly rag like CAP News, but that's for the state-level organization, not the national one.   

CAP has needed to move to this format for a long, long, long time.  It will increase & enhance our credibility among other organizations, for example.  And I believe you'll find that advertisers will flock to that format, too.  Its a serious publication format.

[Major_Chuck]

About time.

[Pylon]

I think this is a great move for CAP News.  I never read all those paper editions they sent to my home.  In retro-spect, I wished I had installed a paper-burning furnace.  I could have saved hundreds in heating bills with all those CAP News issues and CAP paperwork!

Seriously, though, I think a magazine format with a well-designed layout will bring CAP into the modern age of public affairs.  If aging and dying groups like the Knights of Columbus can publish glossy magazine periodicals quarterly, CAP can certainly do so as well. 

In addition, maybe with a more serious and less frequent format, we'll stop reporting on news like: "Cadet Snuffy Got His Mitchell Award and Squadron Podunk had a dinner where a real Air Force Staff Sgt. presented it in a plastic folder!"   Seriously, CAP News Online will publish anything, and I guess that's great, but our national magazine doesn't need articles like that.  The reduction in frequency should allow every wing to find events of actual substance to submit for publication.

I say, "Yay."   If I have to pay $5/yr for the subscription, I probably would, too.   I expect to pay out my [fourth point of contact] for everything in CAP anyways. But, to be optimistic, let's hope the supposed advertising revenue covers the cost.

[abysmal]

About time.

That was pretty much my thought as well.
When you consider the size of our organization and the WIDE cross section of skills and talents that we all bring to it, it is surprising that no one took this on sooner.

And if there was a reasonable subscription fee, I too would be willing to pay for it.

Might even be fun to submit a small ad for CAPTALK....

[Pylon]

Might even be fun to submit a small ad for CAPTALK....

Here, Here!

Actually, first start by trying to submit a news article about CAPTalk - they're free.  Then shoot for advertisements second.   

I'd really like to see the user-base of these forums increase substantially.  Perhaps this new magazine would be a good vehicle to promote us.

[abysmal]

It certainly cound not hurt.
There was not a SINGLE person at SLS/CLC this weekend that had ever heard of CAPTalk, or ANY of the other adult oriented forums.
Most did know of Cadet Stuff, and held it in VERY LOW REGARD...

[Pylon]

It certainly cound not hurt.
There was not a SINGLE person at SLS/CLC this weekend that had ever heard of CAPTalk, or ANY of the other adult oriented forums.
Most did know of Cadet Stuff, and held it in VERY LOW REGARD...

Well the press release got turned down, back when we opened, but I might throw some money into an ad for CAPTalk just to drum up some traffic and new users.  We'll see how that goes. 

[abysmal]

Well the press release got turned down, back when we opened, but I might throw some money into an ad for CAPTalk just to drum up some traffic and new users.  We'll see how that goes. 

Find out what they want to charge you for advertising.
I would not be opposed to tossing in a few bucks to help the cause.

I can not begin to say how usefull this site was to me in helping me get back up to speed after having been out of CAP for many many years!

[Major_Chuck]

Have you considered using any webrings or banner sights? 

-CC

It certainly cound not hurt.
There was not a SINGLE person at SLS/CLC this weekend that had ever heard of CAPTalk, or ANY of the other adult oriented forums.
Most did know of Cadet Stuff, and held it in VERY LOW REGARD...

Well the press release got turned down, back when we opened, but I might throw some money into an ad for CAPTalk just to drum up some traffic and new users.  We'll see how that goes. 

[Pylon]

Find out what they want to charge you for advertising.
I would not be opposed to tossing in a few bucks to help the cause.

I can not begin to say how usefull this site was to me in helping me get back up to speed after having been out of CAP for many many years!

I'll check it out.  Thanks for the offer. 

Have you considered using any webrings or banner sights? 

-CC

Webrings might be a small amount of traffic, as might banners, but the problem with both of those is that you have to put their banners on CAPTalk as well, and I'm totally opposed to having ad banners or other clutter on our pages.

As far as the idea of linking goes, I try to get every unit I chat with to put a link to us on their unit's website.  So far a number of Wing HQ's have linked to us (though not my own wing!     ), as have a good number of squadrons. 

Still, more exposure is needed.

Anywho - back on topic