CAP News vs. Volunteer

[Stonewall]

Okay, I've never started a poll before and this has been on my mind for a while.  I was disappointed when they got rid of CAP News sent out monthly.  I loved that thing and couldn't wait to get mine, especially as a cadet.

As a senior, after I read it a few times, I'd tear off my address label and leave it somewhere, usually in a reception office.  I kid you not, one day we got a recruit out of it.  A guy brought his son to a meeting and said he found this CAP Newspaper in the lobby at Jiffy Lube.

Anyway, what are your thoughts, or is Tedda and gang going to throw their Volunteer magazine at me for starting another poll  

[pixelwonk]

It's ok. I know it's the meds talking.

Seriously, I don't find myself caring much about either format now that the Volunteer has been out for a good while now.  But you bring up a good idea which I've done myself.  From time to time my past issues have gone to my kid's pediatrician and dentist/orthodontist offices.

[MIKE]

I don't really care either way... I rarely read much out of either format.

[RiverAux]

The Volunteer is much, much, much better than CAP News ever was.  Almost every story in it is about what CAP is doing.  The News was mostly columns from the leadership that weren't worth reading, a few press releases from around CAP about some missions, and a whole bunch of copied press releases in the back that weren't worth reading -- why do I want to read about who went to an SLS class in a state across the country.

Now, most of the articles are professionally written in true magazine style.  NHQ PA got this one 100% correct.  I'd actually be proud to leave the Volunteer laying around for someone to read and wouldn't ever consider it with the CAP News.  

[LtCol White]

I like Volunteer although I wish it had a better name.  Perhaps something like "Civil Airmen" or  "Civil Air Patrol Digest"

Volunteer as a title doesn't identify the organization

[TankerT]

Thing to consider... the Volunteer and CAP News have/had two separate target audiences.

CAP News was a newspaper targeted CAP members with the types of stories, etc.

The Volunteer is specifically designed with an external to CAP audience.

[LtCol White]

Thing to consider... the Volunteer and CAP News have/had two separate target audiences.

CAP News was a newspaper targeted CAP members with the types of stories, etc.

The Volunteer is specifically designed with an external to CAP audience.

Exactly why the name should identify the organization more than Volunteer. That could refer to Police, Fire, EMS, Red Cross, etc... or be a general publication for all categories of volunteers.

[acarlson]

Thing to consider... the Volunteer and CAP News have/had two separate target audiences.

CAP News was a newspaper targeted CAP members with the types of stories, etc.

The Volunteer is specifically designed with an external to CAP audience.

I liked CAP News ... but then I believe we need to focus more on retention... and then recruitment...  keeping the current volunteers trained, and retained, IMHO, provides for a stronger CAP.

[mikeylikey]

Volunteer but on a monthly issue would be awesome!

[Stonewall]

Found this via Google.  For those of you that are newer to CAP I thought I'd show you what a CAP Newspaper looked like.

[RiverAux]

Funny, the ones I got were always printed on dingy gray low quality paper that looks nothing as spiffy as what this looks like. 

[Stonewall]

They did used to be a dingy gray low quality paper, but remember, it was like in 2002 or something when they changed the quality of the paper as well as the layout.  It actually made it in the it's own Newspaper.

[RiverAux]

The Nov 2005 issue I just pulled off the shelf looks pretty much as dingy as the rest of them.  I will say that in the last few years they at least got rid of the ragged page edges. 

[BlackKnight]

This is a really tough call.  I like the more professional image of the new magazine, but I hate the fact that our newest Mitchell cadets don't get to see their names in print in the national magazine anymore.  I know they get listed in the on-line version but it's not quite the same. 

Again, it comes down to which audience is being targeted (external vs internal) and how much print space is available.  In the final analysis the new format is probably better for recruiting.  My household gets 4 copies of the Volunteer and we try to donate our extra copies to the lounge at the local FBO and surrounding school libraries.

[JCJ]

The Volunteer is much, much, much better than CAP News ever was.  Almost every story in it is about what CAP is doing.  The News was mostly columns from the leadership that weren't worth reading, a few press releases from around CAP about some missions, and a whole bunch of copied press releases in the back that weren't worth reading -- why do I want to read about who went to an SLS class in a state across the country.

Now, most of the articles are professionally written in true magazine style.  NHQ PA got this one 100% correct.  I'd actually be proud to leave the Volunteer laying around for someone to read and wouldn't ever consider it with the CAP News.  

+1

Maybe with a little more work to supplement with more detailed on-line info for members.  I know some of this is being done now.

[mikeylikey]

Again, it comes down to which audience is being targeted (external vs internal) and how much print space is available. 

NHQ is absolutely targeting external audiences.  You can find free copies being sent to recruiting offices, base commanders, Congressional offices and state emergency management offices.  The publishers are producing a marketing tool.  Plain and simple.

[afgeo4]

The format of the Volunteer is great and it's enjoyable to read, but it needs to come out every month. There are so many stories that don't make it to print 4 months later because of submittal/printing lapse. By that time, the story isn't news anymore.

[RiverAux]

I suspect publication costs are the primary issue.  A good portion of the dues that we pay to national probably are eaten up by Volunteer costs now. 

[jimmydeanno]

^Cessna and other sponsors/corporate partners pay quite a bit to advertise in them...

[Pylon]

^Cessna and other sponsors/corporate partners pay quite a bit to advertise in them...

Right, but I know that cost is/was a major concern with the publication.  They cut out many of the cadet and senior programs awards other than the highest, as well as Final Salute, just to save that small amount of space each issue.  Clearly the page count is a major concern of theirs.

Being somebody who pushes out a full-color, full-bleed glossy publication like the Volunteer, I understand how expensive they can be.  Those probably cost somewhere around $1 to $1.50 per copy to print, bind, and mail at their quantities.  Every four-page folio added (because remember, pages can only be added in multiples of 4) adds to the cost significantly when you're printing 60,000+ pieces.

[Major Carrales]

I do miss the more encompassing Coast-to-Coast sections at the end of CAP NEWS.   

[pixelwonk]

That stuff appears every day via CAP's RSS feed.  Stick it in your myYahoo, iGoogle, squadron website... wherever.

Since designating the majority of the coast to coast stuff for the interwebs, CAP has been more likely to post news releases sent to them, along with pictures.

[Major Carrales]

That stuff appears every day via CAP's RSS feed.  Stick it in your myYahoo, iGoogle, squadron website... wherever.

Since designating the majority of the coast to coast stuff for the interwebs, CAP has been more likely to post news releases sent to them, along with pictures.

You would be surprised how many CAP Officers don't own a computer and depend on the LAP top to record all their e-files.

[pixelwonk]

Actually I'm not surprised.  I'm a webservant after all and I get to hear from those people often enough.
Without being overtly ignorant and suggesting they go buy one, there are other methods of getting online such as schools, libraries, senior centers, squadrons, internet cafes, etc...

[Major Carrales]

Actually I'm not surprised.  I'm a webservant after all and I get to hear from those people often enough.
Without being overtly ignorant and suggesting they go buy one, there are other methods of getting online such as schools, libraries, senior centers, squadrons, internet cafes, etc...

Yes, but most people don't seem to know that CAPTALK is there....nor do they "log on" regular enough.  They are NEWSPAPER and MAG types to the bone!

[addo1]

Okay, I've never started a poll before and this has been on my mind for a while.  I was disappointed when they got rid of CAP News sent out monthly.  I loved that thing and couldn't wait to get mine, especially as a cadet.

As a senior, after I read it a few times, I'd tear off my address label and leave it somewhere, usually in a reception office.  I kid you not, one day we got a recruit out of it.  A guy brought his son to a meeting and said he found this CAP Newspaper in the lobby at Jiffy Lube.

Anyway, what are your thoughts, or is Tedda and gang going to throw their Volunteer magazine at me for starting another poll  

It would be awesome to have a steady monthly newspaper!!!

Tags - MIKE

[pixelwonk]

You're mistaking me for someone who defends the Volunteer staff for omitting what they do. Rather I'm merely pointing out alternatives for people who miss the things they don't stick in there anymore.

[afgeo4]

What if there was an option to opt out of receiving the paper version of Volunteer for those of us who view it online anyway? Could that save them costs of creating so many copies and able them to increase the number of pages on both, the printed and online version allowing for greater coverage? It's sort of similar to opting out of receiving phone/electrical paper bill in lieu of online billing.

[Lancer]

What if there was an option to opt out of receiving the paper version of Volunteer for those of us who view it online anyway? Could that save them costs of creating so many copies and able them to increase the number of pages on both, the printed and online version allowing for greater coverage? It's sort of similar to opting out of receiving phone/electrical paper bill in lieu of online billing.

The idea is that you'll take the copy of Volunteer you received and take it somewhere in your community where it will draw interest (school office, doctor/dentist office).

You would even want to go so far as to 'relabel' it with your squadron information (front and back). Great recruiting tool.

[jimmydeanno]

^ Exactly - you can even request extra copies from NHQ for PR events like airshows, etc to hand out - they work great.

[A.Member]

On the issue of cost, I would be interested in seeing a quantitative ROI on Volunteer. 

While I prefer it's format over the old CAP News, one has to question the CBA.  Is it being really being read?  Some here have admitted to not reading either format.  I occasionally skim it...on the way to the garbage can. 

Are we getting a return on this publication?  As was pointed out, it must be very costly to produce.  BTW, I'm not opposed to spending money - provided it's effective.  If nothing else, Volunteer looks very good - very professional (and I'll never criticize that, especially in our organization).  Although, the discussions around the name do seem to have some merit.  I'd say frequency and content are potential issues but, as I mentioned, I don't read it enough either way.

[addo1]

  A steady monthly CAP Newspaper would be best... Would not have to be long and strenous, but could keep us informed!

[BillB]

The arguement of CAP News vs The Volunteer, is the same arguement I heard when CAP Times became CAP News. CAP Times was published by the same company that produced and published Air Force Times. And basically it followed the same format. It was twice as interesting at CAP News, which seems to have more news than The Volunteer.
The magazine format is excellent for leaving at City/County libraries or even school libraries, it's aimed at an external audience, where CAP News was for CAP members. One problem with getting $5 subscriptions for libraries to The Volunteer that used to be done in many parts of the country is the increase in price to $25.

[RiverAux]

was twice as interesting at CAP News, which seems to have more news than The Volunteer.

Only if you want to count stories about the SLS held by the Homer J. Simpson squadron that was attended by 10 people.  Those stories at the back were notoriously not worth national attention. 
Some examples from the last CAP News:
1.  story about 4 cadets from 1 squadron that went to a wing encampment
2.  story about promotion of 2 members from a squadron in NV
3.  story about 3 cadets in OH getting their Mitchell awards
4.  story about an c-130 orientation ride in AL
5.  story about a blackhawk orientation ride in GA
6.  story about a squadron cadet chance of command ceremony.

And that is just after a very quick read of a few of the stories in ONE issue.  All worth publication in the Wing newsletter, but not worth national attention at all.   The Volunteer mostly avoids that.