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Let us have your views on providing some "extras" for subscribers.
| Colin Bishop | 24/07/2009 19:45:04 |
 Moderator 4968 forum posts 6089 photos 410 articles | This Website is provided by MyHobbyStore, publiishers of Model Boats and primarily exists to support the magazine. We hope that visitors will look round the site and its links, read some of the sample articles we have posted and take out a subscription to what is the UK's leading Model Boating periodical.
At the moment, everything on the website is free to view but the publishers would like to add an extra dimension by providing additional content to magazine subscribers to recognise their commitment to the magazine and at the same time encourage non subscribers to sign up. The more subscribers we have, the stronger the magazine becomes and we can build upon an already comprehensive coverage of the model boating scene.
At present, we post a selection of articles from previous issues of the magazine on the Website homepage. This will continue but we will be adding current articles in future which will be viewable by magazine subscribers only.
This is only a start however, and we would welcome suggestions as to what additional content subscribers would like to see on the website to add value to their subscriptions. For example, one idea might be to have competition draws with valuable prizes for subscribers only.
We are however open to practical suggestions and any good ideas you put forward will be given serious consideration.
Tell us what you think!
Colin Bishop
Website Editor |
| Paul T | 24/07/2009 20:06:04 |
 7334 forum posts 1229 photos 2 articles | Hi Colin
Competitions with worthwhile prizes is a great idea.
Paul |
| Barry Gibson | 25/07/2009 01:08:23 |
 38 forum posts 17 photos | I'd like too see some of the old articles like the Towage on the Thames series or Norman Oughs. Or what about some of the small free plans by R A Sweet etc.
Barry. |
| Dr John Booth | 25/07/2009 07:45:13 |
 90 forum posts 1 photos | Some time ago on the forum there was an unofficial attempt to start a design competition. This might be a good idea for your new subscriber only section especially if the prize was something decent and involved My Hobby Store including the design within their range. The prize might be a laptop computer or the equivalent value to spend in My Hobby Store. (or is this to rich a prize to expect?)
John |
| Paul T | 26/07/2009 07:26:09 |
7334 forum posts 1229 photos 2 articles | How about a competition to build a model boat out of scraps, Len has such an event at his club and it looks like a lot of fun without involving a huge ammount of serious work.
Paul
nb....I would submit a design for a chance to win a laptops value in hobby stuff |
| Tony Hadley | 26/07/2009 13:27:20 |
 912 forum posts 552 photos | Colin,
For magazine subsribers only:-
Would a database of historic archive magazines/magazine items from the past be an idea? Some kind of index would be required.
The older items (eg 1960's and 1970's) could be submitted by subsription members into a pre designed template.
When the database has been built, items could be offered as sale items to non subsription members (cd or printed). Remaining accessible to subsribers.
I do realise that changes are taking place in model making, and the magazine items of the future will change (eg more RTR and ARTR as against traditional construction). Many older model builders are pleased to access the original item, when building a craft from years gone by. The only hope of obtaining an item is to purchase an old magazine on ebay.
Just an idea.
Tony.
ps - I have re started my subscription after attemping to buy the magazine from W.H.Smith. To buy from the shop, you must first pay Town Centre car park charges, upon arrival at the shop, when you manage to see the magazine, someone will be stood in the way studying every used car price and be very unwilling to move!
Just hope the postal dispute doesn't interfere with subsription deliveries. |
| Colin Bishop | 26/07/2009 14:19:18 |
Moderator 4968 forum posts 6089 photos 410 articles | I'm not making any specific comments just yet except to say thanks for the contributions and keep 'em coming!
Colin |
| Paul T | 29/07/2009 18:38:20 |
7334 forum posts 1229 photos 2 articles | Perhaps another photo competition for action shots. |
| Barry Foote | 01/08/2009 12:49:02 |
 161 forum posts 93 photos | Personally, I think it is a very bad idea to offer any extras to subscribers only. Many of us cannot afford a subscription to the magazine, particularly those of us living abroad as the postage charges are prohibitive. We would then be penalised in a manor that would be discriminatory. |
| Colin Bishop | 01/08/2009 14:41:32 |
Moderator 4968 forum posts 6089 photos 410 articles | Barry, your viewpoint is a commonly held one but one of the factors driving this and which has been aired in the press here recently is that publishers, whether magazines or newspapers, are giving too much away for free and this is hitting their revenues.
Low circulation (relatively) magazines such as Model Boats exist on quite precarious budgets and continued publication requires a fine balancing act. The intention of the publishers in maintaining this Website and Forum is to attract visitors who will be encouraged by the sample articles and other content to take out a subscription or buy the magazine on a regular basis. I'm afraid it isn't to provide free reading to people who, for whatever reason, can't afford to purchase it.
The idea of putting on subscriber only material goes a step further along this route by providing some enhanced value which will "reward" subscribers for signing up, just as the special subscription offers in the magazine do. The extent to which it may work remains to be seen but the publishers are a commercial company and the magazine has to be run on that basis. Without sufficient income from subscribers, retail sales and advertising there would be no magazine and the current recession plus the growth of the internet has resulted in a significant fall off in advertising in all parts of the media, including the press, magazines and TV. Increasing readership subscriptions is one way of plugging the gap
Colin |
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We welcome well written contributions from Website members on almost any aspect of Model Boating with a particular emphasis on practical hints, tips, experience and builds.
In order to maintain a consistent standard and format, all suggestions should first be sent to me by Personal Message for approval in principle. Only a very limited amount of time is available for editing contributions into a suitable format for placing on the website so it is important that the material is well presented, lucid and free from obvious spelling errors. I think it goes without saying that contributions should be illustrated by appropriate photos. I shall be happy to give advice on this.
The Member Contribution area offers space for short informative mini articles which would not normally find a place in Model Boats magazine. It is an opportunity for Website Members to freely share their expertise and experience but I am afraid that virtue is its own reward as there is no budget to offer more material recompense!
I look forward to receiving your suggestions.
Colin Bishop - Website Editor
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