Questions about THE NEWS

[Hobby]

Blair, The electronic News question raises it's head monthly. Not my department. Technically it IS a digital document as that is how it is generated before it goes to paper. There are negative costings to consider as I'm sure you will recognise, as the more copies are printed, the cost stays down: and the reverse. Might be worth raising this at the AGM, though I suspect that will be the answer.


BTW the 009 Society is a limited company. See p24 of the News.

Thanks, Chris, but  as it was a discussion about the News I felt it was appropriate to raise it. Especially in today's environment when we are supposed to be saving the World! ;)

I have replied to the latter on the other thread as looking at it again it's thread drift on here as it's not about the News but the Society.

http://www.009society.com/forum/index.php?topic=3508.msg26347#msg26347

[Chris Ford]

Here are a few stats provided by Mem Sec in the last couple of days which may or may not have a bearing in this particular matter, but are worth considering.
Members as of this week 1,940
Members with no online ability (assumed from given membership details) 28% of total.
Members registered on the forum about 20% but not necessarily reading it or posting.

So in a nutshell 4/5+ don't read the forum and over a 1/4 can't receive the News electronically for whatever reason. And that's not taking into account people like me for example who could get a pdf, but want to get away from the bloody screen for 10 minutes and read something off the paper.

[Hobby]

Chris please note the word in my first post: "option". What I asked for is an electronic version for those of us who want it! I was not suggesting everyone should get it regardless, I appreciate that would not work. Those who want paper can stay that way if they want to but give us the option of reducing the paper trail if we want to.

I wasn't even suggesting a reduction in membership fees to reflect the reduction in cost to the Society as i know this has been used as an excuse in the past not to offer it, just the option of getting it by email (or via the Website).

[Steve Facknell]

Lots of I want, I want but surprisingly no offers to produce what they want!

Back up what you want with offers of help then you might get somewhere.

[clayliner]

The Hon. Editor's new thread certainly seems to be generating plenty of traffic!

The problems with any survey (referendum?) are firstly deciding on the question (should B/L be retained as they are / just be contact and future meeting details / abolished altogether?) and then deciding what to do with the result (a simple majority of voters / a majority of members / a two-thirds majority?)

Just settling those issues should fill another few pages of the forum at least...

David.

[Alan Feldon]

David
I suggested a simple vote i.e. if a majority of one then that is the result .If only 25% of membership votes then so be it -if 75% are not interested enough to vote then they have to accept the result.
I do not see why the omission of branchlines would affect the society at all ,as any given report  can only be of interest to those members of that particular group who were not present -those who were there know what happened .
I feel that the space taken up could be better used showing things that are of interest to ALL members .
Alan

[danny]

The Hon. Editor's new thread certainly seems to be generating plenty of traffic!

The problems with any survey (referendum?) are firstly deciding on the question (should B/L be retained as they are / just be contact and future meeting details / abolished altogether?) and then deciding what to do with the result (a simple majority of voters / a majority of members / a two-thirds majority?)

Just settling those issues should fill another few pages of the forum at least...

David.

Surely if the aim for those proposing the removal of Branchlines is to create more space for something more interesting then it would be counterproductive to publish letters in the News debating whether to keep it?

[Alan Feldon]

Danny the suggestion have been made  on this forum in the context of the news contents , not (i dont think ) letters to the news .
As has been said ,in the past , branchlines is like Marmite .

[Chris Ford]

To be quite honest we are getting onto dangerous ground. IF B/L were to be removed, what next, the masthead and blue info strip - surely no one reads those - the editorial, anything non British - thank God we don't have too many black members as surely they would be the first to be excluded from pictures at this rate as they are the 'minority'? If the News content is to be put together by pressure groups and mob rule, rather than a balanced content designed to appeal to the greatest number without out any bias toward any particular sub-interest, then quite frankly I'll be giving a month's notice and will gladly return to some writing and modelling.


Replace 'Branchlines' with 'Europe' and just consider what you are all saying. I asked for some sensible questions in order to gain some sensible feedback and all I've got is selfish, bigoted comment and what amounts to the raising of a lynch mob. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

This thread is now closed as far as I'm concerned. If you have any further remarks about the NEWS please make them through the usual Society channels.
Chris.

[Hobby]

Chris, I feel you've over-reacted somewhat. I see several views being expressed and reasoning behind those views. I don't see mob rule, we can't have that anyhow because you are the one who makes the decision on contents.

If B/L is to stay I would suggest one improvement over the current set-up, and that is to include contact details of those groups who don't submit a report, if that means a reduction from 250 to 200 words for those who do then so be it. The News gets to everyone and therefore details of every group should take preference over details of meetings I'd have thought?

Just something for you to think about if you take time to read it, I hope you do!

[MickT]

There is a continuing thread drift to this sort of stuff so here's a place to do it. This might be a hornet's nest that I'm kicking over, but fire away; I'll do my best to answer anything (no guarantees). Be aware though that...

Most questions can be probably be answered with: 'I can only print what people send me and I only have 19 pages to do it.'

and you might get directed back here.

Love,
Ed.

Hey, let's all try to calm down everyone and resume friendly debate - if there is any more debate to be done. I would respectively remind everyone that just 5 days ago (and 4 pages, which must be a record for this usually very quiet forum!) Chris posted the above, and unfortunately did indeed kick over a hornets nest particularly regarding Branchlines!

The original idea if I have it right is that Chris had noticed on his first visit to the forum how moribund it has been and decided to comment as such in his editorial in The News, followed by launching basically a request on here for feedback and suggestions about the forum, which rapidly morphed into comments about The News, followed by debate, followed by lines being drawn up, followed by hackles being raised etc etc etc about first of all 009 News and then focusing mainly on feelings about Branchlines reports, followed by placards being prepared for mass demonstrations outside 009 Towers where the Directors have probably locked themselves in the Panic Room that was constructed behind the executive bog for precisely this sort of contingency.

We now have what amounts to demands for a membership survey. OK fine - then ask for one or even better, do one (take that phrase how you like) , but here is the place to express opinion not to formally launch the proposal. Some have expressed opinion that it is futile contacting the "Board" through the "accepted and proper way" ie letter or email to Secretary - again fine expressing that opinion if you have evidence to support this, but here is not the place to actually get that issue resolved and it is grossly unfair to put blame for all the perceived ills of how the Society goes about its business on somebody who is simply trying to do his co-opted job.

I've stuck my head over the parapet before and stated that the Editor of 009 News is a job holder and does not have executive powers or a vote on the boardroom table. If those who feel strongly enough about Branchlines to demand a membership survey about it, then that is your right, but do it properly - even better, create the survey and then put it forward to the Board/Committee call it what you like, and even more better, put your own name forward as a volunteer for administering and managing this survey.

In other words, please direct hatemail to the proper place and also: "put up or shut up" as they say, if you feel that a survey is essential, then go ahead, volunteer to do it and organise it, being mindful of the rules of the Society. I am merely a member myself just like nearly everyone else and am simply using my right to express my own opinion here on the way this has developed.

I apologise if I have myself fallen into the trap of passionate outburst etc but I do feel that this has got way out of hand and is indeed in danger of having breakdowns of diplomatic and normally friendly relations.

Mick

[Stan Williams]

The Merseyside Group  had a meeting yesterday and we had 27 coming along from various parts of the Uk.

Cumbria,  Lancashire,  Yorkshire, West Midlands, Cheshire, Greater manchester, Wirral, Merseyside.

Some of these generated from reading Branchlines and the Forums.

Some of us also decided that the report that will be going to Chris (Editor) to go into the News will include photos and I certainly hope he includes them.

If it comes to having a vote, we will do everything in our powers to make sure some of you guys are well and truely outvoted on the subject.

Stan.

[Hobby]

We now have what amounts to demands for a membership survey.

No we haven't, Mick, I will not have our debate changed into that. In several of Chris's recent editorials he has asked for views, the latest one has certainly got that! What we have suggested is that a survey may be the best way to find out the views of the Membership, at no point has it been a "demand".

Whether it is taken forward is up to the Board, they have asked and some of us have taken the time and effort to respond. Some people have rightly pointed out that our views are our own and may not represent the wishes of the Membership. I (and I assume the others) completely agree with that and is why we suggested the survey so as to find out what the membership actually felt.

I also said that I, and i believe most of the people in the Society are not qualified to construct a meaningful Questionnaire/Survey that will show the Society the way it's Members want it to go. To make that work you need a professional to ensure the wording produces a meaningful result. Unless we have one in the Society (?) it would be a good idea to get one in if we can afford it.

Whilst, as I've said before, I haven't the time to put myself forward for the Board i would be quite happy to join a working party to develop a Survey, as i am sure many others will be.

Chris asked for a response, he, and the Board have got it, we shall wait and see if it's taken forward.

Please don't tell me to "put it through the right channels", I've done that before and it didn't work, I heard nothing back, these two threads have made the Board fully aware of some of the member's feelings, that should be enough if they think it's worthwhile.

[MickT]

We now have what amounts to demands for a membership survey.

No we haven't, Mick, I will not have our debate changed into that. In several of Chris's recent editorials he has asked for views, the latest one has certainly got that! What we have suggested is that a survey may be the best way to find out the views of the Membership, at no point has it been a "demand".

Oh dear, Blair you may not have made a "demand" but read through the postings that have been made, some certainly have done.

Regarding your 2nd paragraph - "Whether it is taken forward is up to the Board, they have asked and some of us have taken the time and effort to respond" - I don't know where you are coming from on this one. If you are referring to Chris's original posting, I will repeat - he is NOT a member of the Board! Nobody on the Board who posts here has asked for feedback or views, in fact quite the reverse.

[Hobby]

Thanks for that, Mick, I hadn't read them that way, though no doubt someone will show me (please doon't bother!)..

OK, the Board didn't ask for feedback but Chris has with some of his editorials, at least that's the way I and others have read them! Written to provoke debate would be the way I'd describe them! Whether or not the Board were involved is a mute point, the box has been opened and they now have something to discuss at their next meeting, if they wish to...