[Nfb-editors] NFB affiliate newsletters stressed

Tue Nov 15 23:15:01 UTC 2011

Hey,

Well, it's a huge sign noting that out of all the affiliates, only 18
have newsletters. And of those 18, not all contain original and/or
creative material. The NFB is so concerned with developing newsletters,
and stressing how vital they are to the organization, but it's difficult
to continue a successful publication especially on a volunteer basis and
with little to no help.

I finally had to step down as editor for The Nebraska Independent
because even after taking it from a quarterly newsletter to just
semi-annually, I had very little material to work with. I've brought
this up before, and a heated debate insued, but what's the point
spending time and energy to only regurgitate information in an affiliate
newsletter found on the national website, NFBNET listserves, Braille
Monitor, social network sites and all the other places distributing NFB
news; it's redundant.  If newsletters don't work to feature more than
information we're already inandated with, frankly, who cares, and who
wants to edit such a publication? Not me.

It's also stressing to have no support with a newsletter. No
professional publication in the world would accept material that had to
be essentially rewritten from scratch, or if a submission had potential
but wasn't publishable as of yet, it would be sent back to the author
with notes and comments for resubmission, and they also wouldn't ghost
write for anyone unless that was established from the get-go. And they
definitely wouldn't work with loose deadlines, letting people, leaders
included,  submit when they feel like it. I know you editors understand
where I'm coming from. And I will move higher on the hit list here, but
I had zero support from my affiliate board with our newsletter. They had
no in-put and no submissions coming from our leaders. Where do
situations like this leave us? It was suppose to be the Nebraska
newsletter, not the Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter newsletter.

And despite what many think, few people want to read a full-length
publication like a newsletter nowadays. They prefer short blurbs like
the listserves or online communications.Though I may disagree with this
movement, the reality is that the world no longer functions the way it
once did, and publications like newsletters, of any kind, have been on
their way out for a while. I think it's time we considered alternative
communications avenues in order to keep up and make sure members stay
informed.

I also think a part of the problem is the lack of creativity along with
lack of a professional knowledge of newsletters. Combine this with
relying on volunteer services and you see why so few create, or
continue, publications of any kind.

To me, based on these numbers, and how many fail to be consistent, it
seems like the NFB is continuing to push a round peg into a square hole.
I think that round peg needs to be shaped into something different;
retaining it as a peg but shaping it to fit into the square hole.

Just my thoughts.
Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Read my blog at:
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/

"History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan

Message: 2
Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:18:41 -0600
From: "Robert Leslie Newman" <newmanrl at cox.net>
To: "0editors list" <nfb-editors at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [Nfb-editors] NFB Affiliate Newsletters, stressed!
Message-ID: <000001cca323$c085aa70$4190ff50$@cox.net>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

Status of the Publication of NFB Affiliate Newsletters 

Most of you know that when I accepted the position of chair of the NFB
Newsletter Publications committee, that I instituted the sharing of
affiliate newsletters on our editors mailing list. To do so, I sought
out and contacted all affiliates (and Divisions) who had existing
newsletters. In addition, I encouraged all newsletter editors to join
the editors mailing list. It is great to be able to say that some of our
editors are finding value in sharing their publications, though to bring
them all into the editors mailing list, I still have to search out some
of them and bring them to the list on my own. 

This is a report of what I'm seeing relating to the publication
frequency of the 18 affiliate newsletters which say they are in
business. I'm finding that the majority, ten out of the eighteen are
experiencing difficulties in meeting their publication goals. And I
stress, this report is not meant to be a criticism in any way, shape or
form! I, and we all know the important job our affiliate newsletters do
for our mission to change what it means to be blind. We on this list and
within the NFB Publications committee are all about the promotion,
support and enhancement of our newsletters. Maybe what positive can come
from this collection of data --- to know where affiliate newsletters are
"stressed," (my choice of word), is to be in a position where we can
collectively reach out and provide some assistance.

The 18 newsletters are divided below into two groups --- "Publication on
track, not stressed" & "Publication not on track, stressed"

I give the name of the state, the newsletter name, the frequency of
publication (when I could discern it), and when it was last published.  

***8 Publications on track, not stressed:

Connecticut, "The Federationest in Connecticut" (Published by annually):
last issued --- Spring-Summer 2011 

Illinois, "The Braille Examiner" (Published by annually): last issued
--- Winter 2011 

Kansas, "Tap Tracks" (Published by annually): last issued ---
Autum-Winter 2011

Kentucky, "The Kentucky Cardinal" (Published quarterly): last issued ---
Summer 2011  

Minnesota, "Minnesota Bulletin" (Published quarterly): last issued ---
Fall 2011

Nevada, "The Silver Standard" (Published by monthly): last issued ---
September-October 2011

(Just started 2011)

Ohio, (The Buckeye Bulletin" (Published by annually): last issued ---
Summer Fall 2011 

New Mexico, "Que Pasa" (Published quarterly): last issued --- September
2011

**10 Publications not on track, stressed:

Alaska, "Alaska, Newsletter" (Published monthly): last issued --- August
2011

Colorado, "The Blind Coloradan" (Published monthly): July 2011

(Just restarted 2011)

Idaho, "The Gem State Milestones" (Published quarterly): last issued ---
Winter 2010  

Maryland, "The Braille Spectator" (Published quarterly): last issued ---
Spring 2011 

Missouri, (The Blind Missourian" (Published unknown?): last issued ---
February 2011 

New Jersey, "The Sounding Board" (Published quarterly): last issued ---
Fall 2010  

Pennsylvania, "The Blind Activist" (Published by annually): last issued
--- Spring-Summer 2009

Utah, "Blindness Matters" (Published quarterly): last issued --- March
2011

(Just started 2011)

Virginia, "NFB Vigilant" (Published quarterly): last issued --- Spring
2011 

Wisconsin, "The Spotlight" (Published quarterly): last issued --- Spring
2011

(Just started 2011)

Robert Leslie Newman