Editorial

When their funds run low, magazines rarely tell their readers. Fund-raising experts warn them not to do so. (After all, why would anyone subscribe to a magazine that admits it is having financial problems?) So until now we have kept our chin up in the editor's column, but this time I want you readers to know the facts.

The good news: We are receiving grants from several sources for extra projects. For example, the Ministry of External Affairs will pay $8000 toward the extra costs of producing two issues on peacekeeping this fall for special distribution. Also, the Ministry of Culture of Ontario has offered us $15,O00 to hold a direct mail campaign to increase our circulation. We have a couple of promising fund-raising prospects, so in some respects our future is rosy.

The bad news: these grants don't cover operating expenses, such as printing, postage, rent, or phones. That's where we're running short. We'll be able to pay for the September issue, but in the meantime, we are going to skip one summer issue in order to concentrate on fund-raising, just to pay our basic costs. Then in the fall we will be back with two very special issues on peacekeeping and one in the winter on militarism and the environment.

However, it's time to ask honestly whether we are still effective in serving the cause of peace. Unlike most other magazines, we don't do this to make money. We volunteer our time, and if our magazine is not useful, we should turn our energies to other projects. One measure of our effectiveness is our circulation. Does your group use our magazine as an outreach tool? Do you personally learn anything important from our publication? If you like what we print and think a friend or neighbor would also like it, now's the time to order a subscription for your local library or for your sister's birthday gift, or to extend your own subscription. If we're not serving you well, what would you like us to do that's different?

Do drop us a line and, if you can, a cheque! If 100 of our readers each send $100, we'll do fine! Thanks!

In our last issue, we confided in our readers that we are having financial "challenges." We are delighted and grateful for your generous responses. Several people contributed $100, and we have regained confidence and courage. Many thanks!

Peace Magazine Jun-Jul 1993

Peace Magazine Jun-Jul 1993, page 4. Some rights reserved.

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