New leadership at BCM

[mak]

BCM

   As you've read above, Mike Sullivan has resigned his post and I have been assigned the take over duties.  I believe we all appreciated the great work and time Mike has put into the magazine, and will miss his leadership, and we look forward to his continued support and help with the magazine.
   As some on you may know, I started the publication back in 1992, after 18 years or so, I took off for a few years (2009).  Now that I'm back at it, I'm looking forward to the magazine's future development.  Chad Laines is still on board as well as Phil Lyons. So between the 3 of us, we will let you know in the upcoming weeks of our progress. But more importantly we ask for your input on ideas and your help.  In this trouble economy.  The cost of printing is way up, the cost of postage is way up, and rising next month. We see more and more publications are going the way of on-line magazines.  We are looking at all options, so give us your feedback. Currently thinking of mixing the print issue with the on-line issues
I'm very excited about the new website design we are looking at (The Board will stay untouched!) and other great things.  So, thank you all for the support and well have answers in the next week.

Michael Kadletz
mak

[luvrbus]

Can we cut through the BS Mikie and you tell us how much the subscription is going up we know it has to happen even in bad times,but it concerns me paying for something I don't get

good luick

[H3-45]

Mike,

I am a new subscriber,What is the delivery time going to be for the first issue for new subscribers?


Robert

P.S. Congratulations on your new position

[mak]

AS much as I would like to tell you, I can't. IN fact I never considered that.  I'm meeting with a printer tomorrow for pricing and mailing cost.  I'm thinking that maybe we print the magazine every other month and mail, but put new version on line every month in a new easier to use formate. I do not think we can raise subscription prices, and was not planing on doing that.  The situation is I need a few days to see how much the magazine owes, what the subscription numbers are etc..  Although you may not be aware of it, I have been subsidizing the magazine out of my pocket for years... wife's not happy about that. Thank you for your understanding.

[Ericbsc]

I paid for a three year scrip. That is a printed version that I can pickup and look at. I don't mean to be the one to point this out but the mag. has lost a lot of creditability over the years. I have seen it go from a magazine to a pamphlet and back. Until Mike took over there was practically no consideration for any activity's east of the big river, and advertisers seem to be walking at an alarming rate. I hope that recovery will be swift, or subscribers will start doing the same. I wonder if the rally will be revived to the same old BORING, TIRED, cavern thing??? Just some thoughts from my feeble mind

[jimsflx]

i also paid for 3 years only seen about 3 copies jim

[JackConrad]

Mike,
  Since we travel more than we are at home, I am very happy with the online addition. I had told Mike Sullivan that I did not really need the printed edition. At least for me, you can save printing a "hard copy".  Looking forward to a continuing BCM.  Jack

[robertglines1]

Like Eric: Please don't make it only west coast again! You guys do some neat things but your not the only ones!    several years left on subscription  and have been subscriber since 90's   Bob

[Jeremy]

Is there an equivalent magazine for the truck-conversion crowd (home built toterhomes etc)? If not, maybe BCM could increase it's sales and advertising revenue by expanding to cover this (very related) area.

Alternatively - if that subject is already being catered for by an equivalent magazine - they're probably facing the same issues as BCM, so speak to them and see what synergies and cost saving there may be in doing stuff together.

Other subjects spring to mind as well - for instance those home-built teardrop trailers seem to be very popular at the moment. They're a long way from a bus conversion admittedly, but still a related hobby. I'm sure there are other groups of potential readers out there as well, just waiting to have their attention grabbed by a magazine covering their weird and niche mobile-home-related hobby.

Another approach might be to stop trying to publish BCM as a stand-alone title and instead do a deal with (for instance) one of the big RV magazines for the 'self-converter' market to be covered by their title by means of a BCM section or supplement in each issue.


Jeremy

[Kevin Warnock]

Welcome back. I remain a huge fan of the magazine, and it's fine to skip a few issues now and again, especially after a death in the family. What I really want is for the printed magazine to continue forever, even if it has to drop to 4 times a year. Flipping through ten year old issues is still fun, and I never throw away an issue. If you switch to Kindle or PDF, it's so much more likely that issues will get 'lost' and won't survive for decades like the paper issues do.

This magazine forms the written history of our hobby. If it goes away, that's it... there will be no more printed history going forward as I can't see a brand new magazine ever starting up to cover this hobby.

If you need help catching typos, I'll help edit them out for free.

Thank you.

Kevin Warnock
http://KevinWarnock.com - my blog

[TomC]

I vote to turn BCM into a web based on line magazine. We're online on the bus conversions-what's so hard about pushing a button to go to the magazine site?  No publishing costs, etc.  Good Luck, TomC

[luvrbus]

Ok guys nobody is tougher on MK than me lol but give him credit he did a rally back east and nobody from the east showed up they were all from the west,he did tell me years back he was paying out of his pocket money to keep the magazine going no reason for to story to me about that.

The problem I have is if the magazine was ready to print months back everyone here has a Email address they could have been sent the online version IMO and that is what upsets me as I reservations about renewing I did anyway the online version and I received 2 copies.I know Mike had the death of his mother which is hard on anyone but I do question the business practice he was not alone in running the magazine that is my take on it

good luck  

[mak]

Thanks for the input. It does not matter as to who's fault it was that magazine was not printed. But I was just given the goahead over the weekend to take control and get things done, which I will. Sorry some of you did not like the Caverns Rally.  The thing about it was that it was cost effective to do it there.  And Maybe in May well do another there, we know have hook ups and many other things to offer.  But time will tell in the next few weeks what the plan is. Keep posting,Ill keep reading

[robertglines1]

Myself; and I think I speak for lots more than you think are out if you do away with the hard copy. Many that only read this board only do so because they like the skills to post. My self my skills go little past that! I can figure about anything out but this computer stuff is a little hard . Plus the mag rack in the Butt Hutt has no plug in.     Bob

[MEverard]

I have both the online and hard copy subscription. I like the magazine if I'm sitting in a campground or in my backyard. The online is nice if I'm in my office or on my laptop. Each one has it's positives. However, doesn't the online magazine drop off after three months. It sure is nice to look back in print form when you need to. I know my one opinion is not going to set the tone for the future, but I have heard a lot of people vote for the hard copy.

Good Luck and keep us all happy. LOL

Mike