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Next Journal?

pkoepp

By pkoepp
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  • 2 weeks later...
PaulBradley

PaulBradley

Posted
Posted

There you go. 

ghodges

ghodges

Posted
Posted

You didn't miss a date. It says the May/June Journal is at the printer which means it's now THEY who'll determine how soon we get it, which will be as soon as they print and mail it. It's now out of  IPMS's hands. 

Just as interesting though will be to see how the Eboard works with whoever (a new editor? editing by committee?) to get the July/August issue out in order to try to get the Journal back on its regular schedule (as they've stated as a goal). That may also continue to affect its level of content and quality, which the Eboard already admits has happened with the current issue "in the mail". I'd like to know how they're going to keep that from being a recurring problem, as IF it continues, that could discourage people from renewing their membership or even joining in the first place.

As I keep saying, it would be nice to have someone on the Eboard step in here to provide some facts and answer some questions.

 

Gil :cool:

ghodges

ghodges

Posted
Posted

Just saw on FB that someone has just gotten the newest Journal. Interestingly, the print for the articles is much lighter than in the past and the reader said it made it very tough to read. Need to know if this is one of the "changes" in the Journal Chris alluded to, or if it's a one-off thing done by the printer.

 

Gil :cool:

SkyKing

SkyKing

Posted
Posted
56 minutes ago, ghodges said:

Just saw on FB that someone has just gotten the newest Journal. Interestingly, the print for the articles is much lighter than in the past and the reader said it made it very tough to read. Need to know if this is one of the "changes" in the Journal Chris alluded to, or if it's a one-off thing done by the printer.

 

Gil :cool:

Seems to me that making the text harder to read sorta defeats the purpose of printed matter. A proof print should have revealed this problem, something the new regime should have known.

steev

steev

Posted
Posted

I just got the May/June issue today. At first I thought there must have been a printing problem but then I saw that the tiny fonts used for the photo captions were much darker, bolder and much easier to read than the main text of the articles. I hope they fix this in future issues. It's a little painful trying to read this "low contrast" print.

ghodges

ghodges

Posted
Posted

This is Ro Annis's post on FB concerning the light print issue:

Hello All. I am the Publications Director of the IPMS/USA Journal. The lighter gray text was a design decision we made while putting the new magazine together. I didn't realize that this would make it so hard to read and once I got my copy I realized that we will need to change this going forward (even my wife had a few choice words for me regarding this). Ultimately, this is my responsibility. I have set up a separate email address (iujfeedback@ipmsusa.org) where you can direct your constructive feedback. The new team worked hard to get this issue completed in order to get back on schedule. At this moment we are assembling the Nats winner's issue.

Ok.... so this was a poor decision that will be adjusted going forward. I've also seen comments that the "name" (maybe the poster meant the style) of the Journal has also been changed. Why?

The IPMS Journal had exactly ONE problem up til now.... it was running late. Other than that, it wasn't broke. So WHY are the current Eboard trying to fix it? STILL waiting for Ro or someone else to come HERE and answer questions like that!

 

Gil :cool:

  • Like 1
steev

steev

Posted
Posted

The name on the cover is now "IUJ" with IPMS/USA Journal underneath. That's neither here nor there to me. It was an excellent issue except for the light gray text.

SkyKing

SkyKing

Posted
Posted

Why was Mr. Annis not aware that the light gray text would be so hard to read? Were page proofs not printed? They would have made the problem obvious, because what looks fine on a computer monitor doesn’t always work well in print. To not have printed page proofs is inexcusable! And I speak with over ten years’ experience in desktop publishing as Publications Manager for two large fraternal organizations, as a newspaper copy/page layout editor, and production/copy/layout editor for Squadron/Signal.

  • Like 1
ghodges

ghodges

Posted
Posted

Whether or not the light print is "inexcusable" or could have been avoided isn't the main question in my mind to be answered.

The important question, since the Journal has only had the one problem of tardiness until now, is WHY are ANY changes being made to the Journal, whether for "artistic" or any other reasons? 

I'm open to some rational explanations if they can be made. 

 

Gil :cool:

  • Like 1
Schmitz

Schmitz

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, ghodges said:

The important question, since the Journal has only had the one problem of tardiness until now, is WHY are ANY changes being made to the Journal, whether for "artistic" or any other reasons? 

Remember that John Heck, the art-director quit a month ago after working with Chris for 18 years. Any differences they had were worked out long ago, they were a smoothly working team.  Several volunteers took over that position. No one takes a volunteer position because they want another boring dead-end job where someone tells them what to do; I'm sure they wanted to put their own mark on the Journal (just as Chris and John had done when they took over). If you look past the problem with the font, this new issue has some neat stuff - more pictures, big full page images - the magazine might be pretty enough to encourage a few more members to contribute articles. I'll speculate that the new team tried to change too much in their first issue, and the pressure to get an already late issue out meant that they didn't have time to fix things. I'm willing to give them a few more issues to work out the bugs.
 

  • Like 3
Highlander

Highlander

Posted
Posted

Got my issue.  Wish I hadn't.

In ambient light, largely reflected sunlight, aided by a desk lamp, the text is unreadable without extra effort.  I tossed it.

All water under the bridge. 

  • Haha 1
  • 2 months later...
one72guy

one72guy

Posted
Posted

So, when is the next IUJ? I have the May/June issue, and it is now November. Where's the July/August & September/October IUJ issues?

PaulBradley

PaulBradley

Posted
Posted

Haven't received mine, either - my last was also May/June. Been too busy to worry about it, frankly, but now I wonder. 

Ron Bell

Ron Bell

Posted
Posted

Its in the mail. I got mine. Bulk mail is unpredictable as to arrival time and can vary from place to place. It's the National Model Contest winners issue plus a few other articles. 

ghodges

ghodges

Posted
Posted

No... it is labeled as the July/August issue..... even though it is being received in November.

 

Gil :cool:

PaulBradley

PaulBradley

Posted
Posted

Oddly, I received my IPMS/UK magazine yesterday. In the 15 years since I was 'encouraged' to join our sister organisation, I don't recall ever receiving a late copy. 

ghodges

ghodges

Posted
Posted

Good for them.....  there could be any number reasons for their being better at maintaining their magazine schedule, including simply not shooting themselves in the foot. 

As an almost 50yr member, this isn't the first time IPMSUSA has gotten behind schedule, but it is perhaps only the 2nd or 3rd time it's been THIS late. Sometimes it was the printer's fault (changed print companies to save money/print company prioritized another customer), sometimes the post office's fault (we are at the mercy of LESS than First Class mailing schedules/transport to save money), and sometimes the editorial staff/IPMSUSA's fault (didn't get the printer/postal bill paid on time/late in submitting).

THIS time it seems we've switched editorial horses/magazine design teams in mid-stream. There also seems to have been an internal argument earlier this year as to content/design/direction of the Journal which led to editor Chris Bucholz's resignation, and THAT couldn't have helped maintain the schedule. Thus they seem to be one full issue behind.

As I said.... it IS disappointing, but not something that IPMSUSA hasn't addressed before. Give them time if you can. I've seen the IPMSUSA pubs go from a seemingly photocopied item to a full blown model magazine that looks and feels like most other model mags. Considering the all volunteer nature of the publication for its ENTIRE history, I'm willing to cut them a little slack, and I'm not exactly known for being uncritical of IPMSUSA or as a "friend" of the Eboard!

I hope most other members will do so too.

 

Gil :cool:

  • Like 1
steev

steev

Posted
Posted

Other than being a bit late I don't see any problems with the latest journal. I liked the cover as I've seen Mr. Yang's "Best of Show" winner in full pics and they don't show the incredible detail on this model. I think it's aim is the viewpoint of approaching this giant in another ship, like a movie scene. I only wish all of the contest pics could be larger but I realize that's just not realistic given magazine size, budget, etc. 

Maybe I've lost track of time but it seems to me the latest FSM is late arriving also, although the zinio digital version is out. I usually get the magazine before the digital notice.

Steven

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