Canadian Chess News - Changes?

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  • Canadian Chess News - Changes?

    The Fall CFC Governors On-line Meeting is discussing the CFC Newsletter, Canadian Chess News. It would be helpful to know what the reaction is to the newsletter, among members and the public, now that it has been around for a few years.

    Could you please vote in this poll, to help the Governor discussion?

    Thx.

    Bob Armstrong, GTCL/ Ont. CFC Governor
    26
    I am a CFC member - Scale down CCN by deleting in depth study articles
    7.69%
    2
    I am not a CFC Member - Scale down CCN by deleting in depth study articles
    0.00%
    0
    I am a CFC Member - scale down and Canadian content only
    30.77%
    8
    I am not a CFC Member - scale down and Canadian content only
    7.69%
    2
    I do not support scaling down the CCN.
    26.92%
    7
    I don't care
    26.92%
    7

    The poll is expired.


  • #2
    Re: Canadian Chess News - Changes?

    I am a CFC member. I gave my email address last time I renewed. Still have not seen a newsletter.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Canadian Chess News - Changes?

      I would vote but you don't have my preferred option. Scale down the CCN to zero.


      well, perhaps that is too strong. But certainly to scale it down by 80%, 90% to make it more of a short and sweet bulletin.

      And, as others have noted, distribute it to all that want it. Remove the members only policy.
      Last edited by Roger Patterson; Wednesday, 3rd October, 2012, 01:25 PM.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Canadian Chess News - Changes?

        CCN can become an ad for the CFC. Many businesses give out free info about themselves and things that interest the public because it generate interest.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Canadian Chess News - Changes?

          Originally posted by Alan Baljeu View Post
          I am a CFC member. I gave my email address last time I renewed. Still have not seen a newsletter.
          The fact that you have to enter an obscure and changing password in order to access the content have me aiming my web browser to chesscafe.com and other destinations which don't require me to jump through such hoops.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Canadian Chess News - Changes?

            Originally posted by Vlad Drkulec View Post
            The fact that you have to enter an obscure and changing password in order to access the content have me aiming my web browser to chesscafe.com and other destinations which don't require me to jump through such hoops.
            If it is members-only, there are very few ways of controlling distribution...

            The CCN was created to replace the old paper magazine largely because it was believed that CFC Membership used to include the printed magazine and there had to be something to replace 'that'. Perhaps the whole concept of membership in the CFC needs to be revisited. There are many online chess news websites that provide more than enough coverage of international events - there is no point in a Canadian e-zine covering events that (by definition) are long finished.

            It does make sense for CCN to publish Canadian news (club news, Canadian players on the international scene, etc) but the fundamental question to be answered is: what is the benefit of CFC membership?

            If the answer is limited to:
            1. get a CFC rating
            2. play in CFC tournaments
            3. 'support' 1&2 and partially support the Canadian participation in National and International events

            I think you will find limited takers (perhaps we have reached that point now!?)
            ...Mike Pence: the Lord of the fly.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Canadian Chess News - Changes?

              Hi Alan:

              Depends on when you renewed.

              I believe the last two Issues were not e-mailed to members. Rather, CFC had decided to put the newsletter onto the website, secured, and a password is mailed out to members, to allow them to access the Issue, if they are willing to make that effort. You should have received the e-mail though.

              Bob

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Canadian Chess News - Changes?

                Originally posted by Alan Baljeu View Post
                I am a CFC member. I gave my email address last time I renewed. Still have not seen a newsletter.
                the percentage of CFC members who actually had access to the magazine used to be quite poor. Does anyone know if that percentage has improved? ( I do know that there have been campaigns to hunt down address for missing members....)

                Also, has anybody thought about tracking the number of downloads of the magazine from the website to get some indication of popularity?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re : Canadian Chess News - Changes?

                  A very ill-conceived poll where all options are about "scaling down". What about options like " leaving it as it is " or " scaling down while publishing more often " etc, etc.
                  If polls such as this one really count for anything in making decisions for the future, then we are in even deeper trouble than we think.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re:CFC Internet Marketing Strategy

                    When I want to know what's happening in Canada
                    -HPE(IM Hebert) is free
                    -TCN(Bob Armstrong) is free
                    -BCCF Bulletin(Steven Wright) is free
                    -TWIC is free
                    -Chesstalk is free
                    -CANBASE(Hugh Brodie) is free

                    When I want to know what's happening with Canadian players abroad
                    -Spraggett's blog is free
                    -TWIC is free but now is scaled down a bit without the initial Chessbase text file with nice crosstables etc
                    -Budapest Chess News is free

                    When I want to know what's happening in Australia
                    -ACN as a free newsletter

                    When I want to know what's happening in publishing
                    -New in Chess has a free newsletter
                    -Quality Chess has a free newsletter

                    So why pay for CCN?
                    Is it better at telling me somthing?
                    Is there a niche covered?
                    Is it better than the free material? Not sure

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Canadian Chess News - Changes?

                      Bob, the idea that anything needs to be scaled back is taking us in the opposite direction of where we should be going.

                      Trimming fat is one thing, but if the goal of the CFC is to improve itself, it should be focusing on ways to grow.

                      We've already went from a magazine mailed to our doors to an email newsletter, and now most terribly, a password protected newsletter. I love the old magazines and enjoy flipping through them. I used to read the PDF newsletters on my iPad. But now, needing to enter a password every time I want to view it makes it unreasonably difficult. You might as well scrap the whole thing rather than keep it the way it is. If I was an advertiser, I'd drop out as quickly as possible.

                      If there is a question as to content, sure, go to more Canadian content. I am interested in reading well written reports on local events, and would like to see more of it. There is plenty of other resources out there on all other topics, so having something niche is a good move.

                      But the overall focus should be on growing, not cutting back. The CFC should be selling more. The online store is pretty weak, with prices that barely come close to competing.

                      Bottom line: Up the value. Start thinking like a business. Yes, there will always be us tournament players who are willing to pay their membership because we like our local events, but if Chess is ever to expand, there's got to be some real value behind it.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Canadian Chess News - Changes?

                        CCN is simply very uninteresting in its current format. I would get rid of of it completely.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Canadian Chess News - Changes?

                          To be fair, the poll should also ask if members would be willing to pay a bit more ($10 per year) and have it returned to a bimonthly printed magazine.
                          Christopher Mallon
                          FIDE Arbiter

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Canadian Chess News - Changes?

                            Originally posted by Christopher Mallon View Post
                            To be fair, the poll should also ask if members would be willing to pay a bit more ($10 per year) and have it returned to a bimonthly printed magazine.
                            I like that idea

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Canadian Chess News - Changes?

                              Originally posted by Christopher Mallon View Post
                              To be fair, the poll should also ask if members would be willing to pay a bit more ($10 per year) and have it returned to a bimonthly printed magazine.
                              Or pay $10 less per year and scrap it altogether.

                              Comment

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