CCN Vision

[Fred McKim]

When Edward Porper came on board as CCN Editor, he had a specific vision he saw the magazine taking.

Here is an excerpt from a recent e-mail from Edward to the CCN Review Committee.

"My plan is first and foremost to promote excellence in chess and to set conditions for a new wave of Canadian talents to emerge and stay in chess. That is, launching a professional league which would provide our youth with numerous chances to rub shoulders with strong GMs while generating money for different projects. Hence my attention to European club competitions, Team World Championships etc. Hence my contacts with guest GMs.

Deen Hergott's articles contain excellent game annotations as he EXPLAINS what's going on in the game rather than pour meaningless computer-produced variations - so these articles are highly instructive. I hope that so are my coaching advice. History (Stephen Wright) is important, culturally speaking. Entertainment provided by Ed Yetman is necessary for a better balance.

That accounts for the present of the magazine."

He goes on to talk about future plans, but I'll leave that for now.

I'd like to see a healthy debate as to whether this is a worthwhile goal, if the magazine should be cut back and merely to feature Canadiana or something else.

My role in this is to remain neutral, while trying to gather useful information.

[Alan Baljeu]

Re: CCN Vision

How does becoming CCN editor connect to launching a professional league, and how would that help connect youth to GMs, and how does any of this generate money?

[Fred McKim]

Re: CCN Vision

How does becoming CCN editor connect to launching a professional league, and how would that help connect youth to GMs, and how does any of this generate money?

Well I guess that leads me to the second part of the present CCN Vision

From Edward: "Talking of its future, we must keep in mind an obvious goal of increasing its readership - and the first step towards it is as obvious: a free distribution, with no passwords and no restrictions to the CFC membership. While hardly anybody will buy a membership to get an access to the magazine, the opposite might work much better: if people are inspired enough by what they have learned from CCN, they might buy memberships to get an access to official tournaments where they would hope to approve themselves due to their increased understanding of the game.

Inspiration is usually a direct consequence of quality - in this case, the quality of the articles. That is why I believe in a necessity to collaborate with the best of the best. Inviting strong GMs was the first step, the next one is to introduce to the readership the legends of the game and/or its current elite. Such names as Nigel Short and Hikaru Nakamura come to mind first while at least several of the other top-tenners look like a distinct possibility. Of course they do cost more than the current authors but reasonably more, judging by my preliminary negotiations with several of them.

That means that a relatively small increase of the budget could see the above-mentioned super GMs as regular CCN guests - and they would write keeping Canadian audience in mind.

Providing the stage for our exciting young talents is another goal. Players' angles/on-site reports on such events as Youth and Junior Worlds are bound to be exciting for the audience (in particular, the younger one) that can easily imagine themselves in the players' shoes). Besides, the "Youth Corner" could become a much appreciated source of an extra-income for many upcoming players. Combined with the above-mentioned steps, it might possibly generate some steady field of attraction and keep promising youngsters closer to the game."

[Roger Patterson]

Re: CCN Vision

Well I guess that leads me to the second part of the present CCN Vision

From Edward: "Talking of its future, we must keep in mind an obvious goal of increasing its readership - and the first step towards it is as obvious: a free distribution, with no passwords and no restrictions to the CFC membership. While hardly anybody will buy a membership to get an access to the magazine, the opposite might work much better: if people are inspired enough by what they have learned from CCN, they might buy memberships to get an access to official tournaments where they would hope to approve themselves due to their increased understanding of the game.

Inspiration is usually a direct consequence of quality - in this case, the quality of the articles. That is why I believe in a necessity to collaborate with the best of the best. Inviting strong GMs was the first step, the next one is to introduce to the readership the legends of the game and/or its current elite. Such names as Nigel Short and Hikaru Nakamura come to mind first while at least several of the other top-tenners look like a distinct possibility. Of course they do cost more than the current authors but reasonably more, judging by my preliminary negotiations with several of them.

That means that a relatively small increase of the budget could see the above-mentioned super GMs as regular CCN guests - and they would write keeping Canadian audience in mind.

Providing the stage for our exciting young talents is another goal. Players' angles/on-site reports on such events as Youth and Junior Worlds are bound to be exciting for the audience (in particular, the younger one) that can easily imagine themselves in the players' shoes). Besides, the "Youth Corner" could become a much appreciated source of an extra-income for many upcoming players. Combined with the above-mentioned steps, it might possibly generate some steady field of attraction and keep promising youngsters closer to the game."

To tell you the truth Fred, I had been responding to your polls but one this thread started and I read Porper's comments presented as a "serious" goal, I just gave up. The discussion is so far away from any reasonable analysis we might as well be in different galaxies. I mean really, a primary goal of the magazine, consuming close to 100% of the CFC discretionary spending is to promote a professional league? A goal that is not being sought by the CFC and has never been discussed by the governors? I can't believe you take it seriously.

My two cents:
- The CFC does not need a magazine that provides instructional material. There are any number of sites, books, videos, et al. that provide instructional material. No value added.

- The CFC does not need a magazine that reports on international news.

- It is not a goal of the CFC magazine to provide income for players writing articles.

- Talk of increasing the magazine budget, as done here, is not in the realm of reality.

- Rather than relying on polls etc., the CFC as an organization needs to decide what it is trying to accomplish with a magazine and then do it. Right now, there is no mission statement for the magazine - and I completely discount Porper's statment as being fanciful and not congruent with the resources and mission of the CFC. Right now, we have a magazine, well, because we have a magazine, not because of any underlying goal . Any such goal must be grounded in reality and not some fanciful meandering as in the starting posts of this thread. And of course, it may well be, (and my personal opinion) that a magazine is not requried at all.

In addition, the discussion should be framed not as in what the magazine could be but it terms of what we give up in having the magazine - money for the Canadian Closed, Olympiad team, or other programs.

[Fred McKim]

Re: CCN Vision

To tell you the truth Fred, I had been responding to your polls but one this thread started and I read Porper's comments presented as a "serious" goal, I just gave up. The discussion is so far away from any reasonable analysis we might as well be in different galaxies. I mean really, a primary goal of the magazine, consuming close to 100% of the CFC discretionary spending is to promote a professional league? A goal that is not being sought by the CFC and has never been discussed by the governors? I can't believe you take it seriously.

My two cents:
- The CFC does not need a magazine that provides instructional material. There are any number of sites, books, videos, et al. that provide instructional material. No value added.

- The CFC does not need a magazine that reports on international news.

- It is not a goal of the CFC magazine to provide income for players writing articles.

- Talk of increasing the magazine budget, as done here, is not in the realm of reality.

- Rather than relying on polls etc., the CFC as an organization needs to decide what it is trying to accomplish with a magazine and then do it. Right now, there is no mission statement for the magazine - and I completely discount Porper's statment as being fanciful and not congruent with the resources and mission of the CFC. Right now, we have a magazine, well, because we have a magazine, not because of any underlying goal . Any such goal must be grounded in reality and not some fanciful meandering as in the starting posts of this thread. And of course, it may well be, (and my personal opinion) that a magazine is not requried at all.

In addition, the discussion should be framed not as in what the magazine could be but it terms of what we give up in having the magazine - money for the Canadian Closed, Olympiad team, or other programs.

Thanks for your response, Roger. I'm looking for people's viewpoints, here.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: CCN Vision

In addition, the discussion should be framed not as in what the magazine could be but it terms of what we give up in having the magazine - money for the Canadian Closed, Olympiad team, or other programs.

I disagree on the magazine and agree on the programs. Of course, a fee increase would be needed.

The magazine doesn't have to be as extensive as it is now but it's needed for "attaboys and girls" and recognition of players accomplishments and games. We have to know a good time was had by all at an event.

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: CCN Vision

I disagree on the magazine and agree on the programs. Of course, a fee increase would be needed.

I see zero support for a fee increase among the CFC rank and file members. If anything people have suggested cutting out the magazine and decreasing the fee. I am not sure that will happen but I would certainly oppose any fee increase on general principles.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: CCN Vision

I see zero support for a fee increase among the CFC rank and file members. If anything people have suggested cutting out the magazine and decreasing the fee. I am not sure that will happen but I would certainly oppose any fee increase on general principles.

Why would the hundreds of life members care? Can you explain that? The model is based on those who come later paying to sustain them. Unless you think the ROI is sufficient in this low interest rate environment to carry them.

I'll buy the argument there is no support amongst the governors. However, from the public polls I'm seeing recently, it appears the organization has no way of emailing the majority of the membership with a questionaire to make such a determination.

[John Coleman]

Re: CCN Vision

Why would the hundreds of life members care? Can you explain that? The model is based on those who come later paying to sustain them. Unless you think the ROI is sufficient in this low interest rate environment to carry them.

I'm a life member. As far as I can see, I cost the CFC nothing, except the miniscule amount needed to keep my name on the list of life members. Am I missing something?

[Alan Baljeu]

Re: CCN Vision

the organization has no way of emailing the majority of the membership with a questionaire to make such a determination.

Uh, the mailing list by which it sends out the magazine? Except I'm not receiving the magazine so clearly the list is incomplete.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: CCN Vision

Uh, the mailing list by which it sends out the magazine? Except I'm not receiving the magazine so clearly the list is incomplete.

Are you still without the latest magazine? Leave your email and I'll redirect it with previous two or three.

[Fred McKim]

Re: CCN Vision

Uh, the mailing list by which it sends out the magazine? Except I'm not receiving the magazine so clearly the list is incomplete.

Alan. I would suggest you contact the CFC office and get yourself on the mailing list.

[Brian Profit]

Re: CCN Vision

I agree 100%. It was like I wrote that post myself.

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: CCN Vision

The magazine doesn't have to be as extensive as it is now but it's needed for "attaboys and girls" and recognition of players accomplishments and games. We have to know a good time was had by all at an event.

I think that www.windsorchess.com, the website that John Coleman runs for Windsor chess news would be a good model for what the CFC's Canadian Chess news operation could be.

[Fred McKim]

Re: CCN Vision

I think that www.windsorchess.com, the website that John Coleman runs for Windsor chess news would be a good model for what the CFC's Canadian Chess news operation could be.

If John is listening, how much time do you put into maintaining your web saite with new content ?