I was going to stay out of this conversation, but I am the editor of the Canadian Shorthorn Report, and I see a few reasons for the magazine being tied to the membership. First of all, let me say that I think every breed needs a breed magazine. Some would argue that the importance of the breed magazine is not as important today as it was just a few years ago, when the opportunity to promote and advertise on the internet with breeder websites, facebook pages and forums like this one ( and many others). I maintain that all these forms of promotion are important and I am constantly reminded that none of us do enough promotion. It seems like every time I think I am doing enough promotion I find out we are certainly not. I wrote a couple editorials on this topic in recent months. Three years ago, prior to our annual bull sale, we decided to increase our advertising and we advertised in several small town local papers and did a flyer drop in every mail box within 100 miles of our sale. We also plced sale posters in every town we could get to. Our sale that year was hit with a bad blizzard, and we ended up with some bulls that did not sell. A few days after our sale, I received a phone call from a guy and he asked me if we had any Shorthorn bulls to sell. I told him that I did, and he showed up later that day and he purchased 7 bulls. He lived 35 miles from where I sale was held and he said he had never heard of our sale. I asked him how he found out about me raising Shorthorns, and he said a friend of his had gave him my phone number. I understand it is not possible to reach every person, but a guy wanting 7 bulls would have been nice to have in the seats on sale day. As a side note, when he was writing his cheque for the 7 bulls, I commented that most people who are buying bulls or females in quantity usually ask if I would take a lower price because of the numbers involved in the sale. He said he did not understand why anyone would do this. He said that he grassed 2800 yearlings every summer and he always received a premium when he sold because he could provide complete loads of cattle. He said that I was doing the same thing in that he was able to buy all his bulls at one place and on one trip.
Another example, happened this spring when I was delivering bulls. Twice on the same day, I heard bull buyers say that they had come to our sale because they really didn't know anywhere to buy Shorthorn bulls. I could think of at least 5 Shorthorn breeders within 50 miles of both these people who had Shorthorn bulls for sale.
I believe that a breed magazine should be in every home that raises purebred cattle of that particular breed. In our case in Canada, we had people on our national board who did not subscribe to the national magazine, which I found to be totally wrong. Looking after the subscriptions is a job that takes a considerable amount of time each month and when it is tied to the membership, it is another job that does not exist anymore. Postage is a huge expense. We like our magazine to get to the subscribers in a timely manner, so we mail it first class. Here in Canada there are always issues with our postal service. I live 90 miles from where our magazine is mailed, and I have it mailed to my home address every issue. With almost every issue, subscribers in Australia and Britain get their magazine before my issue gets to me ( 90 miles away).
Finally, I would say that if anyone is not pleased with a breed magazine, the best way to change that is to start to advertise more yourself. I do not know of a breed magazine who is selective on who can advertise in it. If you feel you have a product some others would appreciate, get your camera out or get someone to take some good pictures and promote them. You might be surprised in what you find out. I will also say that advertising can be useful for years into the future. A few years ago, I sold a bull to a guy who saw an ad we did in a 1980 breed magazine. He had received some old cattle magazines from a neighbor who was moving to town and he saw our ad in one of them. Just last year, I received a phone call from Texas and he asked if we would have any Maine X Shorthorn calves for sale. I asked him that we had not had any for many years, and he told me he had saw a very small ad we had placed in Shorthorn World ( which was the breed magazine prior to Shorthorn Country) in 1976. In very small print at the bottom of the ad it said " Maine X Shorthorn steers and heifers for sale".
I think anyone who lasts any time raising purebred cattle, has to be very good at production, but very few are real good at the marketing end of the business and both are very important in a successful operation.
