Subscriptions – Going Forward

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

The problem is the mag currently has Model Engineer on the cover and it has been loosing subscribers which is what has brought the change about.

The ‘problems’ seem to be more associated with the frequency of ME making the subscription cost too high; people not wanting a magazine that often, and possibly too narrow a focus. The name is rarely raised as an issue outside this sort of discussion.

 

I think the proportion of sales is about 1/3rd ME and 2/3rds MEW

The numbers are closer, about 5:7. With about 25% taking both magazines.

 

It would be interesting to know that of those offered Railway mag instead of ME how many contact Mortons will ask for a refund and how many will ask for the balance to be put towards more issue sof the new title.

As of this morning, hardly anyone has declined the offer of the Railway Magazine for a refund. No doubt there will be more when the magazines arrive in a weeks’ time.

DD subscribers can’t be put onto an extension because of the way payments are taken. Extending would take their sub past their next payment. For people who make a one-off payment extending is the simplest option.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

As of this morning, hardly anyone has declined the offer of the Railway Magazine for a refund. No doubt there will be more when the magazines arrive in a weeks’ time.

Not a surprize if you say most subscribers don’t visit the forum as they are still in the dark

[noel shelley]

On noel shelley Said:

So the plan was to wait till the last edition ( 4761 ) of ME to tell us all that MEW was dead and ME was to be a different animal ?

In this day of instant action does the term STOP PRESS not have any meaning any more.

Now I know Mortons are treating us all with contempt !

As a subscriber since the 1980s and just renewed I feel badly let down ! Noel.

Come on now Noel, that’s a bit unfair!

You can see by the reactions in this thread that a month before the launch, some decisions have only just been made.  People have been knocking Mortons because it’s taking so long to get things like website links updated etc.

Many of the key decisions had not been finalised when ME 4760 had gone to press. If we had announced it and been unable to answer some of the most obvious of questions for another two or three weeks, can you imagine how furious you would be by now? We only held the final planning meeting on Tuesday.

Please bear in mind, there are not just readers involved and invested in these magazines. There are staff, suppliers, subcontractors, agencies, and distributors who are all potentially impacted. An early announcement might give readers an extra few weeks to debate the implications, but it is also unfair to people whose livelihoods are potentially affected and need to know first.

 

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

As of this morning, hardly anyone has declined the offer of the Railway Magazine for a refund. No doubt there will be more when the magazines arrive in a weeks’ time.

Not a surprize if you say most subscribers don’t visit the forum as they are still in the dark

The word is spreading far beyond the group discussing it on the forum, as my email inbox demonstrates. People also know that they can visit the forum to find out more.

[Michael Gilligan]

On Michael Gilligan Said:

On Neil Wyatt Said:

You’re debating the number of angels dancing on a pinhead. […]

Is that specifically directed at me, Neil … or to the recent conversation in general ?

I don’t much care either way, but I would like to know.

MichaelG.

I would be grateful for an answer to that entirely  reasonable question, Neil

MichaelG.

[Stuart Smith 5Participant @stuartsmith5]

Neil

Why did anyone at Morton’s think that someone who subscribes to ME and MEW would be happy to receive ‘The Railway Magazine’ instead.

When I first saw Jason’s post, I assumed that it was a typo. Apparently not.

Surely the obvious and most reasonable solution is for Morton’s to refund any outstanding credit back to the subscribers bank account.

This is what happened when EIM ceased. (Though this was a different publisher). They didn’t try to push a different magazine onto subscribers.

Hopefully Morton’s will have a rethink and do the correct thing.

Stuart

 

 

 

[BazParticipant @baz89810]

Just got off the phone to Morton’s who were very helpful and have cancelled my direct debit to Model Engineer with the final issue, I only renewed my subscription just before Xmas. I will have a look at the new magazine in the newsagents and see what it’s like before committing to a subscription again. Gave my bank details and refund is being processed, no problem.

[Stuart Smith 5]

On Stuart Smith 5 Said:

 

Why did anyone at Morton’s think that someone who subscribes to ME and MEW would be happy to receive ‘The Railway Magazine’ instead.

 

 

Because the main focus of ME’s content has been rail/steam related for years? They could have made a good case for folding that content into Railway Magazine and adding a couple of extra pages to MEW…

 

What’s happening is that the publishers are struggling to balance retain profitable traditional publishing with satisfying increasingly divided niche customers. That’s not restricted to our interests; just look at the number of specific car magazines that have ceased publishing over the last couple of years.

[baz]

On baz Said:

… I will have a look at the new magazine in the newsagents and see what it’s like before committing to a subscription again. …

I have more faith in Neil and Diane than that!  Why assume the merged magazine will be much different, after all it’s not really  ‘new’?  The editors stock of unpublished articles hasn’t changed.  Whilst Neil and Diane can change the layout, font and colour scheme quickly, the content should remain broadly similar.  I’m expecting a gradual rebalancing, probably taking several months, rather than swift radical change.   Beyond a general agreement that long build series aren’t wanted, and Butterside Down is off target,  I doubt there will be fireworks.

Could be wrong, maybe the first Model Engineer and Workshop will open with a series describing how to CAD design a bong and 3D-print it via an Arduino, with instructions on how to cultivate high octane Golden Brown from parrot seed.   And, in order to upset everyone, the front cover will be based on the Jaguar advert:

Or maybe me in short-shorts posed provocatively across a steam boiler.

Perhaps the new mag will be metric only, with a long series on how to convert Myford lathes into gaming keyboards with a sledge hammer, lots of hard maths, and loads of Health and Safety advice.  Unlikely!

Given ME&W is in safe hands, I see no reason to jump ship.  I’d be worried if Mortons had sacked the entire editorial team: they haven’t.   No need for a knee-jerk reaction.

Dave

 

 

[derek hall 1Participant @derekhall1]

Wise words Dave,

Apart from……and I quote …. “Or maybe me in short-shorts posed provocatively across a steam boiler”

……..that vision is going to be difficult to erase now, and its put me off my tea !

[brickyParticipant @bricky]

Why not give them a chance to get it right and then decide wether one likes or not.

Frank

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Exactly, Frank. Well said.

Besides, this thread is about buying the magazines, not their contents.

I wonder if there was the same sort of arguefying when the Electricians were switched off, oooh, a hundred years ago?

The more serious point, and apparently the main one raised, is the idea of using the railway magazine as a sort of numbers game. Surely it would make more sense that as ME and MEW are merging and going from fortnightly to monthly, to adjust subscribers’ accounts to that?

So for example, my single-magazine subscription would end up to a year beyond it would have done, for the same number of editions.

By that policy, anyone wanting other titles simply subscribes to those separately, but being from the same publishers it might be a useful sales ploy to offer those customers a single, slightly reduced subscription for the combination.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Nigel, What the statement says is those with a sub to both will have the ME sub transferred to railways and teh MEW one will continue as the new titlethose with a sub to just ME will have the funds transferred to the new mag.

It says those with just an ME sub will have the remaining balance transferred to the new title.

However this does seem at odds with what Neil said. I can’t see why a single sub is being extended but the duel can’t. A £62 sub will run longer than a £50 so dates and amounts will change.

DD subscribers can’t be put onto an extension because of the way payments are taken. Extending would take their sub past their next payment. For people who make a one-off payment extending is the simplest option.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Anyone else get this yesterday. Can’t remember the last time they sent one out but if they can manage that then why can’t they contact subscribers and as for the “News” section not a mention of any changes.

It could be quite worrying for someone who does not visit the forum or site. They click on Subscribe to ME and find all the options have gone except back issues, not even the explanation that was posted at the beginning of this thread.

 

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

I get paper copy ME and digital MEW.  I’ve been advised to cancel ME direct debit, but in future I want paper copy of the new mag, as I don’t really get on with digital. I’ve emailed to that effect, but no reply as yet. I’m tempted to cancel both DDs and see what happens

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

Anyone else get this yesterday. Can’t remember the last time they sent one out but if they can manage that then why can’t they contact subscribers and as for the “News” section not a mention of any changes.

It could be quite worrying for someone who does not visit the forum or site. They click on Subscribe to ME and find all the options have gone except back issues, not even the explanation that was posted at the beginning of this thread.

 

Yes I got that. Clearly a lack of communication or co-ordination.

Robert.

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

Anyone else get this yesterday. […]

It appears to be only for those on a specific mailing list:

But it’s a rather unfortunate shambles.

MichaelG.

.

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Appeared in my inbox at 08.00 today and im a paper only MEW subscriber

 

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Thanks, Bernard

”so much for appearances”

MichaelG.

.

Edit: __ Just for info.

the two items on the bottom line are clickable links

My own ‘Marketing Preferences’ page has no boxes ticked.

 

[Julie AnnParticipant @julieann]

I subscribe to ME and MEW, and pay by DD, but didn’t get the email. I rang Mortons yesterday morning and declined the offer of the railway magazine. After a bit of a ‘hard’ sell, saying was I interested in any of the other magazines they published, we agreed a refund. I will be looking to see if it appears in my bank.

Julie

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, just had a look, and I got it yesterday. it was from “The Modelling Hub”, so I guess those that use this forum may have got it, along with anyone on a mailing list. I got my DD cancelled for ME yesterday, only took about 5 mins on the phone, after waiting about the same amount of time, for a line to be free. I’m still going forward with the new title though.

Regards Nick.

[Michael Gilligan]

On Michael Gilligan Said:

On JasonB Said:

Anyone else get this yesterday. […]

It appears to be only for those on a specific mailing list:

 

But it’s a rather unfortunate shambles.

 

MichaelG.

.

But it really pales into insignificance compared to the forum ‘upgrade’!

Ian P

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

Just renewed my subscription after letting MEW lapse in October – I’ll give it a chance see where the new publication goes and what it looks like..

It is going to be a case of ‘use it or lose it’ – I’d guess that probably includes the forum too, if it all sinks?

..pull for the nearest shore to see if there’s anything that will sustain life there, or just throw your oar over the side and help everyone else give up too?

 

[Diogenes]

On Diogenes Said:

…

It is going to be a case of ‘use it or lose it’ – I’d guess that probably includes the forum too, if it all sinks?

Of course.  If the magazine fails to make money, the forum is of no value to Mortons.  It’s a honeypot, intended to lure newcomers into the hobby in hope they will buy the magazines.    Probably makes a few quid from advertising, but I doubt that pays all the bills.

We provide the honey.  In return Model Engineers get a club on the internet, where we can meet.

…

 

Only Mortons know whether or not the forum pays.  If they decide it doesn’t, we’re done.   Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that!

We could organise an alternative.   The SMEE forum could be expanded, but considerable organisation and volunteer effort would be needed.  Or maybe SMEE could be persuaded to fund this one.

Dave

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

Anyone else get this yesterday.

Yes I received it twice, to different email addresses. I deleted them without really looking at them ‘tho.

 

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