In another effort to crimp the production of materials, the Society is asking JW members to consider reducing their orders of Watchtower & Awake! audio recordings.
At Service Meetings this week, a letter is read to the congregation:
Publishers are asked to "conserve contributed funds" by considering which of the 3 formats of audio recording they really need. The 3 formats are CD, MP3 (on CD) and cassette tape.
The push is to "greatly reduce production cost" by limiting orders of one format only to each household. The letter states copying the material for use in the household does not violate copyright laws.
It is noted that material for producing cassette tapes is becoming more expense and difficult to find. (Is this a hint that tapes will soon be discontinued?)
Publishers are asked to evaluate how to reduce their order and cancel any audio orders with the literature servant as soon as possible.
In a separate letter, read at the same meeting:
It has been annouced that the Watchtower & Awake! CD and MP3 recordings will continue to be released twice a month, even though the Awake! will only be published once a month beginning January 1, 2006.
The first CD of each month will contain the first Watchtower (dated the 1st) and the monthly Awake! The second CD will contain the second Watchtower (dated the 15th) and the same monthly Awake!
Comments: This is the latest in an ongoing effort to downsize and minimize the "spiritual feeding program" produced by the "Faithful and Discreet Slave". Previous cost-cutting:
- no meals at conventions and assemblies
- elimination of magazine subscriptions
- reducing publication of Awake! magazine from twice-monthly to monthly
- the mandate to provide paper-back bibles to the public while limiting hard-bound Bibles to publishers only.
Meanwhile it is hard to ignor the pledge-drives at conventions and assemblies that tack a contribution for the world-wide-work to "operating costs". This amount is usually $3,000 - $5,000 for assemblies and over $10,000 for conventions per circuit/district in the US.
What is all the money for?