magazine supply reduction (page 4)

DesirousOfChange

Next step will be for the public editions to be printed with no year printed after the month.

Billy, You're giving them ideas.......

"I was often embarrased leaving magazines with the public that had to do with congregational matters and were barely of intrest to us. What must they have thought when they read about disfellowshipping matters and Assembly information and when inside lingo specific to JW's was used ?"

I felt exactly the same. I often wondered what people would think of the articles in the WT that dealt with congregation matters, and often felt embarrased to place them.

OnTheWayOut

I pick up a stack of magazines whenever I go to the KH (about once a month). I make sure they hit the recycling bin and not the garbage.

Do your part, Kingdom Hall lurkers. Take 20 mags every time you can and count at least 28 of them so they increase the order. Put those mags right where they belong- in a sack in the refuse with some coffee grounds and eggshells in the mix.

If you drop them in public receptaclesl, you can say you were placing them during "streetwork."

Anony Mous

If our KH is anything to go by, the average donation to worldwide work is around $300/month (not the poorest people either) and we get ~1500 magazines (3 issues/month), a box of bibles (24), a box of Bible Teach (lots of pioneers), tracts, km's, special orders, DVD's etc. etc.

Off course they get their monthly tithing of the congregation in several different funds (Kingdom Hall Assistance, Traveling Overseer Assistance, Kingdom Hall Construction) so it's probably around $5-600/month but that's still not a whole lot. I guess the richer halls give more and around Christmas people tend to donate a lot more (whenever they work overtime or get a bonus) but I doubt it averages out over $1000/month for all congregations.

I assume they're mainly living off inheritances, selling prime property and investments but those are eventually going to run out unless they start going fully digital and just force everyone to buy a Kingdom-approved e-reader (no printing costs for them).

blondie

around Christmas people tend to donate a lot more

That's more likely because it is the end of the tax period (US) in many countries and they (jws) want to be sure they don't pay more in taxes. (Observation made by a long-time accounts servant)

WontLeave

Are they in the red or just separating the religious side from the money side? Since the Governing Body and the corporate board are no longer the same group, each group has its own focus. One self-important group wants their writings to be printed in as large a quantity as possible and the other is worried more about the finances.

Of course, the corporate officers are no doubt extremely brainwashed into believing every additional dollar they make the company is a dollar for God. So, they're cutting back all the fat and minimizing expenses: Going to paperback books, closing and consolidating facilities, fighting to avoid taxation, eliminating waste, trying to get things out online instead of on paper, putting the publishers to work delivering magazines instead of mailing them, nesting corporations to create legal firewalls for lawsuits, making elders sign forms assuming all legal responsibility for following organizational procedure, etc.

Let's face it, nobody's donating for these magazines. Not the JWs and certainly not the public. But, in order to keep up appearances and keep new people coming in, the literature must go on. And big numbers are a bragging right they love, so they keep the presses flying. The real money comes from real estate deals, fixing up old buildings with slave labor, old ladies' estates, etc. To the writing side, the literature is their ticket to Heaven/Paradise, their glory, their identifying mark as the JW overlords. To the business side, the literature is a necessary evil.

GOrwell

This letter has most definitely NOT been read across Canadian congregations. I know of only one where it has been read. 4-5 others at least have not had the letter read, when they should have read it.

Lost-In-Translation

I guess the arrangement has worked well in the United States to reduce the number of unused magazines. The arrangement does take pressure off individual publishers - if they cannot place the magazines they can bring them back to the Kingdom Hall so that others can use them. With the success of the arrangement in the USA - I'm sure the GB will institute the arrangement worldwide .

AnnOMaly

My UK mole confirms that this 'new arrangement' is going to be instituted there in September. No formal announcement has yet been made, however.

Mickey mouse

Ooh thanks for the hot tip Ann.

magazine supply reduction