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2010-11_Report-White Tops Policy Committee 

Submitted by Webmaster on   4/15/2012
Last Modified

White Tops Policy Committee Report

May 1, 2010-July 31, 2011
Mort Gamble, Chair

            Throughout the year the Committee has continued to confer regularly, often via email, with each other and other key members of the CFA on various White Tops issues. The main topic of discussion has been cost containment—concern about costs of the magazine and impact on the general budget of CFA.

            Several members of the committee, including ex-officio members Pat Pagel and Maxine House, met with John and Mardi Wells at Altoona in April 2011 to discuss publication strategies. With the support of the White Tops Policy Committee, the Finance Committee, and the leadership of CFA, the editors developed a plan to contain costs as much as possible via revised printing strategies and to work with Peter Wagner and the committee on a review of advertising rates and revenue. This process is ongoing, and includes consideration of changes in format, the possible addition of a supplemental newsletter with more timely news and membership updates (preserving the magazine for color and feature material), and increased usage of the CFA website and Facebook to carry more responsibility for keeping members informed. In the latter case, CFA committee reports were available via the main CFA website, relieving pages of the magazine which were devoted in the past to this function.

            The committee also recognizes and appreciates the important financial contributions of members toward meeting publication costs of the magazine, thus relieving pressure on the operating budget of CFA, while urging that more permanent financial cost management be found and implemented across the board of the organization, such as gaining revenue from recruitment and retention of members and substantive fundraising in support of the goals of CFA, not just stop-gap measures annually to “save the magazine.”

            There is broad agreement that The White Tops remains the premiere publication and membership benefit for CFA; that the editors do an outstanding job in covering the organization and the circus industry; that substantially reducing the frequency and quality of the magazine would diminish considerably, perhaps irreparably, the attractiveness of joining and maintaining membership in CFA, and that although the impact of magazine costs on the budget is substantial and expected, responsibility for the finances of CFA does not reside solely in the area of magazine production (membership, revenue from other sources must be increased).            

            The committee recommends a broader approach in strengthening the organization through recruitment and retention of members, more frequent budget analysis and monitoring, the adoption of supplemental means of communication (Facebook is an important step), and creative strategies for long-term fundraising. We recognize that this will require inter-committee work with Finance, Public Relations, Membership, Long-Term Planning, and others, as well as the general leadership of CFA.

            On other issues, there has been less discussion required on editorial content or policies during the past year. The magazine continues to offer timely, engaging, visually stunning, and well-written news, features, photos, and commentary of benefit to CFA members and the circus industry in general. Although no publication can be all things to all readers (there are those, for example, who would prefer a return to the emphasis on historical features of past White Tops), it is important to note that the circus industry itself is increasingly changing and diverse as to production, formats, and participants. The White Tops covers these often fast-moving circus trends, innovations, news, and issues—along with membership activities of the organization proper—very well, relying on skillful attention to detail editorially and the contributions of regular volunteer correspondents. This committee is grateful to these many contributors for their valuable participation in the production of the magazine.

            The chair wishes to thank the Wells for their devotion to the magazine, and other committee members Peter Wagner and Neil Cockerline for their assistance and input, along with ex-officio members Maxine House, Pat Pagel, and Clark Beurlen.

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