Any interest in an Australian Bonsai Magazine?

[Scott Martin]

I realise there has been bonsai magazines published in Australia in the past and I was wondering if there was much interest in having a new Australian Bonsai magazine published and produced in Australia for our conditions and our trees.

I would envision it including not only natives but growing exotic species in Australian conditions.

Just thoughts at this stage and I'd be interested in what the Ausbonsai community thinks.

[Leigh Taafe]

Love to have one.....might be viable? I would advertise if the price was fair! I would also contibute with articles if wanted.

Cheers,
Leigh.

[hugh grant]

I recon that would be great to have an australian bonsai magazine like the bonsai focus magazine. I would buy it

Hugh

[ozzy]

The internet is sounding the death nell for printed media, best make it in an online form, but even then you'd be hard pressed getting a subscription out of people that have been brought up to expect that everything on the internet is free.

[hugh grant]

I don't agree with that, I still thnk you can have a magazine in 'real' magazine form, it's better I think to read about your hobbies like bonsai in a book or on paper it just seems better to me. And I mean you always just pick it up if you wanted to look at it instead of having to go on the computer and load up the page and then probably log
on to the magazne sight, I just don't see the point in it if you had an online one rathe then aa actual mag whch I still reckon is a great idea

Hugh

no offence to this site though, it's different I think it's a good A good thing for bonsai'ers on the Internet cuz u can't really do this on paper LOL.

[MattA]

I would definitely subscribe to a local mag. The Australian plants as bonsai study group puts out a newsletter a couple times a year but its only dealing with natives. To have a mag that deals with our growing conditions & our local talent would be a great thing for the bonsai community as a whole, not just here in aust. I agree with Hugh that a magazine is very different from web based. However, without the population base & bonsai participants that europe & the americas have, would it be a viable option. And would it be able to cover our vary varied growing conditions.

Matt

[Jamie]

i wouldnt think the ver varied growing conditions to be an issue as such when dealing with a magazine, if it was a viable magazine it could have different sections every month on which areas are similar etc. or have a basic zone raitings like we have then you would have to work with that and you local micro clime.

i think that would be the biggest issue is the australian bonsai scene is no where near the size of america or other continents, but it is growing so it could help build interest aswell.


jamie

[bundyfisher]

I would definately subscribe ,good points bought up about viability you would have to have plenty of contributors such as leigh from around aust. and then collate all articles submissions veiwers photos tips advertising calendars just to name a few and is it bi-monthly .Very labour intensive for the target market, BUT it would be classic and collectable as it is hardcopy media ,computers are great but I enjoy my bonsai books/mags ,and I refer to them more than the computer.
Cheers
Tony

[ozzy]

Yes thats the problem isn't it, critical mass, a lot of people will think its a fantastic idea and give it their full support but you still need X amount of sales to make it viable and herein lies the problem, getting that support. which I would say would have to be in the thousands for a magazine subscription, it aint gonna happen.

[Pup]

In my time in Bonsai in Australia, I have seen the demise of three magazines. Bonsai down under Bonsai Australia and the last one Bonsai Australis. All went the way of
Bonsai Today lack of FINANCIAL support ( for BT it was also from lack of content in the end ). Therein lies the rub the 3 from Australia were not competing with this juggernaut of IT, PC's were not as easily available, there was talk of it in Bonsai Australis which lasted 3 copies.

To make a magazine viable you will need a core element of subscribers, even Bonsai Clubs International is struggling. It has gone from bi monthly to quarterly, so I think you would need to think that one out.

However there is one put out by our own AABC called Wired, it is put out for the four seasons Summer Autumn Winter and Spring.

AABC Ltd--PO Box 929, Civic Square Canberra City ACT 2608.

http://www.aabcltd.org

Now I must admit that this is at the moment, just a newsletter type one that is sent to Member clubs, which then let members read them. I am sure if they got a core of Subscribers and Advertiser's it could become more.

Cheers Pup

[Scott Martin]

Thanks for the information Pup.

PM sent.

[Watto]

I would subscribe to a Aussie mag. I think the idea is great, but the practicallities are the difficult area. Just getting sufficient money inthe bank to continue each edition is the real issue. Three of four issues a year would probably be enough to start with, and hopefully build from there.
I agree with Pup that the Wired newsletter is very good, and maybe that could expand in time.
Fingures crossed that we get one up and running.

[Bretts]

Having only recently getting our Club joined up at the AABC I had not seen a Wired Newsletter so I got our Pres to email me the two we have gotten so far.

Great stuff. It had crossed my mind that the AABC might be the group to get this going and after reading their efforts I think that would be a great way to go.

I would think that increasing the content by a little to start with and offering it as a subscription to affiliated club members and the general public could generate more money for them.

Lets get in contact with our favourite AABC rep and see what they think. I will contact mine the Publicity Oops now she is Convention Advisor and see if I can publish an issue of Wired.

Might be a good subject at the convention

[Scott Martin]

Bretts, I've emailed AABC earlier today to get their thoughts. I'll keep everyone informed of the outcome.

Sounds like there's a few people keen on the idea which is great

[Bretts]

Good one Nitram
I will try and get permision just to publish the Latest edition of Wired Magazine.
It seems they are aware of your request now and I have to be official and email the request to publish so I will do that asap