TABPI/ASBPE Magazine Critique Service is back!

TABPI and the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) are joining together to promote and further develop the Magazine Critique Service (MCS), a program intended as a first step for B2B magazines interested in gauging their current performance. The MCS allows editors to get feedback from some of the most respected editors working in b2b journalism today, and benefit from their colleague-to-colleague analysis of what's working and what can be improved.

Not all magazines - especially smaller ones - can afford a full-blown revamp. The MCS provides objective, outside analyses that can show the decision makers in an organization how to take content to the next level. Magazines participating in the MCS will have three reviewers give detailed feedback on specific editorial and design aspects of the publication. TABPI and ASBPE will provide a report to the editor, who can thoroughly review the results with the editorial and design staff.

How the MCS works

You submit two recent issues of your publication. A team of editors and designers examine them. Two editors and one designer review each submission, so you'll get a variety of opinions.

You receive a report with detailed feedback on specific editorial and design aspects of your publication. Carefully reviewing the MCS report with your entire staff allows your publication to brainstorm over what's working and what needs improvement.

All submissions for the MCS must be received on or about October 1st, 2008. The average processing time will be 8-10 weeks from the time materials are received. Complete details on the program, along with a submission form and two sample critiques, are available on the TABPI Web site, at http://www.tabpi.org/mcs as well as at the ASBPE Web site, http://www.asbpe.org. Visit either site to view a sample report.

Based in Cleveland, Trade, Association and Business Publications International (TABPI) is a worldwide organization dedicated to bringing together editors working for English-language publications worldwide, and encourage a common dedication to editorial ethics and excellence.

Labels: , , , ,

Posted by Nikki Golden on Tuesday, August 26, 2008 @ 8:39 PM
Permanent link to this post  •
 

Just sour grapes?

I’m trying to muster up sympathy for the television writers who might or might not go on strike because of a dispute over the myriad ways in which their work is being distributed (Internet, DVDs, etc.), for which their current contract doesn’t include any compensation.

Where I’m stuck, though, as someone who has worked in the B2B side of things for more than eight years, is the fact that I’ve watched as editors' workloads have increased beyond writing for print to include writing original content for the Web, writing for podcasts, Webcasts, speaking at seminars, planning two-day conferences and more, and yet, I don’t see the compensation levels for those additional responsibilities growing, and in fact, I see the staffs of most publications shrinking since I’ve entered the biz.

James Poniewozik wrote an interesting piece for Time’s Web site a few days ago that was the impetus for me thinking about this. The WGA wants its members to be compensated for the extra distribution channels in which the same content is being used. But what I say is this: How do we in the B2B space get fairly compensated or better balanced workloads for the extra work we do in order to take advantage of the ever-changing content distribution models?

Labels: , , , , , ,

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 2, 2007 @ 9:15 AM
Permanent link to this post  •