Sunday 12/9/2012
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Transcript of Sunday 12/9/2012
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BMM Newsletter/ Vritta Past, Present & Future
Vinata Kulkarni, Mohan Ranade
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Started in 1981 as Brihan Maharashtra Vritta/Mukhapatra
Mukhapatra of whom ? Of all Marathi people across North America , as a Platform, to bring
together and to reach out the Marathi People...in North America . (It’s
Purpose is NOT and should NOT be- BMM ownership approach , neither be just a voice of BMM
Governing body.)
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Initial (1981) Purpose of the Newsletter
To convey news from Maharashtra in absence of Marathi Newspapers
in North America Break down
60-40: (Maharashtra News-US, Canada
News)
This format continued till 2000 Phased out as Internet became
popular
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Initial (1981) Purpose of the Newsletter
Early decision not to compete with Ekata (Literary magazine from
Canada published quarterly)
Therefore does not publish Stories, Poems and other literary content
except in special issues
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US portion - Hand written Indian portion - Type set
Changed to computer fonts in 1991Fonts developed by
Madhav Deshpande, Detroit, MILate Shrikrishna Patil, San Jose, CA
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No set subscription initially - 1987 subscription set at $12 /year - Current subscription $25/year
- Life Membership started in 1987
at $150; currently at $250 - Electronic subscription started in
2007 at $10 /year (now free, since 2011)
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Current Subscribers
- 272 Print Edition ( 46 Annual, 207 Life, 19 Canada and other countries)
- 116 Electronic edition Complimentary E copy, goes to 90 BMM donors, 16 foreign Marathi Mandal Presidents, 387 Past subscribers, (Potential to send copy to also 602 past subscribers if their email ids would be known )
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Subscriber Base- Mostly over 50 years oldAcquired through Past EC’s efforts and lately through BMM Convention registration process
( Since 2012, current month’s e -copy also goes on BMM website and BMM Face book, so age group of e
copy- readers may vary than previously observed. )
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Content- Adhyakshiya and cover (1 page), - Back page (½ page ad plus address block) -Other Ads (1½ page max.) - BMM projects, Mandal news, convention (4 pages), - Other (Lalit & other sahitya, book intro, noteworthy -profile, specific sadars, occasional cartoon ..) (5 pages)
Total 12 pages
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Content (contd.)
12 page Paper -Newsletter weighs 1 oz.
(# 80 Bond Paper)Can be mailed with basic first class
postage- US 0.44 cents- Canada 0.75 cents- Int’l 0.98 cents
(any page sheet beyond that causes approx 25% increase in printing + mailing
cost)
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Financial OutlookIncome
Life Member reserves-return on investment,
Subscription Ad Revenue
Annual Income vs Revenue –Hardly breaks- even
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Analysis of Current Situation
WHAT IS WRONG or IS ANYTHING WRONG?
-Not a financial problemDOES NOT REACH INTENDED
AUDIENCE One suggestion was
SEND IT FREE TO EVERYBODY
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Analysis of Current Situation-Good balance sheet is necessary but
not Sufficient - Current trend in the Newspaper Industry- revenue generated through other means- In 12 pages quality of the content is well maintained but need to take it to further level - (Making free copy is not the solution, many other free papers lack in quality (eg. papers in drive-way)
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Analysis of Current SituationWhat is first
Chicken or egg(Content or readers)
BOTHWill get new readers
(and keep current ones)- if the content is strong- if marketing is improvedNeed Efforts on both fronts
simultaneously
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Analysis of Current Situation (contd.)
Need more good writers from North America
Historically those who send articles on their own do not meet standard
- Good writer does not volunteer - Need to seek writers
(BMM reps. Can suggest names of good writers from their Mandal
zones)- Need cajoling of known writers
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Analysis of Current Situation (contd.)
Why content has less variety?- Lack of story ideas from members - Lack of feed back - Lack of interest of readers about write up on BMM issues discussed by EC and Board of directors(similar trend in many Other Marathi publications in US)
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Analysis of Current Situation (contd.)
Why subscribers do not increase- Lack of marketing at local level
- At Mandal programs- Through Mandal e-mails- Through Mandal web site
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What is the future ?
- Current liability is Life Members- Course direction need to be identified
- Who will be readers in 2020- Delivery format: Print or
Electronic?- Content?
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What is the future ?A: Need More funds, B: Resources who can spend time to attract and motivate good writers.C: Resources who can motivate readers to participate, express and discuss issues of the community.
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What is the future ?- More electronic than print (may be web based format )
-Amortize Life Members and reduce liability?- Phase out annual print subscription?
- Separate e-letter for MAIYTRA - Sahitya Section on the Web- Special editions ( one we have in Diwali ) to generate interest
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Overview Where we have been ?
- Where We are ?- Where We are Going ?
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Vritta Outlook :
Hand- written copy of US/Canada’ news
Early 80s- Type -set news
from Maharashtra, and
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January 1989 October
1989
Late 80s
Vritta Outlook
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January 1999
Late 90s
Vritta Outlook :
Diwali
2000
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January 2002
Early 2000s-
Vritta Outlook :
Diwali 2002
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January, 2012November, Diwali, 2012
Vritta Outlook
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contents
Info about :BMM activities , BMM events,
Various Mandal news , programs
Notable –North American -Marathi Vyakti- parichay
New Book- Parichay Cartoon on topics relevant to
North American Marathi communityOccasional poems, stories
Lalit sahitya –Specific topics/sadars
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January 2010 -12
E- section on BMM WebsiteVrutta on BMM Facebook Few Audio,Video linksNew topics/sadarsE-copy - Wider Circulation
BMM vritta
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2013 and ahead Along with paper,
Web-based digital copy in the interest of North American Marathi
Community for wider circulation.
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What is the future ?For sustaining Marathi language,
informing Marathi community, and keeping the community closer
across North America, BMM Newsletter in format(s)
suitable for various age-groups, is essential communication tool.