RadioBanter - View Single Post - Do yourself a favor. Cancel your League membership now!

January 28th 04, 06:30 AM

In article ,
(William) writes:

(Len Over 21) wrote in message
...
In article , "Kim W5TIT"

writes:

"Mike Coslo" wrote in message
...

I make this suggestion in dead seriousness. ARRL needs to consult with
a licensed psychologist stat, if not put one on staff retainer. Perhaps
he or she could explain why this is such a stupid idea.

Ha! The ARRL is about nothing but marketing anymore. This is a great
marketing effort to them: become the good cop and get hundreds to join, or
something along those lines.

Just discovered that? :-)

The biggest moneymaker at the ARRL is their Publishing. They break
even with QST but the gold is in the numerous books they have for
sale (shipping charges extra if ordered from Newington but same
prices, no shipping charges if bought over the counter at HRO).

Publishing pays nearly all the bills at ARRL, including all the
so-called
membership services that are supposed to be so wonderful and
"cost nothing" to members...renting of banquet rooms for the BoD
get-togethers (and probably travel expenses, too?)...maintenance of
W1AW and the museum...and the legal and lobbying fees in DC.

Membership fees don't go for much directly. That pays for the
"fulfillment services" (mailing lists, printing, distribution of QST)
with
the rest of it spread throughout Hq; membership magazine QST
gets its income from advertising charges...just like the other
independent magazines of interest to amateurs.

The 2002 Federal Tax Returns for ARRL showed an operating
budget of around $12 million. Given only 170 thousand or so
memberships, that multiplied by annual dues isn't going to hit any
$12 million.

ARRL stays alive by BEING a business. Their self-promotion is a
necessary thing. Unfortunately, many members don't see that,
preferring the delusion of some altruistic, noble, kind, and good
organization "solely for members." shrug

LHA / WMD

Len, wasn't it Mike Deignan that used to beat the "publishing" drum?

Don't forget the advertising sales in all those publications, and of
course, the endowment funds.

Mike who?!? :-)

QST's advertising "card" is on the League website and anyone who
has more time than they can spend on something useful can grab
an issue of QST and figure out the approximate income from QST
ads each month. That's enough to pay for the staff salaries of QST,
the paper-printing-binding costs, and some of the Fullfillment
services (list maintenance, distribution, delivery)

Since ARRL controls QST, they can get FREE advertising for
whatever else ARRL is publishing. They do. It's an all-around
money-winner since they don't pay much for submitted work by
others. Since ARRL arranges to OWN first rights to all articles in
QST, they can reprint that material in Handbooks or anything else
as much and as many times as they wish without giving a cent
more in compensation to authors. Fabulous setup for making a
bit of money for the League. They've got it sewn up tight. :-)

Note: Retail outlets for League publications make a small profit
on publishing sales, yet the price for each one is the same whether
one buys it in HRO or orders from Newington. The difference is
that anyone ordering from Newington has to ALSO pay shipping
charges! Double profits...no cost to them for shipping and they
make the retailer's discount difference for themselves! Lovely.

"Endowment funds?" I doubt there are many millionaires out
there bequeathing large sums to the League. Nowhere close to
Kroc endowments. It is a kind of crock, though.

[now watch all the ARRL syncophants come out, panting with rage
and vitriol for Telling It Like It Really Is...:-) ]

LHA / WMD