The Report, RIP
The conservative Canadian magazine Citizens Centre Report which has published for thirty years--most notably as Alberta Report and its sister magazine B.C. Report--has been killed off...
Colby has the essentials of what's happened in his weblog, but as a service to other bloggers, here is the full text of the press release:
[press release begins]
Citizens Centre for Freedom and Democracy
News Release
Embargo: 10 AM, June 23, 2003
Citizens Centre Shifts Emphasis From Publishing To Advocacy
EDMONTON--Changes are taking place at the Citizens Centre for Freedom and Democracy, the non-profit organization that earlier this year acquired ownership of the Edmonton-based The Report magazine.
When we launched the Citizen's Centre last fall, we set out to redefine the role of The Report and at the same time establish a long-term advocacy role for our new organization", said Link Byfield, Citizens Centre chairman and long-time publisher of The Report.
"Today we are announcing the next step in our transition from magazine to movement."
"Over the past several months, we have sought advice from our donors and supporters about which is more urgently needed, a general newsmagazine or an aggressive agenda for constructive change for Canada and the West."
"The answer we consistently received is that people enjoyed the magazine, but even more want to bring about change. On a survey of thousands, they told us they are troubled about one thing: The undemocractic centralization of power in the hands of the prime minister and the courts."
"There are also financial considerations. Although The Report magazine is thirty years old, it has not been profitable over time. And after the Citizens Centre acquired ownership earlier this year, the first thing we did was turn down a $360,000 federal grant fore which the previous owners had applied and which they had received on an annual basis." (Several hundred Canadian magazines receive annual editorial and postal subsidies from Ottawa.)
In light of these financial considerations and what our members are telling us, we will cease publication of The Report. In future the organization will issue a regular newsletter and periodic special reports on policy questions.
"This was a tough decision," said Byfield. "Our family feels a tremendous gratitude to those many subscribers who have enabled The Report to get its message out for the past three decades. But with this, we open a new chapter."
Byfield explained that the decision posistions the Citizens Centre as an advocacy and education group rather than a publisher. "It means we can focus all our attention on where the West and Canada should go in the next decade--a mission that our members and supporters have clearly stated to be worthwhile."
(Contact info for Link Byfield that I am not including)
[press release ends]