T H E Z E P H Y R
PO Box 327 Moab, UT 84532
cczephyr@frontiernet.net 435.259.7773
BECOME A MEMBER
OF THE 'ZEPHYR BACKBONE'
In March, The Zephyr will start its 14th year and I'm "clinging
as hopelessly to the past" as ever. Maybe more so. This publication
has seen a lot of change and has made changes of its own. Now I'm thinking
about making another change, although not so dramatic or far-reaching.
To assure The Zephyr has a strong and viable future, I need to broaden
its scope--I'm looking for more out-of-town advertisers and vendors, and
writers to cover issues across the Colorado Plateau. And to be totally blunt,
I'm also trying to find new ways to generate revenue for this shoe-string
operation. These are weird times and I don't know what to expect next year.
It's true, I have deliberately limited my options--I don't have corporate
ads and I don't seek out national chain motel or fast food ads. I don't
apply for grants and I don't have a trust fund. This publication depends
almost exclusively on locally owned and operated small businesses to survive.
And throughout the country, locally-owned, independent publications like
The Zephyr are a vanishing breed, either going belly up or being
swallowed whole by bigger media companies.
I feel confident The Zephyr runs no risk of a corporate takeover--it's
much too unpalatable to be eaten by those guys. And I don't feel as if we're
in jeopardy of going under, but I do worry that it might shrink. And I'd
hate to see that happen. Without content, what's the point?
Now I have this idea and I'm bouncing it off as many people as I can. I
call it "The Zephyr Backbone." I want to create a page of key
supporters ("Friends of the Zephyr?" "Zephyr Vertebrae?").
It's a way that individual readers could help support The Zephyr
and keep its voice loud and clear. The Backbone Page in each issue would
show the cartooned faces of about 30 Zephyr readers who are willing
to shell out the equivalent of twenty-eight cents a day--$99.99 a year (The
old ninety-nine, ninety nine trick).
Except for the faces themselves, The Backbone would always change--it would
reflect the theme of each issue. The possibilities are endless. All of you
know how stupid and goofy my ads can be. That alone should be an inspiration
to you.
So The Backbone person, for his or her investment, would receive the original
cartoon, a years's subscription, their caricatured face in six issues
of The Zephyr (about 85,000 copies) and posted on The Zephyr
web site home page, and my eternal gratitude (Or at least for a year).
At the end of that year, you could re-sign with the same face, or pose
for a new caricature, or I could draw your spouse or partner. I could
cartoon your dog. If you want anonymity, I can
The Catch here is getting you to sign for the entire year. I'm simply incapable,
physically and mentally, of drawing 30+ new faces each issue in addition
to the advertising. I just can't do it. So it's an all or nothing proposition;
I've considered payments, but the accounting logistics are beyond me--this
really IS a one-man operation in most respects.
OK...I'm beginning to feel like Ron Popeil ("If you order now, you'll
also get this lovely bamboo steamer!"), so I'll stop. But this is the
only idea I've come up with that seems viable. The Backbone would not start
until next March, with the April/May issue. BUT if you're interested, let
me know SOON.
Thanks,
Jim Stiles
