Maple leaf magazine

[Jarnhamar]

Someone mentioned ways to save money (from the class B frozen thread) and suggested turfing the maple leaf.
Got me thinking, I wonder how much money is spent on that magazine? Is it worth white to print it an send it out or is it a waste of time?
I know in many places a half dozen copies get dropped off here and there and most seem to get sent to the garbage right away.  (This along with the other throng of newsletters and stuff that gets put out)
Today I came across 10 or 12 copies of  some 33brigade magazine. I opened it up and it had pictures of some winter ex- it's September  :

I haven't read the maple leaf in a long time, I remember flipping through it and thinking wow I really don't care about most of this stuff and put it down.  Just curious everyone elses opinion on it.

 

[dangerboy]

Like you said most of the time they go straight to the garbage, it might be more benificial to concentrate on just an electronic version at the web site.  That way people that actually read it can still read it and it would cut down on some of the costs.

 

[Gilbert B.]

Those of you that have voted to scrap the MAPLE LEAF may not have served in the military very long or have been on missions abroad.  It is always gratifying to have news from home even if they  are old.  Maybe some of you have read the "Stars & Stripes " and may have been impressed by the rants they put out but me I am  proud of what I am and will always be

Gilbert B. CD1

 

[AmmoTech90]

Could be good, isn't really.  Probably due to a lack of staff seeing as deploying is probably a higher priority than staffing the Maple Leaf (at least I would hope it is).
Sentinel was good.  Some of the branch rags that were staffed were good.  The Magazine (selfless trade plug) was especially good.

Lack of cartoons and dirty jokes is probably the major shortcoming.  It takes itself too seriously.

 

[kratz]

The Maple Leaf serves a valued purpose. There is always room for improvement in it, but with the current budget constraints, working on those improvements are a lower priority.

I think cutting it to save funds would be a disservice and some would say a mistake in the long run.

 

[dapaterson]

I voted for scrapping it.  The editorial mindset is unfortuantely intended to provide a shiny gloss to everything.  The first few issues had real reader feedback and observations / complaints - admitting that the institution has some warts - but it gave a place to voice such concerns, and draw attention to them.  That began to fade when the then-LFC Inspector General wrote how troops don't really have problems - they're just whiners.

Today, the ML is heavily edited to ensure only positive messages get out, but not to check facts.  For example, in one instance an article described a national vehicle fielding plan based on one Cpl's mistaken understanding in Sherbrooke - the writer never bothered to check facts with the PMO.  Or, more recently, an article discussed Canadians serving with IMATT in Sierra Leone since 2002 - when the CEFCOM website and earlier Maple Leaf articles both clearly state that we've been there since 2000.

There is a large full-time staff working at the ML; they have no excuse for their poor fact checking.  And the departmental bigwigs wanting to only put forward good news gets grating very quickly.  I'm not advocating that we find a bitter PPCLI ex-Cpl to edit it, but either become more accurate and describe problems honestly, or get out of the business.

Givign a voice to soldier concerns, and getting experts to discuss those problems makes a huge difference to soliders-  knowing their voices have been heard.


(PS the post-nominal is CD, regardless of the number of bars)

 

[Journeyman]

Those of you that have voted to scrap the MAPLE LEAF may not have served in the military very long or have been on missions abroad. 

:rofl:

I would humbly suggest (as is my self-effacing way), that you have a look at the profiles of those recommending scrapping it.

Mind you, that's easier when the profile contains something other than "retired"..... 

 

[Newt]

The Maple Leaf is pretty typical of internal newsletters that one would find in a major corporation. The value of internal newsletters is they allow the corporate body to share information and experiences that may not be otherwise available to geographically/departmentally dispersed staff. My experience with internal newsletters is that they are almost universally poorly edited, in some cases are little more than print versions of the rumour mill, and at worst repetitive restatements of corporate propaganda.

The above said, the Maple Leaf can, and should, play a critical role in disseminating non-mission critical information to the troops. Mission critical information should be spread through the chain of command.

If I could change one thing about the Maple Leaf it would be to improve the ability for CF members to submit articles for publication. Cpl Bloggins may not have much use for an article about Air Cadets finishing aviation training, but I bet he'd take note of WO Atkins tips for improving the taste of the coffee from his IMP.

 

[chrisf]

Given the amount of money spent writing, editing, printing and shipping the maple leaf, so that it can be pulled out of my mail slot and dropped directly into the recycling bin (conveniently placed below our mail slots) it seems to me it needs a reconsidering of format...

Perhaps a rumor page?  Give personell the opportunity to anonymously submit rumors, anything that pops up more then once or twice, a maple leaf staffer researches, and provides the facts concerning the rumor.

 

[Michael OLeary]

I would suggest they explore some of the following:

1.  Stop publishing full bi-lingual versions (what is the cost of that when most of us only read the articles in our first official langauge?).  Publish English and French editions, start by distributing to units based upon their working language(s), but allow any member to request a copy in the alternate official language.

(I hear the cries of Official Language Act and the gathering of the faggots for the bonfire, but if we're entering a period of fiscal restraint lets seriously look at some of these items.  I'm not saying deny anyone the opportunity to see it in their first official language, or their second too if they compare articles to brush up on their language skills, but not everyone needs both all the time.)

2.    Change the format to something useful.  The newspaper format is handy on an Orderly Room counter or a staff officer's or NCO's desk, but that's about it. Make it pocket-sized (leg pocket) like the early Canadian Army Journals.  Make it easy to transport and read at one's convenience and maybe fewer will go directly to the recycle bin.  And then we might get comments from people who actually say they look at it instead of directly blue-binning it.

3.  I agree, open up the content to beyond news which seems heavily sanitized at times.  We're big girls and boys, tell us the dark times are ahead too, and why.

4.  Cultivate more articles from a broader selection of CF members.  It's great that young PAOs have a training ground to build their portfolios, but they're not the only ones with writing skill, or stories to tell. Admittedly as a past editor of a regimental journal, I know the ridiculous difficulty in getting anyone to voluntarily write anything for a journal or paper.  Despite being an "educated" force, we're not a very "literate" one when it comes to putting pen to paper, or fingers on keyboard.  (So, maybe a small financial incentive for selected articles?)

5.  On-line submission and editorial review, so submissions don't disappear never to be heard of again.

 

[PMedMoe]

I don't mind it online.  As far as getting an actual copy of it?  Don't really care, I find it too centered on the Reserves anyway.  I agree with Mr. O'Leary regarding both languages.

Other suggestions:  Stop using "models" for the pictures.  No one want to see a girl in bad camouflage with pink lipstick and earrings.  :

 

[Jarnhamar]

ML is way too happy everyone is smiling everything is great.  I WOULD be nice to have a magazine that's not printed through rose colored lenses.