Dear Backpacking Light Subscriber,
I'd like to share some exciting news with you about the future – both short and long term – of BackpackingLight.com* and Backpacking Light Magazine**.
=== ABOUT BACKPACKING LIGHT ===
* BackpackingLight.com is our subscription based Website. Subscriptions to BackpackingLight.com are sometimes referred to as "online subscriptions", or "Premium Memberships". New content is published weekly.
** Backpacking Light Magazine is our quarterly print magazine. Subscriptions to Backpacking Light Magazine are simply referred to as "print subscriptions". New content is published quarterly.
=== YOU WILL RECEIVE ISSUE 9 IN EARLY JUNE! ===
You will receive Issue 9 in early June!
First, I'm pleased to announce that Issue 9 of Backpacking Light Magazine is en route from the printer to our warehouse and will arrive in your mailbox in the first two weeks of June.
=== BACKPACKING LIGHT MAGAZINE GOES TO FULL COLOR! ===
Starting with Issue 9, Backpacking Light Magazine will go to full color, featuring wonderful photography from cover to cover.
=== OUR QUARTERLY PRINT PUBLISHING SCHEDULE IS ON TRACK ===
After eight issues, I think we're finally figuring it out! Issue 9 is a landmark issue for us, and it reflects a magazine that is growing up. We're now back on track with a quarterly publishing schedule. In fact, we are now wrapping up Issue 10, which is scheduled to deliver on time in August 2008.
=== BACKPACKING LIGHT MAGAZINE GOES DIGITAL! ===
In response to feedback from our loyal subscribers, Backpacking Light Magazine will be available in a digital edition (in addition to the print edition) starting with Issue 9. The digital edition will now be included as part of both the BackpackingLight.com Premium Membership, and the Backpacking Light Magazine print subscription (with no extra charges).
Best of all, the digital edition of the print magazine will be released several weeks in advance of the print version. All print and online subscribers will receive an email when the digital edition becomes available.
=== DIGITAL EDITION OF ISSUE 9 TO BE MAILED TO YOU TODAY! ===
That's right – check your email. You'll get a link to the digital edition of Issue 9 in just a few hours! In fact, Premium Members and Print Subscribers will continue to receive the digital edition well in advance of the print issue landing on newsstands or in your mailbox.
=== A NOTE ABOUT ONLINE ADVERTISING ===
Recently we began advertising sponsorships associated with our Weekly eNews and Podcasts. Our goal is to continue to improve our online content, bringing you the best writing, reporting and analysis about backcountry travel. We are working to refine this program to keep the messages streamlined, but allow a select set of companies to make a connection with the passionate BPL community. Online advertising is not a core sales activity of Backpacking Light. But because of the high costs associated with our rapidly growing bandwidth usage, and email syndication, it does allow us to keep our weekly newsletters, and podcasts, free to the public. We welcome your feedback on this program. Consistent with our long standing commitment to provide a rich editorial experience, we have no plans to allow any other types of digital advertising at BackpackingLight.com.
=== BACKPACKING LIGHT'S FUTURE ===
Our December subscriber survey was very enlightening to us. This is how you responded, and this is what we're doing about it:
What You Want: "If I buy a subscription (Premium Membership) to the website BackpackingLight.com as a Premium Member, I want at least a digital version of the print magazine included as part of my subscription!"
What You'll Get: "When you buy a subscription (Premium Membership) to the website BackpackingLight.com, you get the digital version of Backpacking Light's print magazine as part of your subscription."
What You Want: "When I buy a print subscription to Backpacking Light Magazine, I want the choice of selecting either a digital or a print version."
What You'll Get: "When you buy a subscription to Backpacking Light Magazine, you'll get both digital and print editions."
What You Want: "Higher quality podcasts that are still free, and HTML (not text!) email newsletters!"
What You'll Get: "Both! Be sure to read the section above about "Online Advertising".
What You Didn't Want: "Please don't republish the same content in the print magazine that you publish online at BackpackingLight.com. I buy the print magazine because of its unique flavor, and I appreciate its unique content, and look forward to reading it, knowing that the stories within its pages are new and exclusive!"
What You Won't Get: "Republished content! Backpacking Light Magazine will continue to remain exclusive and won't regurgitate old stuff already published online. However, some of you have asked us to republish some of the classics here and there (perhaps 1-2 stories per issue), so we'll leave that option open."
=== THANK YOU ===
Finally, I want to personally thank you for having faith in Backpacking Light, being patient with us, supporting us by giving us your comments, suggestions, and valuable feedback, and helping us celebrate the future of the most exciting movement in the outdoor industry!
Godspeed and Go Light,
Ryan Jordan
Publisher
