THE STATE OF THE MAGAZINE ADDRESS
Well, we're back, as promised.
Summer's ended, school's begun and FTD is rolling off the presses. However, what did not
pan out was the bigger and better than ever part. This summer has been a critical time for
this Magazine, and it emerged in critical condition! More than half of the subscriptions
ended with the June Issue and half again will expire with this one. There were too few
re-subscribers and I expect more (less?) of the same. And as such, I have stopped
accepting new subscribers.
The populace has spoken, and there is just not
enough interest to sustain this publication. It has been the bane of this magazine since
its existence. It is a worthy and worthwhile endeavor. This magazine does something no
other publication does; It consistently offers up positive information about and useful
information for Fathers. It serves no other purpose.
Unfortunately, we are an economic-based
society. All the ideals in the world do not pay the printer or the postman. I can no
longer justify the added expenses of this magazine. So, once again, it seems that
Full-Time Dads will stop printing. I do not know yet, if this will be the last printed
issue. I will be taking whatever is left in the coffers and pay off some its debts, then I
will set aside some for refunds to the long term subscribers. If there is enough money
left, there will be another issue, probably around December.
Full-Time Dads is an original. It is the oldest, longest running Fathering
Magazine. I still believe in this magazine and its cause, so it will continue to run where
it serves its wider audience at www.fathersworld.com/fulltimedad.
Obviously this magazine does not
work in its current format. Nor, does it seem, that the title works. Too many people still
associate FTD with SAHD. But the magazine is much more than that, it needs to be much more
than that. I believe a fathering magazine is still desperately needed. So much is
researched and written about our society needing involved fathers, yet so little resources
are offered to them. Parenting magazines are devoted almost exclusively to mothers and
while just about every newspaper has a parenting column, they are written by, for and
about women.
So, this is not the end of the
story, just the end of a chapter.
