Online Magazine Tells Stories
by Jason Pearce • May 2006 • 25 Comments •
For 90 years, Lambda Chi Alpha’s Cross & Crescent magazine was distributed the traditional way; by mail. But on November 2, 2005, we broke that tradition by replacing the printed version with five electronic formats: web, PDF, RSS, podcast, and email.
Submitting Chapter News
The Cross & Crescent’s Chapter News department is more popular than the Feature stories, Fraternity News, and History departments combined.
Month after month, 40 percent of our readers navigate directly to this section to see if there is any news about their chapter or brothers they know; and more than half of those visitors immediately leave the site, paying no attention to the rest of the magazine’s content.
This behavior is understandable. We even made it easier to find the information you are looking for by grouping all news by chapter instead of splitting the information into three departments — chapter news, alumni news, and Omegas — the way the printed edition of the magazine did for decades.
Sadly, we receive news from fewer than 40 of our 300 chapters in any given month. Some readers even get so upset when the Cross & Crescent doesn’t publish anything from their chapter they call or email us their disappointment.
Alas, we attempt to publish everything we receive after considering some minor editorial discretion. The problem is we barely receive enough news to fill the alloted six pages.
Submitting news is easy. Visit the Contribute page to learn what type of content we are seeking before visiting the Contact page to submit news about your chapter, an alumnus you recently visited, or yourself.
Transitioning the magazine from print to electronic distribution wasn’t easy. We understood it meant members without internet access would be alienated, donors might stop giving, and busy alumni might permanently lose touch with the Fraternity.
Given the choice, we would have preferred to complement the printed publication with the electronic formats; but finances wouldn’t allow. The extraordinary cost of printing and mailing the magazine finally forced us into moving the publication online.
We learned a lot in the process. Having produced six issues — this one being the seventh — there are a few things we’d like to share.
Was it the right move?
It depends who you ask. Financially, we had little choice. Annual printing and postage costs were exceeding $250,000. Considering the steady increase in postage expenses and a 40 percent decrease in membership in the last 20 years, the magazine’s fate was clear.
For-profit newspapers are also having troubles. Two of the top 10 internet activities in 2005, reading news and entertainment news, cut directly into their market. This cultural shift has become a 20-year trend in the newspaper industry as people increasingly turn to the internet and 24-hour cable news networks for information.
Unlike traditional newspapers and magazines, however, the Cross & Crescent has neither paying subscribers nor advertising revenue. If we were going to continue to produce the magazine for free, our most viable option was to embrace online distribution.
Some favorable news is that the number of internet users continues to grow. Last year, 78.6 percent of Americans went online, averaging 13.3 hours per week. If you limit the audience only to those who have a college education, internet access jumps to 92 percent. Being a college-based organization, most of our members fall into this demographic.
Unfortunately, only 30 percent of those aged 65 or older have internet access. This was one of the most difficult oppositions we faced when deciding to move to an entirely internet-driven distribution model. Thankfully, internet use among older Americans is the fastest and most consistent growing demographic.
The final challenge was addressing the emotional attachment members have in physically holding a copy of the Cross & Crescent, for there is no substitute for a tangible medium.
Five Formats, Twelve Issues
When the Cross & Crescent left its printed form, it transitioned to five electronic formats and increased its quantity from quarterly to monthly. The five new formats provide our readers greater flexibility in how they obtain our content while the increased frequency addresses the inherent immediacy of electronic distribution.
The most obvious electronic format was to build a website; the world’s most universally accessible content distribution resource. By moving the magazine to the web, our content is now accessible by nearly any web-enabled device by anyone at any given time.
Our January 2005 story entitled “King René, Priory of Sion, and The DaVinci Code,” for example, remains one of our most read stories. The story’s fame is driven by the general public’s hunger to learn more about The DaVinci Code and its upcoming movie, not Lambda Chi Alpha. But thanks to its content, visitors learn about our organization, its history, and its values.
The RSS format, which stands for Real Simple Syndication, represents nearly half of the magazine’s bandwidth. The RSS feed summarizes the magazine’s content and allows readers to track content updates automatically. It’s an online way of subscribing to the magazine and is heavily used by some of our younger members.
Another form of subscription is managed via email. Members may request to receive an email reminder every month when a new issue of the Cross & Crescent is available, an option 20,000 members prefer.
The last two formats — PDF and podcast — extend the accessibility of the magazine to media that are designed to be enjoyed away from a computer.
The PDF format is a finished, 16-page publication that is easily printed and read offline. Users without internet access are able to have a friend print the magazine for them each month, providing them offline access to the Cross & Crescent.
Lastly, the podcast format opens up new opportunities for our mobile and visually impaired members. Users with an iPod or portable media players may relax and listen to the magazine read to them like a book on tape, while blind members may now have access to a magazine that was not previously accessible to them.
Does anyone read it?
Prior to moving the magazine online, I served as editor of the printed Cross & Crescent from 1995-2000. When I began, I was only 23 years old and found myself responsible for creating a 48-page magazine that was distributed quarterly to 125,000 members.
Considering Forbes and Business Week have circulations of only 900,000, the magazine was a big responsibility. Or was it?
At the time, we knew how many copies we mailed, but had little understanding of how many people read the magazine. Too often someone would compliment me on a nice looking issue, but admit they didn’t have time to read it. Even I, a former editor of the magazine, would often place the Cross & Crescent in a stack of other periodicals begging to be read, but never to be opened.
In short, Lambda Chi Alpha was spending valuable resources producing a magazine with little understanding of how much or little it was read. With our electronic formats, however, we are able to easily track and measure its use.
One of the first things we learned was our audience’s appetite for chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death. In fact, more users are interested in the Chapter News department than almost all other content combined. Upon noticing this trend after the first online issue, we increased the size of this department by two pages.
On a similar note, we noticed that Feature Stories attract only five to eight percent of our traffic. As editors, we enjoy identifying and writing about the Fraternity’s most successful members. But if these stories aren’t being read, we have to consider if there is a more responsible use of resources.
The great contextual challenge for the Cross & Crescent is that it is a single publication designed to service nearly 200,000 living members from 300 different chapters. In any given month, we receive alumni or chapter news from fewer than 40 chapters, meaning less than 15 percent of our readers find content that interest them.
The Information Technology and Communications team pays attention to these numbers as we work on the redesigning of our primary site www.lambdachi.org and increasing user-generated content.
Perhaps there is a touch of irony here. For 90 years, the printed Cross & Crescent was the primary method of sharing fraternal stories and news. It wasn’t until now, after six months of online use and data, that it tells the greatest story of all — how we can better serve our members.
Photo Credits in Order of Apperance
- © Courtesy Lambda Chi Alpha, Some Rights Reserved.
- © Courtesy Lambda Chi Alpha, Some Rights Reserved.
- © Courtesy Lambda Chi Alpha, Some Rights Reserved.
- © Courtesy Jason Pearce, Some Rights Reserved.
Howard W. Sims, EM 351 Says:
May 2nd, 2006 at 4:00 pmI like the electronic format and read every issue.
Naturally, chaper news ranks high in my interest. I also like to read about the early history.
Keep up the good work, Jason
Julius (Jules) Gommi Says:
May 2nd, 2006 at 4:13 pmThis article very good - right on in learning what works. I support the conversion to electronics-only format, and I’m 66!
- Jules, Polytechnic, ‘61; Theta Upsilon 371
Todd Levari Says:
May 2nd, 2006 at 6:48 pmHello. I am the High Pi of EKZ at Drexel University.
I wish Lambda Chi Alpha would distance itself from the movie The DaVinci Code. All brothers of Lambda Chi Alpha know what our letters stand for. The DaVinci Code is laced with baseless lies. Some people want to believe these lies because, by refusing to believe that a savior died for them on the cross, they are assured that their lives are theirs and theirs alone to live, however they choose.
Pornography, adultery, the love of money, lying, stealing, cheating, homosexuality? Anything goes and we should all be tolerant of it all? This message is destructive to our young brothers, and all of mankind for that matter.
The real word of God is the only thing that makes life worth living. Everything else in the end is vanity. This is the message that our brothers need to learn. I preach this to my undergraduates every chance that I get. If they absorb it, all other problems that chapters create for themselves will cease.
Todd Levari
Concerned Brother Says:
May 2nd, 2006 at 7:15 pmBrother Todd Levari,
The beauty of our Brotherhood is that it crosses the lines of race, creed, socio-economic status, and most importantly, sexual orientation. What is most important is that we, as Brothers, accept one another without judgment. That one Brother is any less of a person because he is gay is absolutely absurd. I hope the members of your chapter see past your bigotry and intolerance for difference.
In ZAX,
Concerned Brother
Frank Miles, Iota Pi 46 (TCU) Says:
May 2nd, 2006 at 8:18 pmI agree with the remarks made by Concerned Brother in response to Todd Levari. Lambda Chi has changed in very significant ways from when I was at TCU in the late 50s, some for the better (welcoming diversity, for example). I regret that Brother Levari is subjecting his chapter’s members to a narrow-minded and intolerant view of American society.
I have been encouraged over the years to see our fraternity welcoming members of all races, religions, and ethnicities. I doubt that openly gay men are welcomed at most chapters, however. But there have always been gay members. I suspect most feel it necessary to follow the practice of the military services–”don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Frank Miles, Iota Pi 46 (TCU) Says:
May 2nd, 2006 at 8:31 pmFor Jason Pearce:
You and your helpers are doing a good job with the online magazine, but I do miss the printed edition. I skim the web version, then print out the PDF and download the podcast. In the “dark ages” when I was an active (56-60), the national, oops, international office routinely contacted individual chapters to encourage reporting. I suspect that the staff cutbacks make this difficult, perhaps impossible. Perhaps you might ask the chapter presidents to find a member to volunteer to report to the Cross & Crescent.
Sincerely,
Frank A. Miles (again)
Tom Rambo Says:
May 3rd, 2006 at 9:37 amTo Brother Levari,
The Da Vinci Code is a work of fiction. I find it ironic that in an attempt to discredit its content, you and all its other detractors only draw more people’s attention to it. What concerns me more, however, is the apparent need you feel to “preach” to our young brothers. Perhaps the better thing to do would be to lead by example. The message of the true “founder” of Lambda Chi Alpha was love and tolerance. Perhaps it’s time for you to “practice” instead of “preach”.
Rusty Harris (Kansas State 1976) Says:
May 3rd, 2006 at 1:27 pmJason et al:
The conversion to the Internet formats was a terrific move.
As the managing editor of a decent-sized daily “for-profit” newspaper, I agree whole-heartedly with your comments about how magazines (and newspapers) tend to pile up, unread; the time and costs involved with the print format; and changing habits of society.
We no longer teach our youth to read broadsheets (full-sized newspapers) or magazines. We’re lucky if we can get them in the habit of reading books, let alone magazines. Instead we push their future — the Internet and all its “bells and whistles.”
I seriously doubt that I would have read this article if it was in a print edition. Yet,I read all of this article because the e-mail for the C&C was in my InBox this morning; I’ve got six-months worth of National Geographics sitting next to my easy chair — still in their mailing wrappers.
The Web will be a huge part of my employer’s (and my) future success; with faith and hope it will be for Lambda Chi Alpha as well!
Bob Lightner Says:
May 3rd, 2006 at 1:43 pmI just read the comment by Todd Levari. All I can say is wow ! I doubt that I will ever see a better example of the antithesis of the ideals of our brotherhood. It is most unfortunate when fanatics attempt to use Christian beliefs as misguided logic to promote bigotry, intolerance, and hatred. I certainly would not have accepted a bid to pledge at Mr. Levari’s chapter. (Although, I freely admit, it is rather unlikely that he would have extended one to me.) Nevertheless, it is so sad to see some people to be so misguided.
Jono Hren Says:
May 3rd, 2006 at 7:16 pmJason,
Regarding two statements made above: “Month after month, 40 percent of our readers navigate directly to this section [Chapter News] to see if there is any news about their chapter or brothers they know” and “we receive alumni or chapter news from fewer than 40 chapters, meaning less than 15 percent of our readers find content that interest them.”, I’m wondering if I am the only Lambda Chi who’s interested in many other chapters in addition to my own.
You seem to be making an assumption that may or may not be valid. Are we all that “provincial”?
No doubt some brothers look to see if their chapters are represented, then leave. But I’m willing to bet a fair number also want to know what other chapters have been up to lately.
We are, after all, one fraternity.
Mike Gilotti Zeta 730 (PSU) Says:
May 3rd, 2006 at 9:15 pmThanks to all those brothers that took the time to react and respond to Todd Levari’s views and concerns. It is really good to see that other brothers also feel his comments to be slanted, narrow minded and generally disconcerting. These views clearly do not represent the ideals of our fraternity nor do I believe they represent the views of the majority of our membership. I remain proud of what we as Lambda Chi Alpha stands for knowing that his commentary is inconsistent with our values and ideals. Moreover it is equally gratifying that our society continues to evolve and become more accepting and tolerant than the aforementioned views. All of us can support the comments regarding lying , stealing and cheating and know the damage that actions like those have on our society. Refraining from those behaviors are indeed consistent with our fraternity teachings. But it is clear that his agenda goes beyond that and is laced with intolerance and bias that may not be in the best interest of our young brothers at Drexel or anywhere else. That said, I would also comment the the new format for the Cross and Crescent is terrific and I much prefer this electronic version and the capabilities that it has. In Zax, MG
Jason Pearce Says:
May 4th, 2006 at 2:54 pmGood question Jono.
From January to March 2006, readers spent an average 1:18 reading an average 1,813 words of Chapter News at an average rate of 23.2 words/second.
In the same three issues, readers spent an average 2:17 reading an average 1,022 words of History at an average rate of 7.4 words/second; and an average 2:04 reading an average 1,084 words of Fraternity News at an average rate of 8.7 words/second.
This indicates that readers spend less time reading more words in the Chapter News department than they do in the History or Fraternity News departments.
Either users are reading more words/second while in Chapter News or they are simply reading fewer words, e.g. most readers read news only from their chapter.
The more disappointing readership trend is that in any given month, fewer than five percent of our living members read one or more pages of the Cross & Crescent.
To calculate this, I compared the total number of unique http://www.crossandcrescent.com visitors to our total number of living members.
Mind you, I’m making a very conservative assumption that every unique visitor to our website is a member, which I know isn’t true, for the public, Google, Yahoo, and many other people/companies also visit our website.
I should note, however, that this is not a scientific study, I wasn’t a math major, and I often tip too much because I’m not smart enough to correctly calculate 15 percent.
Todd Levari Says:
May 4th, 2006 at 2:54 pmSlamming another brother for trying to retain conventional Christian values in our fraternity that are spelled out in our ritual is not an ideal of Lambda Chi Alpha. People who are tolerant should also be tolerant of intolerant people, should they not?
I have slammed the book and movie “The DaVinci Code”, not brothers or associate members. I hate sin, my own sins and the sins of others; not sinners. I do not hate myself and I do not hate my brothers, regardless of our acts, thoughts or beliefs. On the contrary, if love is truly an act or a choice, then I submit to you all that my efforts to keep EKZ at Drexel U affloat and help my little brothers to graduate and flourish reflects what is in my heart. I have declined professional promotions because they would have entailed relocations that would have made it impossible for me to continue to serve Lambda Chi. Do you all love Lambda Chi Alpha enough to do that? No one needs to answer that question.
The DaVinci Code tries to make people believe that Jesus married a prostitute and had children. If that were true, than Jesus cannot be Lord. If he is not Lord, then He had to have been either a liar or a lunatic. Simple mathematics. There is no middle ground here. I know what side of the fence I am on. Do you? If so, then God bless you. If not, a Christian can and will help you. But God does not force Himself on anyone and neither will we.
I can think of only one entity that would love for people to believe what is suggested in The DaVinci Code. We call him satan. And God forbid Lambda Chi Alpha should ever have a place for him.
Our ritual comes from the bible. No one here has a problem with the bible, do they? If not, then I suggest we all review John chapter 3 and Romans chapters 1 and 10. I admonish all of my little brothers to find out the answers for themselves in their bibles instead of taking my word as fact. I suggest the same for everyone else.
Yours in ZAX,
Todd Levari
Brothers for Life 2006
Concerned Brother Says:
May 4th, 2006 at 3:17 pmWow. I don’t know what to say to this any longer. I am absolutely appalled.
Todd Levari Says:
May 5th, 2006 at 9:46 amHello Concerned Brother. What say we take this discussion off the C&C forum.
You and all my other fraternity brothers can talk to me by dialing direct. (610) 825-4332. Or, if you prefer, tlevari_mc@verizon.net.
I am the chief engineer for a chemical/mechanical processing plant so, if you get my answering machine, it may take some time for me to call you back.
Yours in ZAX,
Todd Levari
Brothers for Life 2006
Stephen Jehle Says:
May 11th, 2006 at 10:53 amI am gald to see you are actually reviewing and then reacting to what the readers seem to be interested in. We all want to know about your own chapters and then also be reminded that we are part of a larger community and that even after many years since graduation we are still all Lambda Chi Alpha brothers. Lambda Chi History is GREAT and it is always nice to leanr more.
Todd Levari Says:
May 11th, 2006 at 3:53 pmToday I just received one of the most uplifting notes that I can remember in years from Brother Troy from the University of North Dakota. When I hear from brothers that I have never formally met before with such words of encouragement, I am reminded that we are all one, regardless of where we are.
I hope Brother Troy does not mind me using one of his wise quotes. “He turned over the tables, not the money changers”.
Yours in ZAX,
Todd Levari
Brothers for Life 2006
forest riek Says:
May 12th, 2006 at 2:44 pmI personally find this format easier to look at and when finished there is no storage problem keep up the good work frosty zd50
Len Wheeler Says:
May 20th, 2006 at 2:25 pmI am sorry to lose the printed Cross & Crescent, now I have absolutely no contact with the fraternity that meant so much to me during my college years. I understand the financial decision but I think us alums should have had to option to pay for a subscription to a printed format.
Douglas E. Schmidt Says:
May 30th, 2006 at 2:16 amI commend Brother Todd Levari for his sacrifices for EKZ at Drexel University, but his attitude respecting sexual orientation is alarmingly at odds with the laws of our fraternity and, no doubt, with the policies of Drexel as well. At the 49th General Assembly (Denver, 2002), the following Mandatory Relolution was passed:
“Be It Resolved that membership selection on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or diability has no place within Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. The Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, therefore, condemns all discrimination and will actively seek to prevent it in all its Chapters/Colonies.”
Douglas E. Schmidt, Grand High Pi (1992-1998)
David DeVilllier Says:
June 2nd, 2006 at 10:06 pmTo Doug Schmidt (and others who may read this),
You are still your diplomatic self, praising and condemning Todd Levari all at one. I think the better response from me is that your wisdom still shineth bright and I am proud to second your comments, as usual.
In ZAX,
David DeVillier
Upsilon 800( and a former member of the Grand High Zeta, better stated A PROUD FORMER MEMBER OF THE GHZ)
P.S. And a brother who is very grateful for the work Jason Pearce is doing.
Douglas E. Schmidt Says:
June 4th, 2006 at 1:53 amThank you, Sunny. I am reassured by your endorsement. Best wishes always. Doug
Geoffrey Grab Says:
November 1st, 2006 at 6:38 pmI am graduate from Drexel University, EKZ. Brother Levari is a respected member of our Brotherhood, and he has devoted much of his life to our chapter. However, his views on any subjective life issues do not represent our Chapter’s views. I am sure any rational human being would understand, but I just had to put it into script. Sorry for using this as a medium to defend ourselves.
ZAX,
Skippy EKZ 1306
Todd Levari Says:
November 3rd, 2006 at 10:24 pmHard to take anyone serious who’s name is Skippy.
Tadpole. Now there’s a real nickname.
Jacob Van Winkle Says:
September 11th, 2007 at 4:22 amHello Brothers,
After reading the content from this blog, I am happy and feel reassured with my decision to initiate this past spring. I have always longed for a brotherhood where I could belong and I found that with the Epsilon Phi Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha. Our main recruitment tool is to shine light on our views of diversity and potential associates always light up when they meet our members. We pride ourselves on the fact that each of our brothers is different, whether it be a factor of social-economic, racial, and/or ethnic difference. I have found my home with Epsilon Phi and I rebuke all attempts by radical members to threaten our brotherhood and the special bonds that we hold so dear.
In ZAX,
Jacob Van Winkle
Epsilon Phi 1504
Brother High Sigma