Henley- on-todd - Rotary Down Under

Magazine month
Leader
of the
pack
April is Rotary
International’s
Magazine Month,
during which we ask
Rotarians and Rotary
clubs to do whatever
they can to recognise
and promote Rotary
regional magazines
– especially this one!
We’re part of a network of 32 Rotary magazines
from around the world, printed in 24 languages and this
month, we’re 48 years old.
That makes us the oldest officially approved regional
magazine in the Rotary world. But when it comes to
embracing the 21 st century and all its technological
challenges, Rotary Down Under is a world leader.
At more than 2500, Rotary Down Under leads the Rotary
World Magazine Press in digital subscriptions. We reach
more than 28,000 Rotarians with our e-newsletter every
month and we have website technology that leads the
world, making our own website (www.rotarydownunder.
org) and those that we host reader friendly regardless of
device – desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile!
Over the past 12 months Rotary Down Under has taken
bold steps to face the challenges of the digital age and
we now publish more information online than we do in
print, even though our printed magazine is still chock-full
of news, views and information of Rotary activities around
the corner and around the world.
Rotary Down Under has three key commitments around
the migration to digital publishing:
• We will continue to publish a hard-copy edition for as
long as it is required by Rotarians.
• We will cut the subscription price for all subscribers
when we reach a critical mass of 15,000 digital
subscribers.
• Clubs whose members all agree to convert to digital
subscriptions will receive 10 free copies of the printed
magazine each month for public relations purposes,
such as gifts to guest speakers, or to drop off in waiting
rooms at doctors’ surgeries, hospitals, libraries etc.
In August we employed Ellissa Nolan in the role of
Digital Production and Marketing Manager. She has
brought a level of expertise in this field that we could
only dream of prior to her commencement and her work
in re-launching the Rotary Down Under website and
preparing our Rotary Down Under web-hosting service is
testament to her hard work and ability.
In February of 2012, the role of the Rotary Regional
Magazines was recognised by the Rotary International
Communications Committee, when it asked us to work
hard with Rotarians the world over to help Rotarians,
Rotary clubs and Rotary Districts to cope with the
challenges of effective online communication.
One of the fundamental messages delivered was the
importance of uniform Rotary branding in our online
endeavours, as well as the fundamental differentiation
between what belongs on a home-page or social media
post, and what belongs behind the firewall for members’
eyes only.
www.rotarydownunder.org 19