A change for the better

When I saw the first issue of the Monitor 28 years ago, I never imagined that I would be writing a monthly column for it some day, but I liked it at first sight, and I've been a loyal fan ever since. Fortunately, I'm in good company. Member surveys indicate that the Monitor is very popular with APA members, rating higher than almost any other benefit of membership.

Launched in 1970 as a 12-page newsletter focusing primarily on association activities in Washington, the Monitor has grown steadily in scope and substance over the years. It is now a major source of information on psychology issues, providing news and information that members and others can't obtain elsewhere. Topical articles and special issues, such as those on child development and exercise, capture the cutting edge of what is going on in the field.

Many readers have expressed an interest in keeping back issues to use as supplementary texts or references. But as much as they enjoy reading the Monitor, members dislike its unwieldy size. The Monitor, in its 11" x 17" tabloid format, does not easily fit on a bookshelf or in a briefcase or a photocopying machine. The Monitor has clearly outgrown its format.

Much as I like the Monitor, I've always felt that it should be as attractive in appearance as it is in content, so I asked editors Rhea Farberman and Sara Martin about making the Monitor smaller, better looking, more convenient in format and--this was the hard part--no more expensive to publish.

Broad support for the change

For months, the Monitor staff has been working to develop a new Monitor for the 21st century. A preliminary design presented to the Board of Directors and the Council of Representatives got mixed reviews but lots of good suggestions for improvements. A second prototype got rave reviews and enthusiastic endorsement from both governing bodies. Surveys and focus groups have shown that the members like it, too; 87 percent prefer the new format.

What will the new Monitor look like when it reaches you in January, 2000? In size, it will be similar to the American Psychologist, but with color not only on the cover but throughout. While the editorial process and content won't change from the current Monitor, the new format will offer better graphics and clearer photography a more manageable size. The classified ads will be printed in a separate removable section, so they are easy to access for those who use them and can be discarded or shared with others for those who don't. The two sections will be mailed in a wrapper so they don't get chewed up in the mail.

You will still find your favorite types of stories: articles on the latest research, trends in practice, public interest, education and association activities. We will also feature more stories that cut across the discipline of psychology and demonstrate how developments in one part of psychology affects other areas. In the future, Monitor stories will be carried on our web site with supplementary reference material and links to relevant material available for move in-depth study.

A move that makes business sense

The new format not only looks better; it also makes sound business sense. When we went to the current format years ago, newsprint was relatively inexpensive and the tabloid was a popular format, but that is no longer the case. With only two printers in the Washington area who can print the oversized tabloid, we're not in as good a position to bargain for good prices as we will be with the new Monitor. Any additional printing costs will be offset by a substantial savings in postage for the smaller format--about $17,000 per issue. A majority of advertisers who were surveyed (82 percent) prefer the new format and we hope that advertising revenues will increase over time because of the Monitor's stronger visual appeal and longer shelf life. Even without increased advertising, however, the new format will cost no more than the current format.

The Monitor's primary audience has always been and will always be the members. And its purpose will always be to communicate to the members about the broad field of psychology. The progression of Monitor issues over 28 years really depicts the history of the association. We're larger and much more diverse than we were 28 years ago, and the new Monitor will reflect that. I hope you will be as pleased with the new Monitor as I am.



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