Right Move to close

[andrew martin]

I have just received news that the next edition of the junior magazine Right Move is to be the last.

This was decided at the Board meeting of July 31st and is an apparently necessary spending cut.
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I would like to thank all those who have helped with this project over the last few years.

[Charles W. Wood]

Hi Andrew,

I think this is a real shame! I've always enjoyed it. I haven 't read it recently but Claires work was always great. I've always believed chess had two media that always developed the game; the internet recently but in history to present print has always been a great way to get accross the information need to help and inform properly (TV and radio being the ones that let chess down, mostly).

Its a sad day.

[andrew martin]

Thank you Charles and Ernie.

One thing I should of course say is that if anyone would like to carry on editing and producing the magazine for free, then please get in touch and I will help you in whatever way I can.

Andrew

[Kevin Thurlow]

"I have just received news that the next edition of the junior magazine Right Move is to be the last."

That is a pity - will someone do an online version so it doesn't totally disappear?

[Adam Raoof]

"I have just received news that the next edition of the junior magazine Right Move is to be the last."

That is a pity - will someone do an online version so it doesn't totally disappear?

It was online only, and cost a significant amount of money to produce. If there is anyone with an interest in Junior chess who would like to contribute articles to ChessMoves, that would always be welcomed.

[John Upham]

Perhaps the ECF Office could produce The Right Move instead of the very dull and tedious ChessMoves.

However, it will need a very competant person to produce and edit the content since it is about chess and therefore the office would need substantial help.

Simply putting it on-line only is not the major issue it is the production costs.

However, I'm sure the children will be very dissappointed not to get their regular magazine whereas no-one would miss ChessMoves.

I presume that the board carried out proper research to determine how many hard copies were circulated and how many downloads from various web sites were requested. But then again...I wasn't asked and I doubt if any other sites were asked so I think we know the answer to this.

Very dissappointing indeed.

[John Upham]

If there is anyone with an interest in Junior chess who would like to contribute articles to ChessMoves.

I don't think any child would get past the front cover of ChessMoves without getting bored and putting it down.

The Right Move was specifically targeted at children whereas ChessMoves is specifically targeted at nobody.

Numerous pictures of children and a solitary adult holding trophies is simply not interesting. Maybe it was in the 1950s?

For ChessMoves to be attractive it needs a substantial makeover and an editor who is passionate and knowledgeable about chess.

I have some insight as to how the content is chosen and the default approach is to fetch that months edition from one year ago and update that content for one year later.

[Adam Raoof]

John, you may be right. Perhaps you could tell readers of this Forum how much Right Move cost? I don't think it was justifiable, and the Board was unanimous in thinking that the money could be more productively spent. I hear Leonard Barden has more time on his hand now

[John Upham]

Perhaps you could tell readers of this Forum how much Right Move cost?

Adam,

I'll let you have that honour or are the figures top secret? Do not they not appear in the accounts?

Do you think that asa professional journalist LWB works pro bono as a journalist?

You say unanimous but who was missing from the board meeting?

[Carl Hibbard]

I was told a shocking cost was involved but then I cannot be sure the figure was correct

Be nice to know...

[Adam Raoof]

Perhaps you could tell readers of this Forum how much Right Move cost?

Adam,

I'll let you have that honour or are the figures top secret? Do not they not appear in the accounts?

Do you think that asa professional journalist LWB works pro bono as a journalist?

You say unanimous but who was missing from the board meeting?

Almost £5k a year.

I never suggested I would ask Leonard to work for free, any more than I would ask Andrew Martin to produce the Right Move for free.

Unanimous - not one single member of the Board was in favour of continuing Right Move under the present arrangement. Those that were present at the meeting voted, all the other Directors gave their opinions by email well in advance.

[Richard Bates]

When there's no money available, and the future prospect of less, I don't see how things like this could be justified, whatever the readership. Whilst i doubt anyone would miss Chessmoves (can't recall the last time i saw or received a copy, electronic or otherwise) its axeing would presumably be a little more complicated due to it being an advertised benefit of membership.

[John Upham]

Assuming The Right Move was produced monthly (which it has been since March 2007) and the annual cost was £5k then the cost per issue was £417 or thereabouts.

What would be an acceptable content costs per issue if we were to offer the work to LWB? £50?

Now take the content and add in the production costs.

Please suggest an appropriate cost assuming that the content is provided by a chess professional and the production by say, Create Services.

[Adam Raoof]

When there's no money available, and the future prospect of less, I don't see how things like this could be justified, whatever the readership. Whilst i doubt anyone would miss Chessmoves (can't recall the last time i saw or received a copy, electronic or otherwise) its axeing would presumably be a little more complicated due to it being an advertised benefit of membership.

Surprisingly for some, ChessMoves is perceived as a very important benefit to members. I am not sure it is attractive enough to bring in new members.

[andrew martin]

In a difficult financial climate the board have to make decisions,so I can see why this happened. No problem.

It is a pity, but there was maybe no choice.

The history of RM is interesting; initially it was free, then it went on to subscription only in order to be self-financing and then for some reason when the resignations took place became free again. In actual fact, the cost of production hardly increased since inception.