Recently, several citizens have been hunting for sponsorship opportunities that will help to increase Whyville???s income rate. Some have even received replies from their sources, but are unaware of the status of their idea.
Remember over a year ago, when the idea of the Why-Pass was first introduced? It was a way for citizens to abolish the waiting room and for Whyville itself to increase its bankbook so that they could provide more games, challenges, and advance their servers. Now that many citizens have already purchased Why-Passes, what is the next step? Certainly Whyville could raise funds elsewhere besides the sponsorship idea and the Why-Pass contract.
Months ago, the concept of selling T-shirts was brought to the attention of many, and voices were raised about not only selling T-shirts, but also other memorabilia such as pencil cases, stationary, key-chains, and other instruments that students could use. That's why we now have the Whyville Store (check your bus menu). My idea slithers in here somewhere with the notion of citizens purchasing something besides a Why-Pass. However, we probably would need a sponsor for this idea to suddenly become a reality. Nevertheless, what about after the sponsorship has already happened? Instead of putting efforts towards a new challenge, how about using it with another method? Something that would have a positive effect on Whyville in the long run.
Although my idea is not overly creative, it might help provide extra cash. What about having a Whyville magazine? We all know that the newspaper has been on high demand recently, and several people have been contributing their ideas and opinions to it. To accommodate all of the articles, the Times has increased in size dramatically in size in comparison to past months. With a magazine, citizens could subscribe annually and receive a tangible newspaper at their own homes. Mimicking magazines in real life, Whyville could include a section with never-before seen articles, interviews, and messages from City Hall and the other workers. There would of course be a science or learning section that included educational games and experiments. Although it might take a lot of work to create, it could also be fun. Moreover, think of all of the subscribers that you would have! I know that I would be interested.
If you think about the actuality behind the idea, would it be a worthy cause? I am not sure about all the technicalities in the situation, but what if a magazine that was actually in existence could be of help?
The magazine would take a lot of crew. Writers, editors, publishers, and photographers are just some examples. On the other hand, how about having a magazine that was published only a few times per year so that the workload could be evenly distributed? Those citizens who have been searching for sponsors could look for businesses and companies who would like to place an advertisement in the magazine. This is another form of financial growth for Whyville.
Not to mention the fun that our town could have with the creation of a magazine! A contest could be established to design the cover. Poetry or essay contests could be held and the winner would get his or her article published in an upcoming issue.
What do you think of this proposal? I understand that much work would be needed to make it a success, but ultimately, you would have to work on anything on Whyville. New games and chat rooms take time and a person who is experienced with technology. I am sure that something positive can be manifested out of this idea. Citizens who are interested shouldn???t hesitate to get motivated and started. Helping Whyville should not just be a job for many but a job for all. Get active with your ideas or research skills! Thank you for listening and I encourage you to keep investigating.
Life is a train that goes from February on,
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Editor's Note: I would be thrilled to lead the charge to create a real-life Whyville Times that citizens could subscribe to... but do you think that folks would be willing to pay for the amount of effort that would go into such a large project? The Los Angeles Times Sunday paper costs $1.50 a week -- but they send to thousands of subscribers, with significant advertising revenue. Would people be willing to pay as much as $5 a week for a Whyville Times newspaper/magazine of moderate quality?
