Well, the Watchtower has to continue to be published. After all, i think it was in the first or second issue that Russell stated it was a sign that the end was near if the WT ever stopped being printed. Of course, the WTS could weasel their way out of this and start publishing them on the website (as they're starting to do), but as the main source. Then, individual congregations might print on-demand, as they need them. (This was a possibility that was raised by another poster around here--forgot the name). however, this presents a problem, since the dubs will have nothing to go door to door with, except books, when the whole proseltyzing faith is based on passing out the Watchtower. Either way, they're in a tough spot with the Internet and obscurity of their rag. It's been an artifact for a long time, and will only increasingly seem like an obscure, irrelevant artifact unless it undergoes some major changes.
Does the rapid end of paper news forbode a crisis for the WT?
by jamiebowers 41 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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drew sagan
IMO I think we may see the wachtower eventually increasing the amount of material it publishes. It's not a likely scenario but quite possibly the Watchtower may bite the bullet and begin to start charging for their books (and pay the necessary taxes on top of that). Because JWs are so print oriented they could possibly sell all kinds of things to the members. Cheap books, reprints, notebooks, calanders, bookbags, who knows what else. The could possibly be making lots of money of off retail sales to a customer base that will suck up anything it creates.
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daniel-p
The Watchtower printing presses have a GUARANTEED customer: the congregations.
Follows the $$$.
Yes, but the Watchtower is probably the biggest drain on monthly revenue. They don't make money printing it, not from householders, and not from congregants.
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daniel-p
IMO I think we may see the wachtower eventually increasing the amount of material it publishes. It's not a likely scenario but quite possibly the Watchtower may bite the bullet and begin to start charging for their books (and pay the necessary taxes on top of that). Because JWs are so print oriented they could possibly sell all kinds of things to the members. Cheap books, reprints, notebooks, calanders, bookbags, who knows what else. The could possibly be making lots of money of off retail sales to a customer base that will suck up anything it creates.
I disagree. The future of publishing is print-on-demand. I could see the WTS stop printing everything regularly, publish their materials online, and set up some kind of arrangement with outside printers whereby individual publsihers pay to get physical copies printed. THat way, the WTS maintains no liability of printing a huge stock, and then just gambling on whether they'll make up costs through donations. The way of survival for them is to shift the costs of printing physical copies of books and magazines over to the publisher. And, if they don't want to be taxed, the way to do this is to have outside companies do it on a print-on-demand basis.
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The Berean
Proibably not. The sign on the Societies back door reads "the scene of the world is changing."
All the WTBTS would have to remind followers of is that early Christians had no printed material, only word of mouth.
Also, my experience in the org is that the term crisis is interpreted: "proof of being a chosen one."
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sf
While watchting this documentary, I viewed it as if they were speaking solely of the WTBTS. It was pretty amazing, to say the least. It begs the question as to whom this book publishing CORPORATION really serves:
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sKally
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wobble
I feel that the WT is facing a HUGE problem here,the cost is going up of the printed stuff,the return is going down(new members (=suckers))
and if they rely on proseletysing with only the spoken word,they do not have 5% of their membership capable of doing a door-to door evangelising work by this method,whatever they say about the TMS,I didn't come accross many Witlesses in 58 years who could do that kind of work.
they are stuck with Mags. and Books in a world that is fast leaving such things behind.
love
wobble
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leavingwt
They don't make money printing it, not from householders, and not from congregants.
The evidence that I've examined suggests the opposite.
Please tell me how you arrived at your conclusion.
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Doubting Bro
I think the WTS has already taken steps to deal with the profitability on the printing operations. Much cheaper books, cut back on new releases, eliminate 1 issue of Awake, 1 public/ 1 private WT (not sure the # of copies printed but I think its around 25m for the public edition and probably only 7.5m for the private), special tract campaigns instead of really pushing the new books, laying off staff and cutting back the book study from 1 hour to 25 min which will mean it takes longer to cover a book.
If their printing operations were profitable, they would not have made those changes. Perhaps they're now to close to break even, I have no idea and since they don't publish numbers in the US, neither does anyone else. However, their behavior does not indicate a corporation that is rolling in the dough. My perception is that while they have plenty of assets, their cash flow needs improvement. What really sealed it for me was the fairly recent letter to the BOEs (that was reported here) where they pressured the local congos to send in all excess cash. They've always had the "funds on hand with the Society" mechanism but the "counsel" was very strong and I'm sure that was followed up by CO pressure. The congo that I attend dutifully voted to send in the funds for a remodeling project to the WTS where it generates zero interest for the locals.
My sense is that they will go to a more streamlined approach. I really think the WT will be a private only edition that will be downloaded and printed locally and that the Awake will be eliminated. I also think the KM will be downloaded or incorporated into the WT. The "ministry" will consist of tracts and the like with books still being part of the deal but not being offered on the initial visit or as part of a campaign.
