Question for Dogpatch (Randy): What will it cost to produce the new 16-page Watchtower & Awake?

by Alfred 52 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  Alfred

  When literature used to be sold D2D, I remember how the Society never missed an opportunity to trash other religions for "peddling God's word for profit" while boasting about how the Watchtower only charges for the cost of the paper and ink.

  In the book "Witnesses of Jehovah", the author mentioned that Randall Watters used to be involved in print cost analysis and determined that, while we were selling WT & Awake mags for 20 cents door-to-door, it was really only costing the Society 4 cents per copy to produce. That's a whopping 400% profit!

  Obviously, things have changed... the paper is different, as well as the ink and printing methods in general. But based on the current quality and weight of the Watchtower & Awake mags, what would be the Society's cost to print a 32-page magazine versus the thinner 16-page mag?
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  Disillusioned Lost-Lamb

  32-page magazine = more beth-hell-ites to house and feed.

  16-page magazine = ex-beth-hell-ites having more time to peddle litter-a-turd.

  Cost may minutely change but income/profit will grow.
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  jookbeard

  literally 1 or 2 cents max, R Franz addressed this in SoCF, the mags with free labour really do cost peanuts to produce, and Ray even requested the opinion of a commercial printers who said they could even make them cheaper when the set price contribution was in place. Even more evidence to prove that they are a stinking filthy money making racket.
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  darth frosty

  Yeah the difference between printing 16 pgs or 32 is a flip of the switch. Especially considering the whole reason to get out of NY was they had these brand new presses coming on line that could do so much of the work?!?
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  Gayle

  do you think probably, JWs will donate the same at least for the 16 pages as they did for the 32-pages? So WTS will make more profit than ever?
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  Amelia Ashton

  do you think probably, JWs will donate the same at least for the 16 pages as they did for the 32-pages? So WTS will make

  more profit than ever?

  If the society spins it right they almost definitely will
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  blondie

  jws donate? Based on the account servants I have known since 1990....few donate anything; few ask the non-jws for money. They will save only if 16 page magazines cost the WTS less to give "free" to the jws themselves. I can see them printing them from jw.org and having the congregation pay the cost of printing.
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  besty

  JW;s are a loss leader for the WTS - printing is a cost of sales - the real money is in the same place it always has been for god - the buildings.

  Even if JW's don't donate throughout their lifetime there is a fair chance of making a substantial donation on their demise.
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  darth frosty

  Agree with Besty.

  Just last week I past by a KH thats for sale. I remember building this hall back in the late 80's early 90's and the hall was in good shape the last time I was there for a wedding in 03. I cant help but wonder was this hall victim of the KH remodeling scam. I know an old hall I went to before bethel was closed because the congo's could not afford the remodeling scam.

  As long as they keep up the assemblies and DC they will keep a healthy cash flow coming in and they can scale back other operations.
• 

  Devil_Fish

  Here is where I think the WT is going:

  1. get all articles on line.

  2. Give each cong. a loan to get a color printer.

  3. have Congs. print on demand, and pay for the paper and ink themselves.

  4. have congs. pay back the loan on the printer.

  5. deem the printer inadaquate, force the congs. to take out another loan for a new printer, and then the WT will pick up the old one free of charge (and sell it on Ebay).

  Wash, rinse, repeat.

  D_F