Are We Making the Best Use of Magazines?

¹ We must acknowledge the tremendous good accomplished by our magazines over the years. All of us have benefited in a multitude of ways from the information presented in The Watchtower and Awake! The widespread recognition given them confirms their impact on the public. Not long ago a letter was received from a professor of sociology commenting on an article in Awake! that he found particularly interesting. He said: “It was the most scholarly analysis of the ‘disco’ movement that I had read.” A medical doctor commented: “While waiting in a hospital lobby, I got impressed with your magazine Awake! and decided to have it every month on a membership basis.”

² You may have noticed, however, that in recent years there has been some decline in the number of copies of the magazines printed and distributed. Is this decline because the articles are less informative, less spiritually upbuilding? Has the format become less appealing? Has the capacity for production been reduced? We must agree that the value, appeal and availability of the magazines have all increased. Why, then, the decline?

³ Though we continue to use the magazines, it is clear that less is being done in distributing them to the public. Some may feel they are designed specifically for Jehovah’s people and have only limited value to the public. The response shown over the years confirms that people from all walks of life regard them as a genuine source of comfort. Neglect of public distribution may rob people of their only means to hear the Kingdom message. Appreciating their value to ourselves and others, we have good reason to search out ways to increase distribution locally.

⁴ Do the following questions give you some ideas on how to increase the distribution of the magazines to those with hearing ears? (1) Do you have a regular order for a sufficient quantity of each issue? (2) Are you magazine conscious, alert to offer them regularly? (3) Could you start a magazine route? (4) Could you plan to use some service time just for magazine distribution? (5) Have you tried using the article “Have You Ever Wondered . . . ?” in Awake! as a means to stimulate interest?

⁵ There may be other ways that you can increase distribution in your local territory. Much depends on our personal appreciation of the contents of the magazines. Are you reading the magazines regularly and getting the benefit you should from them? One can hardly be stimulated to share the magazines with others if he knows nothing about what they contain. Surely the current cost of 10c per copy is very reasonable and with each of us making more of an effort, the distribution of the fine information in The Watchtower and Awake! can be made available to the people in our territory. May Jehovah bless the effort that we put forth.