Help us by becoming a “Rye’s Own Reporter / Photographer”
Times are changing – When “Rye’s Own” was first published 50 Years ago, there was no internet, no 24 Hour news programmes on television and local media was not even imagined in anyone’s wildest dreams.
Newsagents still sold vast amounts of newspapers and supermarkets were virtually non existent this side of the Atlantic. Retail Price Maintenance had only just been abolished (by just one vote in a free vote in Parliament) and local traders who had stuck rigidly to their own specific trades were still able to make a good living on the High Street, which had not yet felt the effect of the Supermarket explosion. This was made possible by the abolition of RPM, and would slowly change Britain from being a nation of small shopkeepers and turn it into a nation of ever larger and more powerful supermarket chains.
Now 50 years on, we see newsagents, the last of the traditional shops with any quantity of outlets left on the high street, closing everywhere at an alarming rate. National newspapers have lost so many sales because many former readers get their news from television or on-line. Some have even closed completely or just gone on-line.
At “Rye’s Own” we have managed to avoid the ‘eye of the storm’ up to now, because of the loyalty of our readers who still buy “Rye’s Own” and our sister magazines, “Hastings Town” and “Cinque Ports” and our advertisers who have supported us through thick and thin.
A year ago we decided to honour that loyalty by taking some very big decisions.
1. We adopted a policy of ‘no duplication’ in any of our magazines. They would contain copy only relevant to each area. So if you purchased say a “Rye’s Own” and “Cinque Ports” in the same month they would be completely different. The magazines would be produced in full colour on glossy paper and hard copy versions would be produced and sold in remaining local newsagents. Hard copies will still be available by subscription at £36 a year inland ( we pay postage) or £59 a year overseas (We part subsidise overseas postage). We are sticking to these prices today in spite of another hike in postal charges.
2. We produce a monthly ‘electronic’ digital copy of the magazine which can be sent direct by email for a £20 a year subscription to any email address in the world.
3. We introduced a free Facebook News Feed service for each magazine. Here we post up to the minute news plus random items, articles and pictures from “Rye’s Own” going back to 1965.
4. We built a free “Rye’s Own” Website that contains 1000’s of articles and pictures from past magazines. This is available world wide on computers, pads and mobile phones. It is a reference for anybody interested in Rye or the people of Rye. If you have any connection with the town you will almost certainly find that by putting your name in the search box you have got a mention. This web site is being added to on a daily basis. We still have at least ten times the amount of posts already contained to be entered.
5. We changed our policy by using our Facebook Pages, and posted all adverts from the current magazines on them several times a month. This service is FREE but only available to our advertisers and is a sign of our appreciation for the support they have shown. New advertisers also enjoy this wonderful platform.
All these things have been done and are working well but now we have laid the foundations we need your help to improve and make sure the magazine carries on for the next 50 years.
We want to use the modern facilities to improve all our services. Everyone who has a mobile or computer and would like to become a voluntary “Rye’s Own Reporter /Photographer” is invited to join in and help us produce the best news and features service for Rye. Your pictures and articles will go on the News-feeds or in the magazines. Help publicise your club or society, report on meetings you attend, sports, cadets, what’s happening at your local, anything you think would be of interest.
You will get a BY-LINE for every picture and article we use. We can’t make you rich but will do our best to make you famous!
We also need footage of local events. We have found videos to be very popular on the News Feed.
We are not forgetting those that do not use a computer or mobile phone – We can still process items (articles, photographs and cine films) from the post, including handwritten items
Those interested should phone Jim Hollands on 01303 814874 or email [email protected].
Thank you to all those that have responded from an earlier appeal. Much good stuff has already been used and helped lighten the burden of keeping everything going.
“Rye’s Own” Bulletin Friday 8 April 2016
All articles, photographs, films and drawings on this web site are World Copyright Protected. No reproduction for publication without prior arrangement. © World Copyright 2015 Cinque Ports Magazines Rye Ltd., Guinea Hall Lodge Sellindge TN25 6EG