CHRISTIAN MAGAZINES TO RECEIVE FREE DIGITAL SOFTWARE
Eight Christian magazines in Eastern Europe, Asia, and South America
will gain a new edge in the digital publishing world as a result of a
gift of FlipViewer Xpress Creator
software by E-Book Systems. The magazines won the award in the Digital
Publishing Platform Giveaway created by Magazine Training International
(MTI) for E-Book Systems. The company donated the software as a support
to MTI’s efforts to help Christian magazines in developing countries,
according to E-Book Systems President Richard Wan.“E-Book Systems is proud to be associated with Magazine Training International in helping Christian publishers in developing countries embark on the technological wave of digital publishing,” Wan said. “Through digital publishing over the Internet, more readers can be reached with minimal cost.”
The magazines to receive the license, valued at $3,700, are Tapati in Lithuania, Harvest Times for Your Family in India, Evangelski Vestnik in Bulgaria, Zivot Viry in Czech Republic, Khristianskaya Semya in Ukraine, Ultimato in Brazil, Dlya Tebya in Ukraine, and Leah in Bulgaria.
The response of the magazines on receiving the award was ecstatic. “This software is a real answer from heaven to a very real need,” said Tomas Coufal of Zivot Viry. “We’ve already started to offer the electronic subscription to our subscribers and we want to start building an electronic library of the magazine for our readers,” he said.
“Our whole team here is thrilled and excited to hear this news,” said Sam Jacob of Harvest Times for Your Family. “We hope to begin regular email editions from January.”
“I don’t have enough words to say how great this news is,” said Daniela Cabral of Ultimato. “This will be a big help as we are passing through a time of changing and rearranging.”
Representatives of each magazine completed a four-part questionnaire designed to determine their ability to use the technology and to evaluate their goals in pursuing digital publishing. Since most of the magazines are published in countries with a significant Diaspora, the most commonly-expressed goal was to make their magazines more widely available in places where literature in their native language is limited, but where distribution of a print version is impractical. Magazine publishers also hope to reach non-believers or seekers in their own countries who are Internet savvy, but who would not otherwise have access to or interest in print editions.
“We are pleased to have been able to help E-book Systems put their valuable software into the hands of these solid and capable Christian magazine publishers, who would not have been able to purchase such software,” said MTI President Sharon Mumper. “I expect this new tool will greatly expand their influence and ability to impact their audiences with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Founded in 1998, E-Book Systems provides software tools and services for the digital publishing market, using their patented Digital Flip™ technologies. Their digital publishing solution is sold to customers around the world from their offices in the U.S., China, Japan, Germany, and Singapore.
Magazine Training International is a non-profit mission whose goal is to equip publishing professionals and develop leaders who can strengthen Christian magazine publishing in their regions and around the world. Since 1989, MTI has conducted some 50 international training conferences and courses on every facet of magazine publishing. MTI provides a variety of resources for magazine publishers, including DVD and audio training courses, print manuals in multiple languages, and an informative Web site.
A recent addition to MTI’s Web site—the feature which first attracted the attention of E-Book Systems’ Wan—is an extensive section on digital publishing news and resources.
–Magazine Training International; November 15, 2010
EDITORS AND WRITERS BRAVE TYPHOONS AT MTI CONFERENCE IN MANILA
Just three days after typhoon Ondoy caused the worst flooding in Manila in over 40 years, Magazine Training International (MTI) welcomed the first participants of the 2009 “Mabuhay in Manila” conference for editors and writers. Two courses, “Editing the Magazine” and “Writing Effective Magazine Articles,” were held back to back from September 29 through October 7.“Thankfully, the area around the Bayview Park Hotel, the venue for the conference, experienced only minor flooding and the courses went on as scheduled,” said MTI president Sharon Mumper.
Twenty editors and writers and six trainers from nine countries converged on Manila for the courses, with 12 participants and three trainers for each intensive course.
“Although at first we were disappointed in the low turnout for the courses, the small size of the classes was ideally suited to the topics,” Mumper stated. “Participants were able to get more individual help and both participants and trainers were able to develop deeper relationships than is often possible with larger groups.”
The broad range of countries represented, including Korea, Australia, Japan, England, Malaysia, the United States, India, Poland and the Philippines, provided a unique opportunity for cross-cultural learning. “It’s a privilege to be in a group where there’s a fusion of Eastern and Western ideas,” said Joanna Lee from Malaysia.
Participants and trainers represented a broad range of Christian periodicals. “I felt a kindred spirit among the participants and trainers,” stated Ann Kuy, editorial consultant of Monsoon magazine in the Philippines. “It is such a joy to connect and interact with communicators from other organizations.”
Editing the Magazine course trainers Mark Galli, senior managing editor of Christianity Today, Terry White, executive director of BMH Books, and Estera Wieja, managing editor of Nasze Inspiracje, systematically walked through the skills and procedures needed to successfully edit a magazine. Topics ranged from the qualities of a Christian editor to scheduling and production, from article editing to effective use of the Internet.
“I really learned so much!” said Rhea Hermoso-Prudente of Manila. “I also was glad to get a Christian perspective on the usually worldly industry. The trainers were very helpful.”
The editing course was challenging not only for editors new to Christian publishing, but those who have been publishing for years. Janet Camilleri founded her magazine Footprints, a magazine for Christian women in Australia, fourteen years ago.
She told MTI, “I feel I have been given the skills to take my magazine to a whole new level which was exactly what I wanted. And I found encouragement and hope for the future.”
With yet another typhoon bearing down on the Philippines, the participants of the next MTI course, “Writing Effective Magazine Articles,” received a flood of information.
“It is much more than I expected!” said John J. James, editor of Campus Link, an Indian magazine for university students. “The writing course by MTI served as a reminder and eye-opener. The conference helped me to evaluate my knowledge and style. I am sure my writing will never be the same.”
The writing course was both inspirational and practical with the opening session challenging participants to think about the legacy of their writing. During the course, participants completed a writing assignment that forced them to immediately apply what they learned in the sessions. Topics included finding and refining ideas, gathering information, writing leads and conclusions, and keys to powerful writing.
“I left with good technical help—something I’ve never had before in this kind of mission environment,” commented one participant from England. “I have some tools in my bag now. I left, also, with greater passion to write.”
“One fascinating aspect of the writing course was the totally different personalities of the three trainers,” commented Gary Bauman, editor of Japan Harvest.
Dr. Michael Ray Smith, professor in communications at Campbell University, Marlene Legaspi-Munar, freelance writer and speaker, and Kim Snider, founder and editor of Moms Magazine in the Philippines, brought different styles and experiences to the sessions.
Together, they demonstrated a commitment to helping the participants learn and use their gifts of writing for God’s glory.
“I was deeply impressed by the faith and ‘realness’ of the presenters,” commented Tim Clark, a writer and missionary in Japan.
“In Japan, this kind of training doesn’t exist, said Atsuko Tateishi, writer and translator for Japan Update. “It was well worthwhile to come all the way to receive high quality training from people of such high caliber.”
“I was uncertain and hesitant at first,” explained Filipina Normi Son who walked through chest-deep water to leave her home in order to attend the conference. “But now, when I think I might not have joined the conference, I know I would have missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
The courses were the fourth and fifth offered by MTI in Asia, and the first time the writing and editing courses were held there.
–Magazine Training International; October 28, 2009
CHRISTIAN PUBLISHERS FROM 13 COUNTRIES LEARN HOW TO MAKE THEIR MAGAZINES MORE EFFECTIVE
Described by one Christian magazine publisher as “drinking from a fire hose” and by another as “essential for all serious magazine publishers,” the four-day “Managing the Magazine: The Business of Magazine Publishing” course ended on a high note early this month.Nearly 30 magazine staff members from 20 Christian magazines in 13 countries in North and South America, East and West Europe, West Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Africa, and the South Pacific came to Los Angeles for the 53rd publishing conference of Magazine Training International (formerly Magazine Training Institute).
Participants gave the course excellent marks, commenting on the high caliber of training offered by NavPress Publisher Kent Wilson and Group Publishing Vice-President Tim Gilmour, and the rare opportunity to network with other Christian publishers from around the world.
“The trainers were professional and brilliant communicators,” commented Julie Belding, editor of DayStar magazine in New Zealand. “And, it was encouraging to meet people from around the world with the same passion and goals,” she said.
Many of the participants found the course timely. “The conference was exactly what I needed at this time,” said Colin Dudgeon, publisher of Asia Link in England. “We hit the ground running seven years ago and God has blessed the work tremendously. But, we have not had time to look up and analyze what and how we are working. This has given me incentive to do that.”
“I am so thankful that MTI exists,” said Dot Powell, editor of SALT Fresno in the U.S. “When I found MTI it was an answer to the desperate prayer, ‘Lord, I can’t do this. Help me!’”
“The content of the course was useful and crucial to the survival of my magazine,” commented Chew Ru Ju, an editor with Asian Beacon in Malaysia.
“The conference has totally transformed my thinking,” said Gideon Thuranira of Christian Professional magazine in Kenya.
Offered on the campus of the University of Southern California, the course is the first event organized on U.S. soil by Magazine Training International.
“We don’t plan to continue offering courses in the U.S.,” commented MTI President Sharon Mumper. “Since we began work 19 years ago we have offered our courses and conferences in countries where publishing training has been very limited and we will continue to do that. However, because we were filming this conference for production as a DVD course I wanted to hold it in a place where we would have convenient access to everything we needed for filming.”
Magazine Training International plans to produce the course as an eight-DVD set with subtitles in Chinese, Russian, and Spanish. The course will include 90-page participants’ manuals and a manual for the course facilitator. The course should be ready for sale by fall.
MTI offers five publishing courses, but at present has plans to film only two of them for production as DVD courses. The next course to be filmed is “Design for Magazines,” to be offered in April, 2008, in the Czech Republic. The course will be taught by Gary Gnidovic, art director at Christianity Today, Int’l; Greg Breeding, creative director for Journey Communications; and Adele Mulford, art director of Discipleship Journal.
Information on upcoming conferences as well as DVD courses and other publishing resources may be found on MTI’s Web site at www.magazinetraining.com.
–Magazine Training International; June 2007
MTI RELOCATES HEADQUARTERS TO COLORADO SPRINGS
Colorado Springs is the new home of Magazine Training International, a multi-faceted program which seeks to strengthen and support the Christian magazine publishing industry in the Developing World by providing resources and training to staff members of existing and proposed Christian magazines.The ministry moved in January from its base in Vienna, Austria, where it had been located since 1991.
MTI’s activities include: 1) Conferences and courses offered on site, primarily in Third World countries; 2) Published materials, including training manuals; 3) Audio and video resources, including training DVDs; 4) An informative Web site with downloadable resources; 5) Personal consulting by e-mail, telephone and in person on-site and in the corporation office by MTI staff and volunteer trainers.
MTI has been active in Eastern Europe since 1989, in the countries of the former Soviet Union since 1996, and in Asia since 2000, providing consulting help and organizing more than 50 conferences on every facet of magazine publishing. Over the last 18 years, more than 50 experienced professionals from around the world have taught at MTI conferences in more than a dozen countries. Over a thousand staff members of some 325 Christian magazines from more than 50 countries have attended conferences and courses.
MTI is seeking staff with administrative, journalistic, and technical skills to work out of the Colorado Springs office. For more information click here.
–Magazine Training International; February 2007
