Abstract
by Sheldon Dingle
Not an official AFA meeting goes by without the question arising, "Does the Watch bird represent the AFA members or does it represent the interests of the minority AFA leadership? Or does it ignore both of these factions and reflect the position of a hermit editor?" These questions are ualid and not so easily answered. In searching for answers one must dig into the uery nature of an "in-bouse" publication.
Ideally, the interests of the members and the leaders would be one and the same and would be brought to fruition in the magazine by the editor: A Jew years ago when all the AFA members and leaders could meet in one room this was certainly the case. During the past decade or so, though, the AFA has grown and now includes thousands of members with widely varying interests. There are folks with one pet bird. There are owners and operators of pet stores and quarantine stations. There are professional curators of birds at large public zoos as well as owners of large and small priuate breeding facilities. There are conservationists and downright rapists, indeed, so many viewpoints are now affiliated with the AFA that there is bound to be some conflict and disagreement.
Keep in mind, hotoeuer; that the Watchbird is owned by you, the AFA member It bas a responsibility to represent every member whether they ha ue one pet ca nary or a huge farm of breeding birds. If we were a privately owned magazine whose main purpose is making profit the choices would be easy- we'd cater to the segment of the industry that buys advertising. That is a simple business decision that any astute entrepreneur would understand.
But the Watch bird is owned, after all, by you, and we feel that we should represent you in direct proportions to your numbers and interests regardless of the size of your purse. This is where. sorne of the difficulty arises. Without your input it is impossible to know what you want. A very vocal leader could, by honking loud and long, conoince us in error that his will is the majority will. A more accurate body of data develops when you all express your opinions on what the Watchbird should be. It has been four years since we took a formal poll and it's past time for another In the AFA there is uirtually no concise communication from the members or leaders to the Watchbird staff The poll response, on the other hand, has been uery good so we'll do it again.
Something to consider, though, something the casual thinker often fails to understand, is that the Watchbird is meant (by AFA mandate) to go to people who are already members of the AFA. It is a club bulletin, if you will, a journal for an exclusive group - members of the organization.
The Watchbird is not designed for public consumption. It is not designed as a subscription magazine to be had by anyone who sends money. It does not come before one joins the AFA. ft is one of the benefits one receives after Joining. The magazine, of necessity, touches on many items of interest to members of the AFA but of no interest whatever to non-members.
This being the case, it is of the utmost importance that you, as a member, let your interests be known. There is a questionnaire on the yellow insert in this issue. Please fill it out and return it at your earliest convenience. The Watchbird has a good deal of flexibility and can shift this way or that as you indicate. After all, our job here is to give you what you want. To hear is to obey.
This column serues as a forum where many voices are beard. Sometimes it will be a lonely uoice crying in the wilderness. Other times it will be a majority opinion expressed by one of our glorious leaders. We do not shy from controuersy if the points are pertinent, and we invite your own thoughts on any matter relating to auiculture.
The following letters are some of those crossing my desk recently.
August 13, 1986 Dear Mr. Dingle,
I wish to congratulate the A.FA. for putting on an excellent convention! Not only was the program informative, but also the location was ideal for the meeting. Where else can one go where during the day he or she is exposed to literally a library of experts in aviculture and through the night sample the charms of an historic city from jambalaya to Bourbon Street' l look forward to seeing what plans A.FA. has for Seattle!
However, even with such a good foundation, a convention cannot be deemed a success. What really impresses a person attending an A.FA. meeting is the graciousness and helpfulness shown by the seasoned members to novice bird breeders - without this, the A.FA. would be just an organization publishing a magazine. When a wellrespected aviculturist makes time to share a bird rearing "secret:' suggest a new technique in hand-feeding, or encourage someone getting started in bird breeding (or just having a bad breeding season), it makes a long-lasting impression on one lone person. One might ask what good that accomplishes, yet with such a gesture, an old tradition in aviculture is being overturned: our organization is moving from a competitive, business-oriented membership, to an association of well-informed people whose primary concern is the propagation of healthy, beautiful birds in captivity. This is where the future of A.EA. lies. I wish co thank those people who, through their kindness and generosity, truly made the New Orleans meeting memorable for not only me but also many others. This letter would be totally unnecessary except for the fact that these people give of their knowledge and experience unaware of the importance it holds for others. Congratulations, A.EA.'
Sincerely yours,
Trudi M. Dam
TruLi D. Farms Too
Haines City, FL 33844