50 Issues and Counting...

NZTECHO has made it to 50 Issues. Second editor **Tony Forster **considers this remarkable fact and shares some recollections.

At moments like these, the beginning always seems eons ago… and as if it were yesterday!

Camera assistant **Tim Pope **suggested we could lift the Guild’s profile by regularly publishing a more substantial newsletter than we ever had previously – a magazine in fact. Without Tim, the mag might never have happened. Little did I realize this would be a starting point for a journey of my own. Initially, I was asked to supervise – ‘exec produce’ if you like – Tim’s efforts; then I was asked to take over the editorship.

Taking over, I found there were many elements of Tim’s style I was keen to develop: a relaxedness, an informal, community-of-friends feeling, serious issues leavened with some lightness, some touches of humour. Over the eight years I was involved with the mag, I was pleased with the way we gradually improved the various elements. The challenge was always finding the appropriate balance (for the time) between improving the ‘professional look’ on the one hand, while on the other, maintaining the sense of personal connection with the readers – to sustain the members’ desire to read with a feeling of belonging to an organisation that cares about its membership as its first priority. For everyone involved, NZTECHO was a part-time role, to be fitted in and around the demands of other priorities. As a result, I never felt absolutely satisfied with any given issue…

When I look back, the feedback we received was almost invariably positive – something for which I’m still most grateful. I’d like to reiterate here my appreciation of the support and encouragement we were always given – by readers, by the three EO’s, and particularly by some committee members. I guess the most satisfying element for me would have to be the mag’s being credited with playing a significant role in the trebling the guild’s membership. In this, Tim’s original dream for the magazine was surely achieved.

To the next 50 issues – Cheers!

Tony Forster