Making a Subscription a Source of Pride
“Engagement” is a buzzword in discussions of the survival of print media. In a world of shiny digital objects that distract readers from traditional print media, readers have to be more engrossed and invested in their uses of print, both within the print product and when they visit affiliated Web sites.
And:
By opening the opportunity to contribute to previously inaccessible projects, National Geographic increased its readers’ investment – literal and figurative – in the magazine. Both magazines and newspapers today could experiment with similar models, by having readers contribute financial resources or time to larger projects as well as adding content to digital or print editions.
I would have included this under the original post, When There’s No Strength, Sell To Weakness, but I came across it too late.
Turning something into a campaign is another way to bring together a group of people. Some people like the idea of belonging to something and sharing common goals. Hm, isn’t that also the definition of Twitter’s success?
The eBook Test 
what worries me about the “campaign” approach is that it lends itself to mental laziness. it’s too easy to settle into one camp or another without critically analyzing the implications of “campaign.” that’s where we have artistic groupthink, and it fucking sucks. as writers, readers and artists it’s our job to think critically and not join groups unless those groups are precedented on the very idea of self-dissention. which is impossible.
so common goals is a dangerously thin sheet of ice which can become factionalizing.
~jenn
@revolucion0