HAPPY NEW YEAR

Well, well, another new year and all is well. This first issue of Point of View for 2005 has a few new elements. The quality of the paper has been upgraded so that color photographs will print better. Also, we have added a computer/web section titled: TechnoSense: Crossing the Digital Divide. The idea for TechnoSense originated with Maurice Brown, who will be a regular contributor to the new column. As he explains in his first column (see page 10), “Blacks and Hispanics are lagging behind when it comes to making use of the new technologies that are provided by computers and the Internet.” Maurice plans a dual approach to the section. He will provide guidance and advice to beginners in one column and to more advanced users in a separate column. And I know he will be thinking about a column for people like me who don’t consider themselves beginners or advanced but rather somewhere in between. Also keep an eye on POV’s website. With Maurice’s assistance, we are going to take it to a new level this year.

As I already informed you in December, POV is now a monthly. Keeping with our careful growth plan, we started out as a quarterly and increased our circulation from 5,000 to 7,500 in the first year. For the second year we became a bimonthly and increased our circulation to 10,000 and developed several circulation sites in the Hartford, Connecticut area, where we will continue a slow expansion. Our monthly circulation will begin at 7,500 and, if circumstances dictate, will grow to 10,000 a month by the end of the year. We are delighted that we have grown from an annual circulation of about 22,500 in the first year to 47,500 in the second year to a projected 105,000 for this year. We will continue to keep you up to date on our circulation numbers since we believe that transparency is the policy that is best for business.

Thank you, readers and subscribers, advertisers and contributors, and a special thanks to Keith Turley and his team at Turley Publications, all of whom have been so helpful and patient with us as we struggle to master the art of having a quality successful newspaper. And a Happy New Year to you all. n