Atlantic Magazines Association lays down a good foundation

The Atlantic Magazines Association (AMA) is off to a good start after its first annual conference in Halifax. [Disclosure: I was a paid speaker and have done some consulting work with them.] The fledgling association has its work cut out for it in part because of a surfeit of geography; most other regional associations (BC, Alberta, Manitoba) don't encompass four provinces and two time zones (well, one-and-a-half). Like other regional associations, they have to cast their net fairly wide and try to serve, and please, large and very small magazines, b2b and consumer titles, association and custom. But also like other regional associations, the AMA can surf along for a time on a wave of goodwill.

The buzz surrounding the conference was very positive and the potential for collaboration is big. Atlantic magazines share some issues with all other magazines; and they have conditions that are particular to their market. One of the ways of dealing with those issues is to work together and learn from each other, from the regional associations and from the national associations (Magazines Canada and Canadian Business Press). This conference was a good start.