Page 5 - link magazine

'YeAJJ3 PUTTING PEOPLE IN TOUCH 5
OF IN WEST SWINDON
New technology makes The Link possible

The Link is quite unusual. We it gives the publisher and the ease
cannot be certain, but there seem of making last minute changes
to be very few publications of its before printing.
kind in this country; we have tried Of course, a computer that is
to find them, but without much easy to use does not necessarily
success. However, with the kind make for a good or a viable pub-
of computer equipment now lication. It requires a great deal of
available, it is quite possible commitment to bring it out regu-
similar community based maga- larly and the publisher has to have
zines will emerge. a market in which to work, either
The communications revolu- by selling the publication or by
tion taking place in the late 1980s convincing advertisers that it will
is by no means restricted to the be well read if it is distributed
activities of media moguls in what free.
used to be Fleet Street, satellite The Link succeeds because it
television or the endeavours of serves a specific community with
Mr. Eddie Shah to launch national considerable spending power.
newspapers. Businesses advertise in it because
Indeed it is Mr. Shah who pre- 'Tools of The Link '- Apple Macintosh computer running Aldus they know people want to find
diets an increase in publications Pagemaker software. On the right, Apple laserwriter printer. out what is going on, close to
with much lower circulations where they live and they will read
entering the market over the next consuming method. setting and laying out high qual- informative locally based news
few years. The Link magazine For the last six months The Link ity publications for businesses and information.
could be counted as an example has been electronically designed, and newspapers. Desk Top Publishing now of-
of developing a means of com- typeset and prepared for print- Discerning readers will have fers the opportunity for more
municating with people living in ing, quite literally in a front room noticed the little I in the credits individuals or groups to start up
a more specific neighbourhood. in West Swindon, using what is on page 3 to denote that The Link magazines. Having said we have
As a newsletter, The Link was known within the computer is created on an Apple Macintosh not come across others like The
typed and the bits of paper were world as Desk Top Publishing computer, an extremely power- Link, as we celebrate our tenth
stuck down in the appropriate (DTP). ful machine able to handle text, year, we are glad to have helped
places. When the magazine was This application of computers graphic design and page layout. launch Stratton Outlook on the
launched in April 1987, the text was only invented three years Whilst there has been a marginal eastern side of Swindon. Per-
was typeset but everything still ago and has become an enormous saving in the time it takes to cre- haps this is the start of a new era
had to be glued into position, ala- growth area as it provides a low ate The Link, the benefit of DTP is of community publishing which
borious, restrictive and time cost solution to designing, type- in the control of production that new technology affords.

Link Mag. gets support for

pushing community spirit
A survey of two hundred homes across West Swindon taken in THE SOUND
September shows massive support for your local magazine.
The study was undertaken by thing added. The other 21 would
Caroline Martin who has just like to see a range of items includ- THAT DRIVES
launched Stratton Outlook, a ing:
community based magazine for • less parent & toddler groups,
people living in Stratton St. Mar- more for older people;
garet. • more about pre-school groups; THE WORLD.
Of the 200 houses visited, 199 • fashions, knitting patterns,
occupants said they received it. recipes;
158 said they received it monthly, • a sports page with reports on
8 said fortnightly, 10 weekly and local teams;
23 did not know, had no idea or • a sale and wants spot;
thought it came quarterly. • less repetition of the same
187 people said The Link is in- things like the majorettes for
formative, 3 found it boring, 7 example;
thought it entertaining and 2 • more church notices;
could not say. In general many • more cover of what is going on
people said how much they en- at the Link Centre;
joyed TheLinkand some said they • more mention of Eastleaze; Hap &Ô4
eagerly await its arrival. • an updated map of West
Forty people said they like all Swindon.
of its content, 80 liked the news, Mrs. Martin commented that
36 liked the events, 40 the serv- the overwhelming impression to all 4e4d44'
ices and 3 said they did not like she received from interviewing
anything. people across West Swindon was
As far as wanting to see infor- sense of belonging and the terri-
mation which is not in The Link, fic community spirit that The Link clarion
178 said they did not want any- seems to engender.
What's your resolution?
The Link wants to know what New year's resolution readers are CAR AUDIO
going to make and we want to follow you through the year.
Clarion Shop (UK) Ltd.. Unit 1, Marshall Road, Hilimead. Swindon, Wilts SN5 70W
Ring 872282 and declare yourself.
} Tel: 0793-870400