Outdoors Unlimited FAQ

What changes are being made to Outdoors Unlimited?
The new Outdoors Unlimited (OU) will soon be available only online. The new digital OU will be built from the ground up with a content-management system that will allow members to interact. The online publication will greatly accelerate posting of Member News, Jobs, Outdoor Market, Media News and more. All your favorite features will still be available.

Why changes are being made?
OWAA believes it can provide an improved, multidimensional publication that better represents OWAA’s Sections (Radio, TV/Video, Newspaper and Photography). Printing and delivery of a hard-copy newsletter is costly, and the 30-45-day publication cycle is much too delayed during a time when media professionals expect information quickly.

When will the change take place?
The new digital OU will be published on March 2, 2009, at www.owaa.org/ou. Expect featured Craft Improvement pieces and all the usual departments including Bookshelf, Portfolio, Association Update, Feedback and more - in color! Member News, job listings and editors’ needs will be posted weekly rather than monthly, and members may respond to articles immediately.

On or around July 1, OWAA headquarters plans to expand content to include audio, video and databases for members to sell their work. “Find a Photographer” and “Find an Outdoor Writer” are examples of added features. OU Online will also feature member blogs and Web sites and slide shows.

By Oct. 1, expect to see even more features, including new columns focusing on technology, financial planning and business. Online mini-conferences and virtual auctions will be considered as well. OU will also include a one-stop portal for many of the online databases outdoor communicators use every day, such as dictionaries, phone searches, government and journalism sites.

How and when will members be notified when Outdoors Unlimited is published each month?
Members will be notified via e-mail, approximately the first business day of each month. RSS feeds will also be available for any new content added throughout the month.

Will Outdoors Unlimited exist in another format other than an online version?
Ultimately, the new OU will exist as a part of www.owaa.org. In addition to the new OU, headquarters plans to temporarily publish a PDF-file version of Outdoors Unlimited. Publication of the PDF-file OU will cease some time after the April issue so resources can be redirected to the new publication.

Will I be able to print pages?
Yes. Features, departments and most information on OU Online will be available in a print-friendly format.

Will passwords be required to read the new OU?
Yes. Individual registration will allow members to create their own accounts and comment immediately after viewing new postings on the site. With each month’s e-mail notification, members will receive information on how to register. Passwords are expected to be unique to each member.

What about members who do not have access to the Internet?
Members without access to the Internet should contact OWAA headquarters at 406-728-7434.

What will the newly designed OU look like?
The new OU Online will function much like a blog with the newest content available at the top of the page. Archives and search options will be available to seek out past articles, which will be tagged and categorized by subject matter. Easy-to-navigate tabs along the top and sidebar will quickly guide you to the different departments you’ve come to expect in the print version of Outdoors Unlimited.

Who decided to transform OU?
OWAA’s board of directors made the decision at its January 2009 winter board in Indianapolis.

Is this a temporary change?
No. The change is expected to be permanent. OWAA’s board and staff believe the new online publication will ultimately better serve the OWAA membership and improve prospects for enticing the next generation of outdoor communicators to affiliate with OWAA via a multidimensional publication.

Will this affect printing of the hard-copy member directory?
No. The hard-copy 2009-10 OWAA Directory will be printed and mailed to members and supporting groups in June as always.

How may members promote themselves in the new Outdoors Unlimited?
Member news, press releases, color mug shots and hyperlinks should be e-mailed to OU Editor Sarah Prodell at sprodell@owaa.org.

How will Supporting Groups promote themselves in the new Outdoors Unlimited?
Supporting group news tips, features, press releases, hyperlinks and color photos should be e-mailed to OU Editor Sarah Prodell at sprodell@owaa.org.

What OU columns, departments or “regulars” will disappear with the new OU?
Everything will stay! OWAA staff will publish all the usual craft improvement, departments and features prevalent in the hard-copy OU - and more. Members are invited to submit audio, video, blogs and color photos with submissions.

What will be added to the new OU?
The new OU Online will feature members with a cutting-edge online presence. Members may submit their blogs, Web sites, videos, podcasts and other digital media for feature each month on OU’s homepage. Web-conferences (webinars) and an online member directory are also features OWAA will be experimenting with over the next year.

Do members get a say in what’s added to the new OU Online?
Absolutely! Your comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated, especially now as OU Online takes shape. Outdoors Unlimited is all about members helping members for a common purpose, and the new OU Online will make that easier than ever. Tell us what you’d like to see in the new OU by contacting Executive Director Kevin Rhoades at krhoades@owaa.org or OU Editor Ashley Schroeder at aschroeder@owaa.org.

How can members contribute to the new OU?
OWAA headquarters always needs craft improvement submissions, especially pieces centered on the four OWAA Sections: Photo, Newspaper, Radio, TV/Video. Contributors should think in terms of multimedia - text, photos, audio and video. Headquarters also seeks submissions on business tips, marketing and negotiating - the common thread is how your tip or piece applies to the outdoor-communications business.

What are digital OU submission guidelines?
Photos and video: Color, color color! Unless your photography is intentionally black and white, that is. Please continue to provide images at 300 dpi for the next few months, so they may be used in the temporary PDF version of OU as well as online. After the PDF version ceases, 72 dpi is all we need, with each image around 1MB. Right now, the best way to get your video online is to publish it on a free hosting site such as YouTube, provide us with the URL, and we’ll take it from there!

Text: Send craft improvement articles, news tips, member news, etc., via e-mail to aschroeder@owaa.org. Word document attachments are best. Craft improvement articles may range anywhere from 200 to 1,000 words, and photos, video or illustrations are welcome!

What are the benefits of membership in OWAA?
Membership in OWAA boasts many benefits. Among them, exclusive member discounts from Supporting Groups; health insurance discounts; jobs and editorial-needs listings; access to Outdoors Unlimited Online and the OWAA Web site; invitation to attend OWAA’s annual conference; listing in the membership directory; use of the membership list to promote your work; the opportunity to enter OWAA’s Excellence in Craft Contests; national headquarters assistance and mediation; scholarships and fellowships to advance your education; and links to both Individual Member and Supporting Groups, Agencies and Business Web sites. For more information on member benefits and how to join OWAA, please visit: http://owaa.org/join.