Paying to vote in the Hugos: why it has to happen, and why we should acknowledge that.

[seanan_mcguire]

All right: we're getting some semi-heated discussion about the idea of a "Voting Membership" for the Hugo Awards. This proposal assumes the following

Comments

[beccastareyes]

So the main difference between the Supporting and Voting Members would be all the programs and mailing stuff*? Mostly I'm wondering how much the price point of a Supporting Membership could be lowered by making print materials opt-in (or available for a separate fee) for non-Congoers. Presumably WorldCon then doesn't lose as much money if they are also reducing expenses -- the money as 'seed' money would still be a concern, though, since as you point out, scale means that printing Programs 2001 to 2100 is less expensive than printing Programs 1-100. But I imagine someone could work up budgets.

* I gather there is also WorldCon site selection. But what else am I missing?

[seanan_mcguire]

Physical material and site selection is about it, as far as I know. The publishers are going to be a bigger concern: we can't really make a budget for that.

[beccastareyes]

That's true. And I don't know if you can pin anyone down on what numbers of cost and number of voters will be a turn-off for publishers.

[jorhett]

Most worldcon committees have been offering electronic delivery for all publications for several years now. Print costs are frankly falling low enough to start dropping beneath cost efficiency lines. No savings there.

Don't forget you get to nominate for TWO years.

[beccastareyes]

Most worldcon committees have been offering electronic delivery for all publications for several years now. Print costs are frankly falling low enough to start dropping beneath cost efficiency lines. No savings there.

Thanks for the info! That's useful.

Don't forget you get to nominate for TWO years.

Good point, since I may have nominated for this year before I got my Supporting Membership for this year. I really don't remember.