The necessity of change
Evolution is the key to survival in any competitive marketplace. Professional sports teams understand this well. It is why championship teams tinker with their rosters even when it seems illogical to do so. I remember when the Chicago Bulls dominated the basketball world to almost ridiculous levels — winning six titles in eight years — yet still tried to shore up perceived areas of weakness every off-season. Instinctively they knew that to stand pat is to stand still — which leaves one vulnerable to being passed by the competition.
The need to evolve is just as important in the publishing world. Business publications in particular have a responsibility to their readerships to evolve in step with the inevitable changes that occur in the marketplaces they cover. Indeed, the best publications lead the evolution.
MRT‘s editorial staff has worked diligently from the very beginning to live up to this responsibility. One example that quickly comes to mind is our coverage of IP technologies, which began in earnest four years ago, at a time when such technologies were not public safety-ready.
Many in the first responder community questioned us about the decision to devote precious space in the magazine to such technologies, reasoning that they were irrelevant. Which was true — then. But we could see how fast IP technologies were evolving and knew it was only a matter of time before they not only became relevant, but also became the future. One would be hard-pressed today to find a public safety official who doesn’t believe that the first responder communications systems of the future will have IP technologies at their core.
Over the same time frame, MRT evolved in other ways. We live in a post-9/11 world, and first responder communications — already vital to the nation’s well-being — have become even more important. Consequently, we gradually shifted MRT‘s editorial coverage toward the first responder, homeland security, public utility, public transportation and military sectors, and away from the enterprise sector. Today, MRT focuses exclusively on the communications systems and equipment used by the professionals who have dedicated their lives to serving America and, in many cases, keeping us safe and secure. I can think of no better place to put our efforts.
Another change is coming. (Leaf through this issue to discover what I’m talking about.) Next month I’ll explain why this change is occurring and what it means to our readers and advertisers. In the meantime I’ll borrow a phrase from the iconic Harold Kinley, who has contributed his vast radio engineering expertise to these pages for so long: Stay tuned.
