RE: The SOAP: AMA / MA
I have a couple of questions for you gentlemen.
What was/is the purpose of MA? Is it primarily to bolster the IRC 501(c) (3) tax exemption status or is it supposed to be an informational publication for the membership? I have not been in the hobby long enough to know how MA started and for what reason.
Would the AMA loose its tax exemption without MA?
From what I gather from this forum, AMAs 501 (c) (3) status falls under the educational category? The small amount of reading I’ve done about the IRC 501 (c) (3) requirements, a qualifying publications content is supposed to be primarily educational in nature. MA in its current form would appear to be dangerously close to not meeting those standards. If MA became profitable and/or competitive with similar commercial magazines it may no longer meet the tax exempt standards. There is also the risk of the commercial publishers contesting MAs tax exempt status under the premise that MA has an unfair advantage in the market place.
What should MA be?