A Tribute to Breasts

Welcome to our Vibrant Updates. They're always new, sometimes funny, and sometimes challenging. We hope they make your life better in some way, whether through opening doors, cracking smiles, or shaking away the cobwebs.

Our first V Update is a tribute to the miracle of breast-feeding. I remember the rush I felt each time my breasts produced new food for my hungry babies! Opinions vary as to the proper time and place for these feedings, but every mother knows the joy of providing what her baby needs - in whatever manner and place those provisions are made. This video pays tribute to that great miracle of motherhood!

Check out A Tribute to Breasts for yourself.

David and Two Goliaths

For nearly three years, V has been able to grow at our own pace, concerned about our readers and our advertisers, but striving only to better ourselves each month. Such an simple ride was bound to end in a society as complex and competitive as 21st century America! Not only has Style introduced a women’s bimonthly magazine, Belle, but Media General / Richmond Times-Dispatch is introducing Skirt into the area this fall.

Belle has the financial backing and history not only of Style, but of Landmark Communications, Inc., a diversified holding company whose flagship subsidiary is The Weather Channel Companies. Skirt, of course, has its own history and the support of Media General. We’re not so fortunate—but we have our own strengths, and our own hopes.

Our hope is that Central Virginia is big enough for all of us. After all, there’s the RT-D, and Style; and Style and Brick; and MIX 103.7 and Light 98; and NBC12, CBS6, Channel 8, Fox, and PBS.

I appreciated a recent quote in the RT-D recently. Responding to increased grocer competition in the area, Robert Ukrop said, “We’re just going to stick to our knitting.”

Well, V is going to do the same. We’ve found a formula that a huge number of local women have embraced. We’ve filled a need—a different need and approach than most other women’s magazines. We have our mission, to celebrate and support the best in local women. We believe in our mission, and we hope to keep pursuing it.

In fact, our response is a lot like last month’s issue of V: “Life’s Good, Make It Better!” Our magazine’s good, and it can be better. Our recent survey revealed that self-improvement was readers’ number one topic of interest, which demonstrates that our readership wants to grow, to learn, to improve. V does, too. We want to keep hearing what readers like and don’t like, to fine tune what’s successful and improve or discard the duds. We deserve your support only if we continue to earn it.

Competition is healthy. It reminds us how important it is to focus and to be at the top of our game. We're searching for what we can do better, what we can begin. We won't try to beat others at their game, but to be the best in ours.

No one can serve their customers quite like Ukrop’s. Kroger’s, Food Lion, and Wal-Mart will continue to capture a share of the market, but Ukrop’s will undoubtedly hold onto their niche. I hope the same can be said for V. I hope that we can get the loyal local fans that our local friendly grocer has. I hope that our readers keep supporting us and our advertisers (our life blood). I hope that our advertisers recognize that we are part of a smart overall marketing plan, one of Richmond’s many great advertising options—and a worthwhile option at that.

I wish the best for the new magazines, that they find their own niche. I hope that David and both Goliaths can coexist peaceably.

We’re young and we’re small, but we’re learning and we’re listening. We’re big enough to make a difference, but small enough to hear your voice.

Annie Tobey, Editor

To give us your input on this or any other issue, please e-mail us at TalkToUs@VMagazineForWomen.com.