Essentially, it means the ad spots in today's magazines are over-priced... In my opinion, the ROI isn't as bullish as it used to be... but the prices haven't reflected that.
So, if we were to have high reader price, low advertising content and high quality, writer skewed as opposed to advertiser influenced articles we will have a better feild of choice. It would NOT be a larger choice. I think it would work, but I listen and subscribe to public radio. Its a similar model. The rest of the economy may not work that way as Walmart knocking well serving local retailers out of business proves. A total lack of informative advertising has hurt Detroit automakers in possibly a fatal way. Detroit has little respect for the power of Consumer Reports or JD Power surveys. The only report they care about is Harbours. That one has no customer concern. Then there is the "investor swap" scenario that ties the hands of the marketing folks in most industries. This is what the race to the basement looks like, folks. Once we're there, it's a long way back to grade.
That's the central point too... The ROI is low because people aren't reading as much anymore, and they're saturated... Also, I wonder if the heydays of advertizing didn't inflate the percieved market a bunch... I'm always shocked at how little volume some of the speedshops and parts manufactures actually do... When a seemingly big time shop tells me their numbers (I always ask how many of whatever part I'm looking at they sell) I go away wondering what the point was of the advertizing... But looking in Street Rodder, you'd think you could make a fortune selling speed parts...
DITTO!!!!!! Used to subscribe to Hot Rod, Car Craft, R&C, Street Rodder and PHR. Got tired of the increasing sales push to buy products and the car mags started to look like GQ or Cosmo with all the ad BS. I don't subscribe to anything as I don't know what direction the mag will go in the next year or so. I buy when an write up appeals to me, usually 2 or 3 mags a year = saves a lot of $$$$ Mags are no different than any other business - when you take the customer's wants and needs out of the equation and focus on profits, profits usually go up at first then crash and all the bean counters wonder what the hell is happening.. Just my 2 cents.
My beef with the Car Mags. You can buy The Rodders Journal for $6 or $7 bucks more per issue. Way more content, quality, and about 1/8 the adds! It's the only one worth buying IMO.
There's a vital element being left out here--one has nothing to do with the other, literally. In other words, the online entity is simply a cyber-regurgitator, taking material already created exclusively for use in print and throwing it up on the web...nowadays, "concurrent" with print version. There is very little, if any, interaction between the two--from every aspect. By that I mean two separate production/art/ad/management groups, and it's no secret which one utlimately calls the shots. Do you think any publisher in his right mind would allow a title's web site to upload editorial material that had just hit the newsstands--in exact duplicate form, no less? On average, there's maybe one web mgr/moderator for maybe every 4-6 magazine titles--do you think a single one has a care in the world to familiarize him/herself in-depth with the content of the sites? They don't teach hot rods & customs at ITT. And vice versa--do you think many an editor aspires to be an e-mag editor simultaneous with his daily print job? That said, that's all I gots to be said.
I think you are missing something here... The HAMB is filled with real Tech, of actual projects that are beng built to somebody's taste, budget and capabillities. Instead of the Infomercial Tech features on a confused Magazine Car that is built the way it is, because it has to get done with the advertisers parts bin in mind...
The local magazine rack owner told me he loses 5-7 magazines a month for the past 6 months. some good ones some bad. OH WELL! let the strong survive.
No you missed my point: I was refering specifically to the magazine's and their "respective" web sites. Had nothing to do with any other web sites, period. (If it came off a bit elusive, it was on purpose...for a purpose.) Harrington, you're shaping up to be the next Jamass!!!
No... I hear ya... And that's kind of the point. It's kind of like shooting through dead soldiers to get to the enemy. The things I could do with HRM's website... Man...
Whether it was your point or not, that to me is one of the crucial things where the Magazines ( or at least some of them...) have lost the plot.
That was my point--how can you lose something you have no control over to begin with? Well, I guess we all know the answer to that question now... I wish there were more soldiers in the publishing industry and way less colonels/sarges.
I think you are right... I missed your point completely and we might be talking about two completely different things. Sorry for the confusion. BTW, I never go to any of the Magazine Websites ( except for one UK based one ) If I have to start with X-ing out of a lot of advertising before I can even read the text, I'm already done...
I love the conspiracy theories! Actually we do tech based on what we want to build (often times the personal vehicle of a magazine employee) and then contact the manufacturer after we know what we want. I'm pretty sure it's that way with most other mags too. In fact there is a whole convention just for the sole purpose of editors to ask manufacturers for parts for projects they have coming up...seriously. The manufacturers set up "booths" to make themselves available for the requests. The editors choose who they want to see and what products they need, not the other way around. I have been here for over five years and I have yet to see an advertiser or sponsor dictate a tech article or giveaway car. I'm the guy who makes the tech article decisions and choose what I think is cool or pertinent. If there are bribes going on somewhere I'd sure like to get in on them. I need cash for my dune buggy project.
What theory? I did work on one of these cars. The owner was really proud of all his financial fenageling, and was happy to tell us all about it...
The evolution of the "quality" of information is so much faster here. There is no "hear about something coming out" and then waiting several years to find the truths that fill the gaps of mistakes left behind in print. We used to trust print as if it were written in stone. Somewhere between the story, writer, editor, and what fit's inside the pages, well a lot of things can get jumbled up. When the readers find this out, the credibility is damaged. What I've been seeing over the last 20 years is, the more hard core an old school rodder is, the fewer magazines he buys. Further more, just like an old dog with particular taste, I'm not going to like 'OL ROY dog food just because that's all you'll feed me these days. I know where to get better content.
So one instance means they all work that way? Are you saying he got stuff for free or got stuff for free and was told what he had to build and what parts he had to use?
I have been involved with a dozen or so builds since I have been here, and not one has been dictated in any way by anyone but us.
Try not to let it jade you. I used to be SUPER jaded against hot rod "big Brother", now that I am on the inside, it's more like the Wizard Of Oz. Just regular people behind the scenes working hard to do something cool.
I've been a subscriber to Street Rodder, Rod and Custom and the Rodders Journal for a long time. Recently the only one I have re-upped on was TRJ. My SR and R&C have expired. Guess I will wait until the Nats East to see if they will be writing paper on these two for the future. If not, guess I will just have to read TRJ over and over and over and over.
How many of the big shots that control the car mags, are actually car guys ? Not the writers and editors, the Bean Counters and Suits up stairs.
(Rob, this is in no way a DIRECT comment back to you, but just a comment on the regular jabs tossed my way (and the behind the scenes drama) that I usually don't comment on. I know none of it is REALLY mean spirited, but I don't intentionally give anyone grief so it always puzzles me that I need to be kicked around) Yeah, I'm ALWAYS the bad guy! Even when I cheer on the Print Mags AND the Internet mags I'm the dirtbag step-child. No one loves an orphan I ALWAYS wish the best for The HAMB as well as all the corporate print titles (R&C, SRM, CT, Goodguys) AND the great independents like TRJ, TRK, Kustoms Illustrated, Throttle Merchants and so on, but everyone can ALL still feel free to kick me a little dirt and tell me I'm not cool enough to be in anyone's "club"- I'm TOTALLY good with that. Plenty of us without the COOL GUY lifestyle to start our own club- HELL, these were the guys that were just building cars and enjoying magazines BEFORE there were " MEGA COOL TRADITIONAL HOT ROD CELEBRITIES" and way before bitching on the internet was invented! I'll just keep doing my thing, feel free to aim high to the center- Jamass
Haven't been there in a while (for a reason), but it sure did suck the last time I tried to find something on that site. Keeping simplicity and ease of navigation in mind, you'd think it'd be easier to design a site that way... as compared to the mess that it is now. Ahh, what the hell do I know. Also, I'm glad Freiburger is back!
The Jalopy Journal
