32 replies to this topic

[Bob Riebe]

I got a letter with the magazine the past month that these magazines are now history:

Hemmings Muscle Machines

Hemmings Classic Car

 

They are , some how, being merged into Hemming Motor News.

 

I used to get 8 planes , trains & automobiles type magazines every month, it is now down to 3.

I have little desire to subscribe to pathetic rags Motor Trend or Car & Driver are now, so I will be seeing which British or Aussie magazines are worth the quid.

 

When Hot Rod turned into a -- if it don't go chrome it -- quarterly earlier this year, I figured this was a very bad omen.

Comptures are very useful in finding information, on various gearhead items, especially historical bits,  but I LOATHE HAVING to read articles online.

Power goes out, cable goes down, computers are nothing more than expensive paper weight.

I guess I can reread my old magazine as the vast majority have not been read since the month I put them on the shelf decades back.

 

[Claudio Navonne]

Here in Argentina, the iconic Corsa magazine disappeared several years ago. Another one has taken over, but it is an appendix of an organisation dedicated to radio broadcasts of races. Here almost all sports journalism must conform to the guidelines of the associations that govern motorsport, so no one, be it the little print, radio or television press, is independent. If the opinions are not to the liking of those who run the categories, they are simply not allowed on the circuits. Drivers have to be very ‘careful’ with their statements. Anyway, it all smells like a circus and I stopped following it, I only occasionally watch a race. Besides, the categories are almost all cars and because of the regulations they are all the same, the single seaters have disappeared, or the ones that are left are unbearable. In 2020 I didn't renew my subscription to Motor Sport because I realised that the stories they were telling me either I had them first hand in the magazine and book collections I own or it was a test of a classic car that they were going to try to sell at an auction.

    Then I ordered my collections and I am reading them chronologically to be able to compare the different sources. The result is very good, I realise that there are many things that I had overlooked at the time, and that decades later (yes decades) after having read them I realise. Then there is this fabulous forum, and the internet with its immediacy, the possibility of seeing the relevant notes of a race.

The only thing that could not diminish in these almost 60 years (I am 68) of following motorsport is my passion for F1. I don't care how boring it sometimes seems, nor the pasteurised reports of the drivers or the stupid things said by the occasional commentators and reporters, until my last days I will stand firm in front of the TV or at the racetrack if they ever come back to these shores.

I hope that this forum, a true beacon for those of us who surf the net, will last much longer.

[Bloggsworth]

I've given up on magazines, same old same old; not surprising, I suppose after 70 odd years. I drop in to NewsNowF1 to pick up a few tit-bits, but find that the prevailing tendency is to say not much in 100 words when 10 would have done... Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance shoud be compulsory reading - Quality not quantity. I went to buy a fridge a few years ago, saw one at the right price on a shel 5 feet off the floor, went to open the door and damn near pulled it off the shelf on top of me; not that it woud have hurt much; it was that light it might as well have been a piece of origami.

[MarshalMike]

I still get Motorsport and Octane - getting the latest issue featuring the 280GTO made my day - easy when you have low expextations, but these 2 magazines always have something to enjoy.

[Sterzo]

As a lover of history - "mainstream" history as well as motor racing - I hesitate to refer to its lessons, because they are so unclear. However, one obvious point is that everything changes, and will change again.

 

My oldest magazine is from 1904, I've read dozens from the 1920s and 30s, and own Motor Sports and Autosports from 1950 (though not continuous). Mags are a big part of my life. But they're in decline, we know why, and we play a part in that change through our on-line subscriptions and by consulting Wikipedia and other sources.

 

We are lucky to have lived through the golden age of magazines, and are lucky to be living through a revolution in the availability of information through technology.

[sabrejet]

The only one I get now is Automobilsport.

 

I gave up on Motor Sport and Autosport when they became F1 magazines and started calling gears 'cogs' (etc). I dallied with The Road Rat but realised it was an awful lot of white noise and pseuds. Octane is just a series of lazy, hackneyed adverts posing as articles (bit of history; road test; "thanks to xxx - the car is for sale"). I do like 000 Magazine but its pricing is baffling. I bought one at circa £80 (!) but they now seem to have come down a great deal. Not sure if it's worth a go again.

 

But generally it would seem that the genre has had its day; when journos can't think of anything better than to describe styling as "aggressive", it's time to look elsewhere for gratification. Fortunately there are some great books out there which manage to avoid bloody road tests and the use of "aggressive".

 

Though I quite like Magneto. It's a bit "Road Rat" at times (too much padding) but I'd say probably best of what's left.  

[F1matt]

Printed media 's problem is Motorsport's problem in general; the whole sport is F1 focused and everything else is cast aside. The race for everything to be F1 centric led to the death of F3000 and F3 when we had multiple chassis and engine suppliers with multiple series running different tyres, the typical path to F3 back then was through Formula Ford, now gone and replaced by F4, a car that is designed to look like a baby F1 car.  We also had Formula Renault, Formal Vauxhall/ Lotus, Vauxhall jr etc, which all had a decent support package and cost buttons to go to the track to watch the starts of tomorrow. 

 

I remember when you got good crowds at British GT, Thundersports, TVR series etc. What has replaced them? How do magazines fill their pages if the series are so diminished? 

[sabrejet]

I remember when you got good crowds at British GT, Thundersports, TVR series etc. What has replaced them? How do magazines fill their pages if the series are so diminished? 

 

For the first one: historics. The rise of Goodwood, Silverstone Festival etc is a great thing. But printed media hasn't followed suit. There's a great deal that could be imaginatively covered since 99% of motor sport is "historic" (i.e. not what's happening this year).

 

Fortunately there is some awesome motor sport still out there, which makes it all the more puzzling why the news stands are full (in motor sport terms) of magazines that only cover F1 crap.

[john aston]

I am a compulsive magazine reader but I am in a minority . There's one main reason people don't buy them - they want free content on the web and resent paying for journalism . A secondary phenomenon is the backlash against any 'expert' . People seem happy enough to watch some man-child on YouTube or Facebook sharing his vacuous insights  about the sport we love and the same people seem happy enough to  sneer at any journalist with knowledge and experience.   

[FlyingSaucer]

I am a compulsive magazine reader but I am in a minority . There's one main reason people don't buy them - they want free content on the web and resent paying for journalism . A secondary phenomenon is the backlash against any 'expert' . People seem happy enough to watch some man-child on YouTube or Facebook sharing his vacuous insights  about the sport we love and the same people seem happy enough to  sneer at any journalist with knowledge and experience.   

 

This is the naked truth, and something that is killing journalists and researchers. Nowadays, everything is about achieving clicks (I know this because I am a journalist by profession), and content does not mean necessarily attracting readers.

 

For example: I've been trying to pitch a story to any major magazine out there for more than four months, about the 75th anniversary of Sir Stirling Moss' first international single-seater victory (Zandvoort, 1949, in a 500cc Formula race). Autosport, MotorSport, R&T, etc, you name it, I contacted them all, and I haven't received any single response. 

 

Apparently, I'm going to have to create a thread here on the TNF soon just to post this story (since it has an expiration date, as soon as the year 24/25 turns, the 75-year mark is gone).

 

Well, at least, it will reach people who will read it and are interested in this type of subject...

Edited by FlyingSaucer, 29 November 2024 - 19:19.

[sabrejet]

I am a compulsive magazine reader but I am in a minority . There's one main reason people don't buy them - they want free content on the web and resent paying for journalism . A secondary phenomenon is the backlash against any 'expert' . People seem happy enough to watch some man-child on YouTube or Facebook sharing his vacuous insights  about the sport we love and the same people seem happy enough to  sneer at any journalist with knowledge and experience.   

 

Mmm. Not here. I'm disappointed with the printed medium (aside from the examples I quoted), but I'd much less watch a YouTube "documentary". There are some great channels (Shed Racing being a highlight), but I've yet to see anything that would replace decent magazine content.

[cooper997]

This is the naked truth, and something that is killing journalists and researchers. Nowadays, everything is about achieving clicks (I know this because I am a journalist by profession), and content does not mean necessarily attracting readers.

 

For example: I've been trying to pitch a story to any major magazine out there for more than four months, about the 75th anniversary of Sir Stirling Moss' first international single-seater victory (Zandvoort, 1949, in a 500cc Formula race). Autosport, MotorSport, R&T, etc, you name it, I contacted them all, and I haven't received any single response. 

 

Apparently, I'm going to have to create a thread here on the TNF soon just to post this story (since it has an expiration date, as soon as the year 24/25 turns, the 75-year mark is gone).

 

Well, at least, it will reach people who will read it and are interested in this type of subject...

 

We rarely give mention to The Automobile (UK published) on TNF but if you are quick Editor, Scott Barrett might be worth consulting. According to Mr Bisset he's one of the rare ones who respond to emails.

 

Failing that I'm sure Mark would run your feature on primotipo.

 

 

Stephen

[F1matt]

I am a compulsive magazine reader but I am in a minority . There's one main reason people don't buy them - they want free content on the web and resent paying for journalism . A secondary phenomenon is the backlash against any 'expert' . People seem happy enough to watch some man-child on YouTube or Facebook sharing his vacuous insights  about the sport we love and the same people seem happy enough to  sneer at any journalist with knowledge and experience.   

 

This is a two sided coin, paid content has to offer more than free content, it has to be more in-depth. There were to many journalists who were happy to run the story a team or drivers PR team put out rather than actually tell the real story, people aren’t stupid and as soon as an option like the internet appeared why would people keep paying? I understand that a journalist wanted to keep in with the drivers and teams but that is the tightrope they walk and it is easy to see why people stopped buying, in reaction the magazines cast their net and took a machine gun approach to events they covered offering a brief summary and the results, all of which is available for free online. They have to be able to offer something different and interesting for people to continue purchasing.  Joe Saward, a one time editor of Autosport runs a blog and attends almost every GP, he also has a paid part of his website. It would be interesting to know the demographics of the people who pay for his blog; are they avid fans who used to subscribe to Autosport and similar magazines, industry insiders, or fellow journalists who use his info as their own to generate interest in their own channels. 

The Spectator magazine has proved that print media can be successful, they have increased circulation and doubled their proft. I have no idea what their secret is but they are clearly doing something right. 

[Nathan]

I enjoyed EVO and Octane - granted I haven't bought one in a decade 

 

For me YouTube videos did them in, I find them more informative, engaging, interesting and relatable.

Edited by Nathan, 30 November 2024 - 12:58.

[Derwent Motorsport]

It seems Tom Dick or Harry can set up a blog of some sort, even about things they don't know anything about.   There is on called ---- Chronicle that pops up on my main mage a lot. A bif bearded lad, mid 40s with glasses who appears to live in a cupboard and spouts rubbish. He has at least six versions, F1, Le Mans, Touring Cars, Indy, Rally, Motoring and now Gardening!  Presumably he makes more from advertising links. 

 

Any idea who he is?

[68targa]

In 2023 Autosport had a weekly circulation of 5487 for the printed version of which 3636 were by subscription (according to the ABC data). For a weekly this is pretty low.  Motorsport has just over 41,000 per month during 2023 which a seems healthy number.  If AS can find a niche market for monthly content then I for one do hope it can survive.

 

https://www.abc.org.uk/product/2469

[sabrejet]

We rarely give mention to The Automobile (UK published) on TNF but if you are quick Editor, Scott Barrett might be worth consulting. According to Mr Bisset he's one of the rare ones who respond to emails.

 

Failing that I'm sure Mark would run your feature on primotipo.

 

 

Stephen

 

The Automobile!!!!! I'd forgotten this. I sometimes pick one up at an airport and it's outstanding. Many other magazines could learn a lot from it - the pages are packed with things written by people who know their stuff. And I can't recall one piece which was an advert masquerading as an article.

 

I think I may take up a subscription. Thanks for the nudge.

[cooper997]

The Automobile!!!!! I'd forgotten this. I sometimes pick one up at an airport and it's outstanding. Many other magazines could learn a lot from it - the pages are packed with things written by people who know their stuff. And I can't recall one piece which was an advert masquerading as an article.

 

I think I may take up a subscription. Thanks for the nudge.

 

Indeed worth revisiiting if it's been a while. Regular contributors include Ludvigsen, Chapman, Walsh and Moore. Plus many others who drop by with many varied features and no great 'wasteland' of white left on pages that is meant to be their arty look with some titles.

 

And up until earlier this year its publisher was Douglas Blain, ex-pat Aussie who gave the UK motoring titles a fair shake when he arrived in the 1960s.

 

 

Stephen

[john aston]

He sure did. And the Sixties vintage copies of CAR I hoarded have never been bettered. The design and content was pure Sixties - pop art design, iconoclasm a plenty and great writing. Very good on motorsport too , and while dear old Bill Boddy was still warbling about The Track in The Other Magazine , Henry Manney was driving to the Targa Florio in his Ferrari and Nick Brittan was plotting the London GP in a road legal (ish) Lotus 51. 

[GreenMachine]

I wondered where Doug Blain got too - yes, I have those old Car magazines, a number of volumes bound even!  Most of my bound magazines were aviation related, Flying Review, Air Pictorial etc.  However I also bought Automobile Quarterly, probably got over 100 of them.  The last batch I bought were embossed with PO's name, some unknown bloke called Charles Lloyd Jones ...

 

Dunno what is going to happen to all this stuff when I shuffle off, not to mention the Automobile Years and Autocourses    I though they were investments when I bought them     

[sabrejet]

Indeed worth revisiiting if it's been a while. Regular contributors include Ludvigsen, Chapman, Walsh and Moore. Plus many others who drop by with many varied features and no great 'wasteland' of white left on pages that is meant to be their arty look with some titles.

 

And up until earlier this year its publisher was Douglas Blain, ex-pat Aussie who gave the UK motoring titles a fair shake when he arrived in the 1960s.

 

 

Stephen

 

Well you convinced me: £64 for 12 issues seems like very good value too. Button pressed.

[Derwent Motorsport]

Old magazines used to be collectable. but now you see them at autojumbles for pence.

 

One odd thing about current magazines of all types is that they vary in page size, often by just a couple of mm. Most used to be A4 but there seems to be no standard now. 2mm shorter and 3mm wider etc.  What's the reason for it?

I also don't like shiny covers and my pile of magazines fall over!  Plus text over photos or a coloured background which can make it difficult to read in artificial light.

[cooper997]

He sure did. And the Sixties vintage copies of CAR I hoarded have never been bettered. The design and content was pure Sixties - pop art design, iconoclasm a plenty and great writing. Very good on motorsport too , and while dear old Bill Boddy was still warbling about The Track in The Other Magazine , Henry Manney was driving to the Targa Florio in his Ferrari and Nick Brittan was plotting the London GP in a road legal (ish) Lotus 51. 

 

John, I dare say Douglas had a major advantage over WB. He didn't have to answer to Wesley J Tee.

 

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

Well you convinced me: £64 for 12 issues seems like very good value too. Button pressed.

 

Hopefully you enjoy your subscription.

 

I wait until it arrives in Aussie newsagents, $15 Oz dollars per issue. That has become the norm for several car mags here. But about 3 issues behind the UK publishing date.

 

August 24 issue had Mark Bisset's 1961 Ballarat International Gurney / BRM feature with what should be the start of some of Derek Jolly's wonderful photos appearing in The Autombile.

 

Derek took some truly great photos. But in the main hardly anyone knows.

 

 

 

Stephen

Edited by cooper997, 03 December 2024 - 22:10.

[Bob Riebe]

I wondered where Doug Blain got too - yes, I have those old Car magazines, a number of volumes bound even!  Most of my bound magazines were aviation related, Flying Review, Air Pictorial etc.  However I also bought Automobile Quarterly, probably got over 100 of them.  The last batch I bought were embossed with PO's name, some unknown bloke called Charles Lloyd Jones ...

 

Dunno what is going to happen to all this stuff when I shuffle off, not to mention the Automobile Years and Autocourses    I though they were investments when I bought them     

Automobile Quarterly, I GREATLY regret the day I did not renew my subscription.!

 

There is/was a gent in this area who used to sell old auto magazines at car show flea markets; I bought some, including issues I had gotten rid of decades earlier, but thought One Dollar for an old magazine was too much 15-20 years ago, NOW, I wish I had bought more!

3 to 5 dollars for a magazine now and he has a tiny fraction of what he once had.

Edited by Bob Riebe, 01 December 2024 - 23:16.

[Ian G]

Old magazines used to be collectable. but now you see them at autojumbles for pence.

 

One odd thing about current magazines of all types is that they vary in page size, often by just a couple of mm. Most used to be A4 but there seems to be no standard now. 2mm shorter and 3mm wider etc.  What's the reason for it?

I also don't like shiny covers and my pile of magazines fall over!  Plus text over photos or a coloured background which can make it difficult to read in artificial light.

 

Same here in Oz used motoring magazines are near worthless.

 

The main reason for the reduction of page size is printing costs but my major beef is the reduction in print size,even with glasses i have trouble reading computer mags. that i still subscribe too.

 

As already stated  i also use the Net. for the majority of my motoring News/Info,Forums Utube etc.,i haven't purchased a Motoring magazine for nearly 20 years.

[Dick Dastardly]

From January, Autosport will be a monthly magazine rather than a weekly one....so it says in the current issue, dated 28th Nov

[F1matt]

I am struggling to see how this will work, as a once avid reader I used it for reports, news, and the odd columnist with some light reading stories. Most of the above can be discovered online, usually for free. How they spin this off into 12 magazines per year will be interesting.

[FastReader]

From January, Autosport will be a monthly magazine rather than a weekly one....so it says in the current issue, dated 28th Nov

 

I am struggling to see how this will work, as a once avid reader I used it for reports, news, and the odd columnist with some light reading stories. Most of the above can be discovered online, usually for free. How they spin this off into 12 magazines per year will be interesting.

 

Ahem... There's already a dedicated thread for this.

Edited by FastReader, 02 December 2024 - 14:49.

[Librules]

I wondered where Doug Blain got too - yes, I have those old Car magazines, a number of volumes bound even!  Most of my bound magazines were aviation related, Flying Review, Air Pictorial etc.  However I also bought Automobile Quarterly, probably got over 100 of them.  The last batch I bought were embossed with PO's name, some unknown bloke called Charles Lloyd Jones ...

 

Dunno what is going to happen to all this stuff when I shuffle off, not to mention the Automobile Years and Autocourses    I though they were investments when I bought them     

Here's a bit about Doug in more recent times..  https://www.australi...-douglas-blain/

[GreenMachine]

Thanks Librules, that's a good read. 

[FlyingSaucer]

We rarely give mention to The Automobile (UK published) on TNF but if you are quick Editor, Scott Barrett might be worth consulting. According to Mr Bisset he's one of the rare ones who respond to emails.

 

Failing that I'm sure Mark would run your feature on primotipo.

 

 

Stephen

 

Damn... I forgot The Automobile. That's what happens when you live in a country where niche foreign magazines are a rare commodity!

[DCapps]

While mindful of the general disdain here for "academics" in pretty much any form, one of the virtues of academic libraries is that they may keep materials in their holdings that might not garner that much attention, say once or twice a decade.

The current status of various automotive publications in print form might be an opportunity for the preservation of such serials for future research.

I had a long conversation during a meeting with an academic librarian yesterday on this very topic and that was her response.

She is planning accordingly...

Edited by DCapps, 03 December 2024 - 14:19.