Critic's Corner

Posted by galnat (A) on February 04, 2008 at 02:12:39

In Reply to: RE: My guess is that most audio writers have ruined a few napkins posted by John Marks on February 03, 2008 at 07:29:56

Mr Marks, your approach can be correct, from a strictly juridical point of view (the contractual tie) and economic (the profit for a publisher)..
My opinion (perhaps banal and "romantic") it is that the business has ruined the original attitude of some magazineses (I refer to TAS and Stereophile, with HP and JGH practically reduced to the role of icons) and the same starting attitude of other magazines business-oriented (like Play/Audio Adventure and Fi, for example).
On Internet, many web-magazine plays as an annoying advertising spot.
Harry Pearson (for which, I believe, you don't have big liking) is - perhaps (I don't know him) - a man debatable but a genial reviewer; actually (without wanting to offend anybody) we have some HP-wannabe, but without his basic genius and vision.
And this represent, IMHO, a loss for the chronic passionates.
Personally, I would like that 15.000 passionates suffices to sustain is sustaining a magazine audio (but perhaps it is an utopia).

Edits: 02/04/08   02/04/08

• I hear what you are saying, but, the marketplace has spoken. - John Marks 08:38:47 02/04/08 (3)
  In Reply to: RE: My guess is that most audio writers have ruined a few napkins posted by galnat on February 04, 2008 at 02:12:39

  Could a different approach to "brand management" have resulted in a different state of affairs?
  
  Perhaps, but not inevitably.
  
  I subscribe to Sports Car Market magazine. It costs $58 a year. Their core readership is a few thousand people who can write the multi-million-dollar checks for classic cars. The rest of us a dreamers, or looking for advice on $2000 bargain classics. Why should SCM price a subscription at $12? Jay Leno wants to read the magazine, or not. He never sees the bill, he has people to do that stuff.
  
  No audio magazine seems to have managed the same thing. Perhaps because for a lot of people, they want information to make a purchase, and then they are happy, no need to keep up. Classic cars are probably more of a hands-on thing than stereo.
  
  Personal feelings or the lack of personal feelings aside, if I received a solicitation for a new magazine that would be all HP all the time, for the same money I spend on Sports Car Market, I would decline the offer.
  
  It's not hard feelings it's not sour grapes, it's just I am just not that much into his writing these days or for the past several years. IMHO, when Frank Doris was editing TAS and Michael Fremer was writing, there was a crackle of electricity to TAS that no audio magazine has had before or since, and HP was a sideshow. An interesting and sometimes informative sideshow, but the rest of the cast made greater contributions. NB I am not talking about myself, I wrote for TAS only at the end of the first regime, and for the first few years of AMM.
  
  I sincerely wish the best of luck to anyone trying to start an on dead trees audio magazine today. I don't think it can be done as a rational business model. That doesn't make me turn cartwheels of joy, but it seems to be the truth.
  
  Cheers,
  
  JM
  
  

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  • So it's really all about you - LOL! (nt) - mkuller 13:33:37 02/04/08 (1)
    In Reply to: RE: I hear what you are saying, but, the marketplace has spoken. posted by John Marks on February 04, 2008 at 08:38:47

    (nt)
    
    

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    • Huh? - John Marks 14:53:15 02/04/08 (0)
      In Reply to: RE: So it's really all about you - LOL! (nt) posted by mkuller on February 04, 2008 at 13:33:37

      Huh?
      
      I never said it was all about me.
      
      I am saying that I am a if not the type of the target customer for TAS, and it's a non-sale, which is not something I'd say about Hi-Fi +.
      
      JM
      
      

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  • [Sigh] nt - clarkjohnsen 12:00:47 02/04/08 (0)
    In Reply to: RE: I hear what you are saying, but, the marketplace has spoken. posted by John Marks on February 04, 2008 at 08:38:47

    s
    
    

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• " ... reduced to the role of icons." - Dave Pogue 04:20:41 02/04/08 (0)
  In Reply to: RE: My guess is that most audio writers have ruined a few napkins posted by galnat on February 04, 2008 at 02:12:39

  I kinda like that :-)
  
  

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