Home Critic's Corner

Discuss a review. Provide constructive feedback. Talk to the industry.

RE: In my opinion there can be no ethical harmony between advertising and reviewing.

"I think we should go back to subscription review magazines."

Magazines are already subscription-based, except in the those few places where they still have a newsstand. You don't end up paying close to $50 per issue because the subscription is part paid for by the advertisers.

Hi-Fi Critic in the UK is subscription only, covers a lot of US high end and is advertising free. Four issues per year, perhaps 60 pages per issue, $145 per year to the US (oh, and you do get a fifth issue free). How many people subscribe... honestly?

If you do subscribe to this, congratulations. Hold your head up high. If you don't, stop whining and get on with life.

We can all look back with rose-tinted glasses about the good old days when magazines didn't carry advertising. The reality was they kept vanishing and reappearing with new publishers because they couldn't sustain the costs involved, even when audio was 100x the hobby it is today. And at least with advertising up front, we know who has opened their pocketbook - I'm always deeply suspicious of no-advert magazines and websites, because someone is always behind the scenes. A secret paymaster is far more malign than one that plasters its brand over the back pages of every magazine in town.

Think it through for a second - who has more influence over, say, Fox News? The cereal company that advertises, or Rupert Murdoch's lunch partner?




Edits: 02/29/12

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  Schiit Audio  


Follow Ups Full Thread
Follow Ups
  • RE: In my opinion there can be no ethical harmony between advertising and reviewing. - Gag Halfrunt 04:11:04 02/29/12 (0)

FAQ

Post a Message!

Forgot Password?
Moniker (Username):
Password (Optional):
  Remember my Moniker & Password  (What's this?)    Eat Me
E-Mail (Optional):
Subject:
Message:   (Posts are subject to Content Rules)
Optional Link URL:
Optional Link Title:
Optional Image URL:
Upload Image:
E-mail Replies:  Automagically notify you when someone responds.