Hot Rods The State of The Rodder's Journal - a note from Steve Coonan

Kiss it goodbye fellas. Unfortunately, monthly/quarterly Hot Rod print magazines all died in the late 2010’s with the rest of the industry. Cost structure was simply too cumbersome. Simultaneously, the rise of digital forums like H.A.M.B. accelerated both their performance AND demise. (Not a criticism, just a fact.) From now on the best we can expect from print are pre-paid /crowd-funded, randomly timed, special editions like Hop-Up is doing.

 

NO!!!

 

...I'm hangin with them til the end,...I'm optimistic that it'll be back better than ever.

 

Seems to be a lot of Ostriches here

 

The thing I don't understand, is the number of guys on here who are hell bent on convincing everyone else that TRJ is done. If you think it's done. That's fine. If you're holding out hope, that's fine too.

If you think TRJ is done, are you personally impacted by someone else's hope that they'll survive? Or is it a malicious 'they wronged me and so they must die' mentality?

I recognize that I'm just contributing to drama at this point, so I'm going to have to cease posting on this thread, but I'll be quietly holding out hope for Steve.

 

I am still pissed about them stealing my money. End of story.

 

They say that no news is good news however in this case I’m not so sure

Still haven’t received my issues, no big surprise there.

If this is the end of the road for TRJ it would be good to know officially.

It would also be good to open the mailbox to that big white envelope.

 

My first post. I have been reading this thread since sometime in April and there have been so many great points and observations from all camps. I have the complete Rodder's Journal set and am so thrilled with the magazine I keep thinking that while we should have been kept better informed ( to say the least ), it is still a fantastic and important publication and I am going to wish them the best and hope they will be able to bring it back and square things with everyone. Probably shouldn't hold our breath , but I guess hope is all we have at this point.

 

Welcome to the HAMB

 

What is happening to the lifestyle I love? Can I assume we’ve all been affected by this plague?you can’t drive through a major metropolitan area without seeing businesses closed and more and more homeless every day. So, instead of all this whining, why aren’t we asking what we can do to help?

Let’s be real folks. Our community has been loosing big time. Even Magazines once thought as juggernauts, untouchables have been laid low. God damnit people, The Rodders Journal deserves to live. If a proposal was put forward, I for one would be happy to support a fund raising campaign of some kind to help get them back on their feet. I don’t want to loose the feeling of that TRJ showing up in the mail knowing as soon as the kids are down I’ll be pouring some spirits and relaxing with interesting articles, amazing photography and relishing the satisfaction only turning actual pages can provide.

so with that said… Steve, is there anything we can do to help?

 

All Of These Opinions Have Caused Me To Pull My TRJ Collection Out And Read Them Again.......Thanks For The Stimulus Guys....

 

Well said, if that happens....sign me up!

 

Very well put James. I want it to live also.

 

Two words…”crowd funding”. It has worked for a lot of less worthy causes, why not to save RJ?

 

James,
I made a similar offer back on page 3 of this thread. So far no one has taken me up on it.
I do like the crowd source funding idea...
Chappy

 

I thought a subscription was crowd funding?

 

Well, I got 3 issues out of my "lifetime subscription". Stupid me. I thought it was my lifetime, not the magazine's.

 

Yes that’s about it, suggesting crowd funding ?

How stupid can you get.

Subscriptions are funding.

A whole bunch of us stepped up and sent in hundreds of dollars during the lifetime membership campaign especially since us in Canada had to pay a premium because it was in US dollars and then we had to pay extra for shipping which turned out to be shitty and substandard anyway.
We all sent those dollars in good faith to support what is or was a great publication.

Seems like a gamble that isn’t paying off as expected.
But like any dedicated gambler here we are still hoping

 

Just my $.02
In 13 pages, there have been 2 posts by TRJ.
It's over.
Let it RIP.

 

I already did the crowd funding to the tune of a subscription price
with no product.

 

I am not to proud to say I have donated to some dubious causes this one I would do proudly! I have seen a few small publishers do comic books this way I dont see why TRJ couldn't as well ?

 

Hey Blue Balls,

I had two active subscriptions the print and the apple App Store version, so I get that you're upset about the subscription loss and you've every right to feel that way. Believe me I am not stoked on it either. I also understand that this country has lost thousands of businesses due to the Rona, and we cant save them all but does being shitty that fix the issue? What would you rather have more? Your subscription gone with nothing to show, the loss of another, maybe the best automotive magazine ever? Or the ability to resurrect a magazine as amazing as TRJ? So you can call me stupid if it makes you feel better, I dont know you well enough to give a shit about your opinion. I also know that way to many magazines I loved are gone for good. If theres a chance to save the best of the best, if theres a chance to bring it back, I know I'll answer the call.

That said I did get the notification the TRJ magazine app was pulled from the iPhone App Store so thats not a good sign.

 

The two offers for lifetime subscriptions was crowd funding and it didn't work. Give it up and realize it's dead and it's not coming back no matter how many wish it would. For those blaming Corona that's bull, it bad decisions period. The handwriting was on the wall with the lifetime sub offers

 

Wonder if the businesses that bought advertising are pissed..... hate it for everybody that lost money.

 

It takes more than a brilliant format to be "the best automotive magazine ever". You also need to implement a successful and workable business model. Everyone sees the 'great product', but few appreciate the acumen and management required behind the scenes to keep things afloat. It can truly be a compromise to the vision of the enterprise to make the necessary decisions needed to ensure survival in the market place. The times we live in at the moment make it even more important to be 'on the ball' with decisions regarding business direction. The wrong choices now, more than ever, can have devastating consequences.

True. Probably not the time to throw good money after bad.......................

 

Very classy response to an uncalled for insult.

 

It looks like you put TRJ on a pedestal...

 

Hardly. Starts off with disrespect?

 

I go by a couple of newstands when grocery shopping and even at Chapters and there are quite a few automotive magazines on the shelf. Muscle cars, imports, truck, and Vintage Truck which I buy. Not as many as there were but still they are there. I always wonder how those magazines continue to sell and yet TRJ is/has evaporated?