Auto Magazines filed Bankruptcy

I loved autobuff
sold my whole collection last year to pay the rent
down to two autobuff #1 copies

 

I was going to say that while reading is fundamental, obviously comprehension is NOT for "bkap", as he continually argues a point that is incoherent at best, wildly inaccurate at worst.

 

As long as we have this board, I really don't see the loss!
First step in "book burning" I have heard about in history?

 

I'm not allowed to take the laptop anywhere near the toilet.

Long live print media...

 

Tell me about it, Boss. I work for a daily newspaper that has stayed afloat on ever-shrinking ad revenue exclusively for about 10 years.
It's the dinosaur mentality that will kill us off eventually. The powers that be are all set to retire and intend to ride the sinking ship out ... what have they got to lose? It's the younger, more creative people who have our "daring" ideas shot down before they can even leave the ground that suffer the most. It hurts to watch my source of income get sicker and sicker while I sit on the sidelines with my coworkers brimming with hail mary ideas in the end of the 4th quarter without an opportunity to get off the bench and play.
It's a sore spot for sure.

 

In the amount of time it took me to read all 20 pages of this during work... I recieved four phone calls about purchasing our Chrysler restoration radiators... three of which the customers had seen our ad's in the mopar collectors guide "periodical"... one asked if we had a website... which we don't. I like the HAMB... a lot... I can't keep up with each and every thread or post... who the hell can? Also... during the time it took me to read this entire thread... there were 26,983 other entirely new posts on the HAMB that I wasn't able to read... four of them were making snide jokes about Kirk... one of them was true.

The internet isn't everything it's cracked up to be. Gimme back my rotary phone... and 25 cent gas... and beer for a nickle... and...

When I went to hit the "submit reply" button for this post... my internet service went down for twenty minutes... Ain't technology jus' grand?

 

Now, I have not read every post in this thread but my two cents are this......Most of the magazines suck and that is why they are in trouble. Now, I know I will get my ass flambee'd for this but I now only buy Ol' Skool Rodz, Rebel Rodz, CKD, and Hot Rod Deluxe. Do I like everything in them? No, not at all......But at least it is not the same Chevelle, Camaro or Mustang with Billet everything and Giant ass Wheels every month like Hot Rod, Car Craft, etc.....At least it has some cars I like. I know most of the people here do not like the magazines I do, but what I DO like about them is that it is about people having a good time with whatever they have. And to me thats what it is about.....Having a good time.

Magazines will never die. I love magazines and have bought thousands of them in my life. Nothing replaces something you can have in your hand and take with you.

 

My two Lincolns: Magazines aren't broken, their business model is. They need to place more importance on readers and content. Reader's subscribe in high numbers for GOOD CONTENT.

Yes, you can make way more from your advertisers, but it's a slowly sinking ship when you lose focus on making a quality product.

And, again, nobody ever gets REALLY excited about seeing their car featured on a web site.

I hope they (the magazine gods) get it straightened out soon, They have some good titles and some that need to be weeded. If you haven't honestly read CAR CRAFT or HOT ROD lately you are missing out. They are good and getting better each month.

 

Brandon, not fighting- but are you saying you are selling a magazine to the 5 people that have their car featured in the magazine- or the widest possible audience of readers? If it's the latter there is a much bigger FREE audience on the web (global) wouldn't you say?

 

I know you are not fighting, Jim... you're a thinker... that's why I like ya.

I'm just saying they need to focus on keeping people who care about the content and not shuffle them and their ideas around like they are not important... that's the main thing. Put out a good product. The "product" now has been restructured by the "bean counters" to become something they sell to the advertisers, not the readers.

I know it's not a perfect, utopian world, but... Where is the adventure? The passion? The personality? Where is the trial and error or personal editorial projects? Some magazines have them.. others lack the soul.

Readers READ the magazine, see the content, become inspired or moved and build their own car, usually with hopes of possibly seeing their car in print, which in turn, inspires others to do the same and buy more magazines.

I'd venture to say that Rick Amado's PPE cover/feature did more for Rod & Custom's popularity and sales at the time than any ad in the magazine that month. Content. Who REALLY pays the bills if there is nobody to advertise too?

I just had a small picture of my own car printed in a magazine, and even though it can be found on several places on the web, it was a cool thing for me personally. There is a different connection to print that the web can't really duplicate. That's just another reason why the magazines will be around for a while.

Fifteen years from now, are you going to be collecting vintage web pages or sites like you do your magazines? Maybe.. things are a'changin'.. but will it still have the same effect?

 

Maybe I'm just a little jaded that "corporate magazines" have little appreciation for reader inspiring content or employees that care deeply about the title (with so many people recently laid off from different companies and titles). This is pointed at no one particular because most of my friends in the print world (if I still have any ) are TOTALLY passionate about what they do- but the more important and powerful business side could CARE LESS that anyone know what the hell they writing about. That's why everyone in that world has ZERO feeling of job security no matter how knowledgable and beloved they are by their audience- it's a constant fear that there's a note on your door one day to see the front desk to collect your belongings. If ads are selling and the news stand numbers are right you could fill a magazine with pictures of Elephant poop as far as the ad guys care- that's why I feel there is a HUGE place for owner operated magazines whether they be printed or web based. A look at Kustoms Illustrated or Deadend will show you just as much passion from the creators with nothing tying their hands as far as cover blurbs and content.
Bottom line- room for everyone, find your passion where you find it.

 

That ain't no joke.... We were laughing about it last night, we spend the bulk of our advertising dollars in Yellow Pages (online and print) we are an emergency service business. Last year I did not meet with a single ad rep they all wanted to do it via phone/fax/email. I advertise in 10-12 print books, and the 3 biggest online yellow page directories. Last week I was stuck working from the house (we were having some work done) and 3 of the major players sent ad reps to my house to renew ads. 2 of the 3 had their bosses with them. Advertising in general is taking an ass whipping. I expanded mine this year because several of my competitors have dropped out of advertising. Everybody is feeling the crunch, we are hoping to expand our gross 25% in 09 and are on track. But the economy still sucks and people are slow to pay.

Johnboy.

 

Hot Rod Deluxe------no subscriptions available; wtf just replace 80% of HRM.
a Camaro with a supra engine-yes it happened a few months ago.

Garage------pulled check from mailbox-bad reputation.

Rod and Custom------sick and tired of "32 ford with a flathead/hemi/or...", oh and tri-5 Chevys



I too tried visiting the web sites of many mags. What a shame. Difficult to; navigate, full of advert BS, unable to find the media advertised in the mags.


some one please take out the trash

 

I miss CARtoons.

 

when one company dies another takes its place. Who wants to start a magazine?

 

You buyin'?