While at the LHS today I was browsing the magazine rack and realized there are some empty slots in the rack. While I did find my Model Cars Magazine, I noticed the "other" publication was missing. When I asked the owner, he told me dropped the "other" periodical due to rapidly declinign sales and increased stipulations for ordering the magazine.
I was at a Hobby Town last weekend and they also dropped a certain publication due to "increased hassles" when trying to deal with the publisher.
Gotta make you wonder what's going on...besides the obvious! Living proof that if you put a qiality publication together, they WILL come. Congrats on an awesome magazine Gregg!!! Your hard work is paying off.
0
Very Interesting...
Started by 93Z34, Jan 23 2011 05:13 PM
123 replies to this topic
#1
93Z34
-
- Members
-
- 358 posts
MCM Avid Poster
- Location:North of Albany, NY
- Full Name:Brian Batease
Posted 23 January 2011 - 05:13 PM
#2
JPR
-
- Members
-
- 53 posts
MCM Regular
- Location:Tennessee
- Full Name:Josh
Posted 23 January 2011 - 05:20 PM
Sadly this is the complete opposite near me. I cant find a Model Cars Magazine for the life of me! A few others on the hand are very abundant.
#3
Harry P.
-
- Administrators
-
- 17,900 posts
MCM Ohana
- Location:NW suburban Chicago
- Full Name:A mere layman...
Posted 23 January 2011 - 05:21 PM
Sadly this is the complete opposite near me. I cant find a Model Cars Magazine for the life of me! A few others on the hand are very abundant.
Ever think about subscribing? Comes right to your door...
#4
MikeMc
-
- Members
-
- 5,340 posts
MCM Ohana
- Location:Deep in the Everglades
- Full Name:מייק
Posted 23 January 2011 - 05:22 PM
Ever think about subscribing? Comes right to your door...
When?????
#5
Harry P.
-
- Administrators
-
- 17,900 posts
MCM Ohana
- Location:NW suburban Chicago
- Full Name:A mere layman...
Posted 23 January 2011 - 05:42 PM
When?????
Once a month.
#6
RodneyBad
-
- Members
-
- 5,946 posts
MCM Ohana
- Location:Portland Or.
Posted 23 January 2011 - 05:54 PM
Which Month?Once a month.
#7
scummy
-
- Members
-
- 362 posts
MCM Avid Poster
- Location:SYDNEY , AUSTRALIA
- Full Name:Mark Harmer
Posted 23 January 2011 - 05:56 PM
When the postman comes to your place ?When?????
#8
Jairus
-
- Members
-
- 3,198 posts
MCM Ohana
- Location:Salem, OR
- Full Name:Jairus
Posted 23 January 2011 - 07:47 PM
Once a month.
With only nine issues per year?
Intresting.....
#9
Michigan Madman
-
- Members
-
- 10,117 posts
MCM Ohana
- Location:Michiganistan
- Full Name:Chuck Most
Posted 23 January 2011 - 07:52 PM
Some kind of space-time paradox?With only nine issues per year?
Intresting.....
#10
RodneyBad
-
- Members
-
- 5,946 posts
MCM Ohana
- Location:Portland Or.
Posted 23 January 2011 - 08:29 PM
Actually I don't care, as long as I get my 9 Issues for the Yr, I'm good..
I did get 9 issues last yr, Right?
I did get 9 issues last yr, Right?
#11
midnightprowler
-
- Members
-
- 4,544 posts
MCM Ohana
- Location:East Bethel, Minnesota
- Full Name:Lee
Posted 24 January 2011 - 02:08 AM
How much is Gregg paying you guys to toot his horn? I'm sorry, but MCM, after 10 years still has a fanzine feel to it. I dont feel at all it's better than SA. The forum, yes, but not the magazine.
#12
ra7c7er
-
- Members
-
- 1,108 posts
MCM Ohana
- Location:Shiloh, IL
- Full Name:Robert Roach
Posted 24 January 2011 - 02:14 AM
All magazines today are pretty much fanzines. they all are given free product they all write reviews based on said free product and advertisement. I read magazines for the ancillary articles how to this and how to that, Scratch building tips, and reader submissions. Rarely do I read kit reviews except to see the included parts.
#13
Terror
-
- Members
-
- 1,041 posts
MCM Ohana
- Location:Off the Grid.....
- Full Name:Terry Iocco
Posted 24 January 2011 - 02:42 AM
I don't think N.Y. state carries MCM.Never seen one here.
#14
ra7c7er
-
- Members
-
- 1,108 posts
MCM Ohana
- Location:Shiloh, IL
- Full Name:Robert Roach
Posted 24 January 2011 - 03:03 AM
I don't think you can really compare SA to MCM they are two completely different beasts in terms of magazines. SA has more manpower and money in one issue than MCM probably does in an entire year.
Would MCM be better off with larger issues and be bi-monthly to give them more time and bigger error margins probably but that's not the way they do it. I applaud what they are doing hundreds of magazines come and go in a year and many of them have more power and resources than MCM and MCM has stuck around for a while now.
Instead of hammering MCM on what they are doing wrong why not offer suggestions to fix the issues. One of my biggest issues with with MCM is that in the scratch building section they seems to skip common steps that the builder expects the reader to know. It's annoying to try and build exactly what is in the article and come to a point where what you have doesn't match up because the articles writer expects you to know something you don't. Now granted SA is the exact opposite laying everything out in such baby steps as to make me feel like I am in first grade that is annoying too.
I personally like the fanziney feel to MCM just like my favorite slot car mag (model car racing mag) it makes me feel like the writers actually care about the hobby and aren't just writing for a pay check. Could it be toned back a bit yeah and it would be nice but I would rather feel a connection with the magazine than feel nothing when I read it.
Gregg - if you read this you might want to contact the Model Car Racing Magazine guys, if you don't know them already, they had many of the same issues people are talking about here and they have pulled trough and made a really nice niche magazine. You guys might be able to bounce ideas off each other. From the look and feel of your magazines though you might actually use the same printer, lol.
Would MCM be better off with larger issues and be bi-monthly to give them more time and bigger error margins probably but that's not the way they do it. I applaud what they are doing hundreds of magazines come and go in a year and many of them have more power and resources than MCM and MCM has stuck around for a while now.
Instead of hammering MCM on what they are doing wrong why not offer suggestions to fix the issues. One of my biggest issues with with MCM is that in the scratch building section they seems to skip common steps that the builder expects the reader to know. It's annoying to try and build exactly what is in the article and come to a point where what you have doesn't match up because the articles writer expects you to know something you don't. Now granted SA is the exact opposite laying everything out in such baby steps as to make me feel like I am in first grade that is annoying too.
I personally like the fanziney feel to MCM just like my favorite slot car mag (model car racing mag) it makes me feel like the writers actually care about the hobby and aren't just writing for a pay check. Could it be toned back a bit yeah and it would be nice but I would rather feel a connection with the magazine than feel nothing when I read it.
Gregg - if you read this you might want to contact the Model Car Racing Magazine guys, if you don't know them already, they had many of the same issues people are talking about here and they have pulled trough and made a really nice niche magazine. You guys might be able to bounce ideas off each other. From the look and feel of your magazines though you might actually use the same printer, lol.
Edited by ra7c7er, 24 January 2011 - 03:09 AM.
#15
ian ashton
-
- Members
-
- 411 posts
MCM Avid Poster
- Location:Royal Oak, MI
- Full Name:Ian Ashton
Posted 24 January 2011 - 03:40 AM
I've never seen a copy of Model Cars Magazine, but I bought my first copy of SA in at least 13 years on Friday and was terribly disappointed. It seems like 50% of the 60 pages were ads. The entire thing felt like a supplement that they'd give away at shows, not like a magazine I'd pay $6 (the most expensive of the 5 I bought and the least number of pages) for on the news stand. The content was weak, nice photography, but show coverage was slim and who wants a tutorial in building a complete kit? Id prefer individual tips amd tricks rather than a step by step on how to duplicate something someone else has already built. Their forum is also pretty lame.
I'm going to subscribe to MCM because I like the forum, support those that support you. This forum is free, as is emodelcars - has anyone priced out hosting costs for a high traffic site like this? Its not free, thats for sure You guys complain like a group of little girls. If you don't like something step up to change it - write an article and submit it. Nobody forces you to read, post, or subscribe. If ya don't like it, move on, there are lots of hobbies out there, I just like mine to be fun.
I'm going to subscribe to MCM because I like the forum, support those that support you. This forum is free, as is emodelcars - has anyone priced out hosting costs for a high traffic site like this? Its not free, thats for sure You guys complain like a group of little girls. If you don't like something step up to change it - write an article and submit it. Nobody forces you to read, post, or subscribe. If ya don't like it, move on, there are lots of hobbies out there, I just like mine to be fun.
#16
VW Dave
-
- Members
-
- 2,060 posts
MCM Ohana
- Location:sorta-southa-Saratoga, NY
- Full Name:Vee Doubleyou Dave
Posted 24 January 2011 - 04:16 AM
I don't think N.Y. state carries MCM.Never seen one here.
My LHS carries it, so we can rule that theory out
#17
mikemodeler
-
- Members
-
- 2,630 posts
MCM Ohana
- Location:NASCAR Country!
- Full Name:Classified
Posted 24 January 2011 - 04:31 AM
Ian,
You bought your first SA in 13 years and are disappointed with it. Did you register your complaint with them or are you going to just let it go quietly?
Comparing MCM to SA is a FAIR comparison as they both cater to the same interests, regardless of who the publisher is! Do I enjoy not getting my MCM on time? NO, I don't.
As was stated by Double D and Bluesman Mark, there is some progress to be made before MCM can be looked at the same way as SA. The buck stops with Gregg and only he can make the difference.
You bought your first SA in 13 years and are disappointed with it. Did you register your complaint with them or are you going to just let it go quietly?
Comparing MCM to SA is a FAIR comparison as they both cater to the same interests, regardless of who the publisher is! Do I enjoy not getting my MCM on time? NO, I don't.
As was stated by Double D and Bluesman Mark, there is some progress to be made before MCM can be looked at the same way as SA. The buck stops with Gregg and only he can make the difference.
#18
midnightprowler
-
- Members
-
- 4,544 posts
MCM Ohana
- Location:East Bethel, Minnesota
- Full Name:Lee
Posted 24 January 2011 - 04:41 AM
MCM is chock full of ads too, they just put them all together in about 4 or 5 pages. Tha's how magazines generate revenue. It isnt from subscribers like most think.
#19
Harry P.
-
- Administrators
-
- 17,900 posts
MCM Ohana
- Location:NW suburban Chicago
- Full Name:A mere layman...
Posted 24 January 2011 - 05:08 AM
With only nine issues per year?
Intresting.....
That's still three more issues than SA will give you for your yearly subscription...
#20
ian ashton
-
- Members
-
- 411 posts
MCM Avid Poster
- Location:Royal Oak, MI
- Full Name:Ian Ashton
Posted 24 January 2011 - 07:07 AM
Ian,
You bought your first SA in 13 years and are disappointed with it. Did you register your complaint with them or are you going to just let it go quietly?
Comparing MCM to SA is a FAIR comparison as they both cater to the same interests, regardless of who the publisher is! Do I enjoy not getting my MCM on time? NO, I don't.
As was stated by Double D and Bluesman Mark, there is some progress to be made before MCM can be looked at the same way as SA. The buck stops with Gregg and only he can make the difference.
Probably not, aside from that post I'll probably never talk about it again, and I'm sure I'll keep buying it, lol.
