Say goodbye to Road and Track

[Adam Wright]

Better not re-new your subscriptions for 2014, looks like Road and Track is slated for death.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ten-brand ... l?page=all

[Peter Silten]

How sad. Now, what am I going to read when I am sitting in my doctor's waiting room waiting to be seen?

[Adam Wright]

Peter,
More importantly, what are you doing up reading my words at 6AM on a Sunday?

[Peter Silten]

Catching worms.

[Steve Harrison]

Hell Adam... I've seen you post at 3am. (Why am I up at 3am too?)
Are ye part Vampire?

And Peter, I wouldn't worry. It will take years and years for the issues found in doctors offices to trickle down. They usually run about four years behind the latest issue right?

[Peter Silten]

Steve, I like your trickle down theory.

[Bob Forman]

About 3 years ago I subscribed to Motor Trend through one of those airline miles give-aways. It was supposed to be for one year. I think three times now I've gotten an issue with the tear-away cover that said: "This is your last issue." Just the other day I got a letter from them saying I'd better renew as you only have 3 issues left. Adam knows the publishing business and this has to be a sign of something. Desperation perhaps?

[Phil Planck]

Not much in the current R&T that interests me except Peter Egan's column. I was recently given a set covering 1951-1986. That will keep me busy for quite a while.

[Ron Domkowski]

I just renewed for 2 years at $14.00. What a deal!!

[Adam Wright]

Steve-
You have little kids too, they can't read clocks, but they can scream at 3AM.

Bob-
Publishing is all #s, how many people you reach, so having you "on the books" as a subscriber is what they need. Another little known fact about magazine publishing, you make almost 0 off selling the magazine in stores, but you can make a little as a subscription. So you combine the fact that you make a little money, and you need the name on the roster, so you do whatever it takes to get subscribers and keep them. But advertising is all the gravy in magazines, and for the last 10 years the gravy has been watered down swill, we closed the doors after 80 issues in 2006. I think losing Nike and Adidas in one week was the knock on the door for me. Luckily for me I was able to turn my real passion and hobby into a job, and I still get to write for magazines, which was the only fun part of owning a magazine, writing and meeting people you always wanted to meet.
My favorite cover of all time, the 20th Annivarsary of Miami Vice.

[Vic Skirmants]

I dropped R&T several years ago, after several decades as a subscriber. I could no longer tell the articles from the ads. Too much artsy-fartsy for this old fart(sy?).

[Brian R Adams]

Peter Silten wrote:
> How sad. Now, what am I going to read when I am sitting in my doctor's
> waiting room waiting to be seen?

Outdoor Life?

"Bust Those Late Season Bucks!"
"Catch More Fish With A Barometer!"

[Steve Raucher]

Always turned to the back to see the P.S. (Post Script). Liked all the car ads way back in the day.
R.I.P. Road & Track

[Adam Wright]

Vic-
As time has come on the advertisiers had more and more power, and their demands became bigger and bigger, now Advertorial as we called it, (paid placement of product made to look like an article), is huge. Back in the day there was a Berlin Wall in every magazine office, dividing advertising from editorial, but as the advertisers dwindled, the wall has come down. One of the last big clients I landed was Boost Mobile, and their list of demands was crazy, the one that really got me was I was responsible for throwing a series of parties at one of their NYC flagship stores, because I know so much about throwing parties!!! Luckily, we shut the doors before I ever had to learn out to book a DJ and get a liquor sponsor, but trust me, if you read something and it seems a little fishy or ad-like, it's because it was paid for.

[Russ Myers]

I have some of the 50s issues with early 356 articles and pictures. I like those ones. I'm not much of a magazine reader in general though. I ordered a couple of recent Hot Rod issues on eBay because my buddy was on the cover of them. I like the pre-1970 car magazines and pre-1975 motorcycle ones. But even then, I barely ever get around to reading them.