What Magazines/Websites/Writers Do You Read? (Merged x3)

[Buckshot]

There's no way it would have been the sole reason as print media all over the world is dying out, but it would have to be a contributing factor or another nail in the coffin.

[Mixer]

Originally Posted by Buckshot

There's no way it would have been the sole reason as print media all over the world is dying out, but it would have to be a contributing factor or another nail in the coffin.

AA's decline began well before Foxtel signed up the rights. Not a factor.

[dsg]

Originally Posted by Buckshot

There's no way it would have been the sole reason as print media all over the world is dying out, but it would have to be a contributing factor or another nail in the coffin.

It would not have to be. AA sales have been dropping for many years, including during the period V8s were broadcast on FTA. AA type products have become available in vastly greater numbers for free electronically in recent years.

[peckstar]

surely we can discuss this over in the auto action thread.

That aside Motorsport News closed back before the fox contract, the trent was well on the way

plus there is no evidence of overall lost viewers under the fox deal so that's an even sillier argument

[GTRMagic]

Out now...

[Just Do It!]

What ever will you read on the throne now, GTRMagic??

[dsg]

Originally Posted by Just Do It!

What ever will you read on the throne now, GTRMagic??

A tablet or phone like everyone else.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by dsg

A tablet or phone like everyone else.

I previously read AA that way anyway...

[anthony81901]

Sad, but probably inevitable. While it had its critics it was by and large a good read. Up until 15 years ago it was pretty much the main source of information for motorsport fans. A visit to the newsagent to buy a copy on a Thursday was part of my weekly routine for many years.

Best of luck to all of the staff during this difficult time and thanks for your efforts.

[Buckshot]

Yeah it is a shame. I purchased the mag religiously from 1997 to around 2011 and it was always a good read whilst having lunch at work.

I also had a few letters published and even got letter of the week one issue !

After that I just relied on the internet for any news and then last year with V8s and F1 moving to pay TV I gave up motorsport completely.

[peckstar]

I see that fairfax is considering ending its weekday age and SMH as well as its weekend Fin review

I would guess that we should blame this on the v8 to foxtel deal.

Its seems to be the reason some people are blaming the demise of auto action.

As is illogical now as it was then

[Langers]

I read Speedcafe religiously, probably upwards of 20 page checks a day.

The lack of detailed technical journalism out there on V8SC is disappointing. I mean proper technical articles like you would find in Racecar Engineering magazine.

Get into the details of how the wheelnuts are designed and made, how they choose material for the driveshafts, how they life components and maintain accurate inventories, what welding method is used on the cages, the differences in geometries between T8/Walkinshaw/Erebus/Nismo front ends etc etc etc. Get right into the nitty gritty with super HD photos of the internal (non-proprietary) workings of the cars. Cutaways of the engines, details of how Polestar/Cyan developed the C90 donk etc. Over the years some segments on V8Xtra looked at these areas but they really just skimmed the surface and the technicalities were dumbed down for a general audience.

All you get on Speedcafe/Motorsport.com/Fox/SMH/V8SC etc is regurgitated garbage about how Courtney and HRT are going to have a great year (and of course fail to do so). For someone wanting to follow the series closely from afar (living overseas), the light media coverage makes it difficult.

[djr81]

Originally Posted by Langers

I read Speedcafe religiously, probably upwards of 20 page checks a day.

The lack of detailed technical journalism out there on V8SC is disappointing. I mean proper technical articles like you would find in Racecar Engineering magazine.

Get into the details of how the wheelnuts are designed and made, how they choose material for the driveshafts, how they life components and maintain accurate inventories, what welding method is used on the cages, the differences in geometries between T8/Walkinshaw/Erebus/Nismo front ends etc etc etc. Get right into the nitty gritty with super HD photos of the internal (non-proprietary) workings of the cars. Cutaways of the engines, details of how Polestar/Cyan developed the C90 donk etc. Over the years some segments on V8Xtra looked at these areas but they really just skimmed the surface and the technicalities were dumbed down for a general audience.

All you get on Speedcafe/Motorsport.com/Fox/SMH/V8SC etc is regurgitated garbage about how Courtney and HRT are going to have a great year (and of course fail to do so). For someone wanting to follow the series closely from afar (living overseas), the light media coverage makes it difficult.

The lack of any form of in depth journalism in this country is cause for despair. Other than a few overseas titles there is nothing in the way of technical content or even in depth content relating to motorsport. The fundamental problem is people would rather read press releases for free than buy a magazine with the hope of finding something more in depth. The days of old where the likes of Bill Tuckey had the scope and the skill to provide articles and books of the highest quality are long gone.

[GTRMagic]

I remember the comparison tests in Motor magazine by the late Barry Lake... they were the reason the magazine was worth buying in those days.

Detail focused, impressions from a comparative sense, and usually giving you some kind of feel for what it would be like to drive, and possibly own.

Depth, synthesizing data with context into information, presented well.

And actually driving the same 3 or 4 cars on the same roads at the same time so you get to the end of the comparison and see a real winner.

Not like now.. when every published webpage seems to have an award, and a Hyundai (who is said to have a very generous loan car fleet) seems to top them out a lot... do they actually drive all the cars in the class? Doubtful.

Now what do we get? Top Gear-style advertorials telling us how the pilots get an itchy nose when the cars are at 298 km/h up some backroad somewhere...

The only constant is change, but it doesn't mean we have to always like it..

[Just Do It!]

Journalistc prowess has been taken to with a sharp knife today in NZ with news that NZME and Fairfax are looking at a merger. Already, the NZ Herald is largely in a tail spin, and now the NZME "thought process" will stuff up stuff.co.nz.

More old hats will be hung up as the new breed take over and turn Twitter and Snapchat into "stories". Journalism, under it's proper guise, really is on life support at ICU

[Mixer]

Originally Posted by Just Do It!

More old hats will be hung up as the new breed take over and turn Twitter and Snapchat into "stories". Journalism, under it's proper guise, really is on life support at ICU

Meanwhile they'll show Taboola ads about a weight loss miracle and bemoan the fact that people don't want to pay for quality journalism...

[sizzle]

Originally Posted by Langers

I read Speedcafe religiously, probably upwards of 20 page checks a day.

Why they are lucky to put more than a couple of articles up on any day.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by sizzle

Why they are lucky to put more than a couple of articles up on any day.

6 today, 6 yesterday, 6 monday 15 on sunday

[Terry S]

Try "motorsport.com". It covers the world.

[Kingair]

One lonely copy of the final Auto Action left on the rack at our local newagency, amongst the thousand and one magazines on old Ford's, hot Torana's, Fast Fours and the various picture magazines for Doof Doof car drivers( the ones that wear their trousers at half mast)!

[GTRMagic]

From Mr Lambden's FB share...

[Alan52]

Good news.The fortnightly Motorsport News was the last Australian motor sport magazine that hit the mark.Hopefully Phil's presence will mean that it will be of that standard rather than AA's.

[rich07]

This sounds promising especially if Brannigan's involved. Interested to see how the relaunched mag turns out.

[djr81]

Originally Posted by Alan52

Good news.The fortnightly Motorsport News was the last Australian motor sport magazine that hit the mark.Hopefully Phil's presence will mean that it will be of that standard rather than AA's.

Motorsport News was always a good publication - I say that even though I do not like Joe Saward's "journalism". The biggest problem with MNews over here in the west was it would turn up on the newsagent shelves the week after it was published over east. So you could read a preview of a race that had already been run.... something to do with air freight being too expensive. Fix that and get some good in depth articles and it should work.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

James Warburton grew up reading Auto Action, who knew? Almost reads like a pre fabricated quote from the V8SC pr department.

Article Here

Originally Posted by The Article

Running V8s has also helped Warburton to relate to his father, for whom V8s was a great passion: “I went to Bathurst with him for many, many years from when I was five. Doing this job makes me feel close to him.”