Autosport magazine to stop printing magazines at the end of the year

[mark_l]

I think it is more a reflection of the current situation. There is no motorsport taking place in most of the world (let's ignore esports) so a weekly has nothing to write about.

There is no point re-hashing old articles of previous GP's for the sake of printing something.

We will have to wait and see if the print edition does return in the future or if it remains just online.

[S griffin]

Usually we see some great retro articles when there are no racing on, but it’s still an understandable decision. Follow Ye Olde Autosport on Twitter if you can, Autosport are doing just that

Just a shame they got rid of the old site, for reasons best known to themselves. I miss the old gems from there

[mark_l]

I think the biggest danger to the future of the print edition is losing the shelf space at the newsagents.

By not publishing the newsagent will fill the space left with another publication, when Autosport decide to restart the newsagent may decide not to stock it on the grounds the shelves are full.

Circulation drops because people can't find it, downward spiral to the bottom. Or is that what Motorsport Network want?

[thetool]

Most newsagents / Supermarkets don't procure magazines on an individual title level.

They deal with a wholesaler who will simply provide them with a range of titles, based generally on sales figures but other factors can play a role.

This list will mostly be based on historic sales figures, it's pretty rare to see a new title appear.

Some of the major ones in the UK are: GKML, Marketforce, Frontline (who Autosport used to be with before Haymarket split, not sure of the current arrangement).

[Fiorentina 1]

They're back! I wonder if it'll be back to weekly or just after F1 races (which is every week for a while anyways). In the US we haven't received any UK based magazines in months. Nothing; no monthly, weekly, music, travel, gadgets, fashion, nothing.... Which has really hurt local newsstands.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Fiorentina 1

They're back! I wonder if it'll be back to weekly or just after F1 races (which is every week for a while anyways). In the US we haven't received any UK based magazines in months. Nothing; no monthly, weekly, music, travel, gadgets, fashion, nothing.... Which has really hurt local newsstands.

Possibly down to the lack of passenger flights between Europe and the US. Most periodicals are carried as cargo on these aircraft.

[Adam43]

Try a Readly subscription. Countries don’t have boundaries on that.

[S griffin]

Good to have it back, it’s still a good read, with plenty of content

[hoffman66]

I would disagree with some points.

Circulation drops not because of availability, I know in the past I wold go to several places to get my copy and was happy to do so.

What I was not happy with is the writing standard the obvious obsession with F1, the even constant price increases and the general lack of interesting content.

[Adam43]

Circulation must drop because of availability! Yes, some will travel the country for a copy. Others will not. Readers will be made up of people with different priorities.

The writing is OK at the moment, much better than ten or so years ago.

[Tanker62M]

But still, the main reason paper magazines are losing traction has nothing to do with supermarket policies and providers... And that's unfortunate, as I do like my physical press. Let's enjoy them while they haven't gone the way of the dodo!

[hoffman66]

Not sure it is that simple, they went that way because they had to for various reasons, pressure from the publisher, style, and the general move of niche magazines from pure reading to almost lifestyle choices. Look at an Autosport form the 80's full of reading, less pictures, more content. Now it is basically an LAT picture fest, less content. Its not a magazine, it's a catalogue.

For me, now they are mostly far too expensive for the reading material contained within, far too flashy and full of stuff I dont want to read. I stopped buying magazines about 10 years ago as a result.

And I miss the old days, but from what I have seen motoring wise I made a wise choice!

[S griffin]

I am enjoying the 70th Anniversary trips they are doing to old magazines at the back of the current magazines. Quite interesting. And today's is edited by DC

[The Fat Clerk]

For me, now they are mostly far too expensive for the reading material contained within, far too flashy and full of stuff I dont want to read. I stopped buying magazines about 10 years ago as a result.

And I miss the old days, but from what I have seen motoring wise I made a wise choice![/QUOTE]

I'm much the same, the only magazine I still subscribe to is Motorsport, but even that winds me up, with several pages devoted to watches every month.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by hoffman66

Look at an Autosport form the 80's full of reading, less pictures, more content. Now it is basically an LAT picture fest, less content. Its not a magazine, it's a catalogue.

I tend to avoid getting into debate about Autosport for obvious reasons but this is just so completely inaccurate, it needs to be called out. You have no idea of the amount of work which goes into producing the mag, and you clearly don't actually read it, as that bald final statement makes clear.

[Derwent]

I read Motoring News from about being 14, having had my father's MS to learn to read with previously. I stopped MSN as it became ten years ago. I never really enjoyed AS as it was more racing than rallying and speed events. The thing is that you get so out of touch. I looked at the British GTs on Sunday and only saw one name I recognised.
I know MSN got sold off but has it survived?
It's the national and club events that interest me, the GPs etc you can watch or you get the reports on Motor Sport Monday.

[hoffman66]

John, no I do not read it and I have worked in the print media before so know full well what it takes to put magazines together both weekly and monthly, so please be careful accusing people of things you think you know about, when perhaps you may not know about the person you are accusing.

I stopped reading and buying it 20 odd years ago, it is far too expensive for what is basically processed press releases most of the time, race reports that are not very interesting, and clutter. it is not difficult to make, especially now with emails etc and the ability to send copy electronically, when I was involved all pictures were scanned, sent by courier until the deadline, all copy was just about word processed on yonk old PC's using Apple programs that did not work properly, press day was insane, 12 hours usually, often more, and then laying out the copy for the week ahead, it is not hard, it is planning, awareness and getting the right people doing their jobs, like any other company. Most of it is written by contributors, even more so now, all that is done by the staff is layout, bits of copy and direction etc ideas. Not the writing as much as they once did.

If you think it is worth the price, fair enough, but because you do there will always be people who disagree just as strongly. but dont try and make journos out to be martyrs or the like, I know a few of them and the opposite it true.

[dwh43scale]

Originally Posted by Derwent

I know MSN got sold off but has it survived?

Yes, bought by Kelsey Media and continued publishing through the enforced break from competition.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by hoffman66

John, no I do not read it and I have worked in the print media before so know full well what it takes to put magazines together both weekly and monthly, so please be careful accusing people of things you think you know about, when perhaps you may not know about the person you are accusing.

I stopped reading and buying it 20 odd years ago, it is far too expensive for what is basically processed press releases most of the time, race reports that are not very interesting, and clutter. it is not difficult to make, especially now with emails etc and the ability to send copy electronically, when I was involved all pictures were scanned, sent by courier until the deadline, all copy was just about word processed on yonk old PC's using Apple programs that did not work properly, press day was insane, 12 hours usually, often more, and then laying out the copy for the week ahead, it is not hard, it is planning, awareness and getting the right people doing their jobs, like any other company. Most of it is written by contributors, even more so now, all that is done by the staff is layout, bits of copy and direction etc ideas. Not the writing as much as they once did.

If you think it is worth the price, fair enough, but because you do there will always be people who disagree just as strongly. but dont try and make journos out to be martyrs or the like, I know a few of them and the opposite it true.

And much of this, as far as Autosport is concerned, is also incorrect, so I adhere to what I said. I cannot comment on other mags, nor would I presume to do so. However, I don't need to know who you are or what you have done, to be able to say that Autosport is neither an LAT pic fest, nor a catalogue, and since you admit that you don't even read it, and haven't done for 20 years, you're clearly not in a position to offer any assessment, or indeed some of the embellishments that you have now so kindly proffered. I therefore thank you for giving me the opportunity to correct you.

[hoffman66]

This is not a points scoring exercise chap, it is you thinking you are right when you have not to my knowledge worked in the industry as I have.

Simply put the magazine has gone from being largely editorial in the most part in the 80's to being far more of a tabletop style magazine as most did over the years, far more arty pictures, far more adverts, far less content. Which is why I never buy magazines anymore, they are a waste of paper in the most part.

I am not saying it is all bad. Nor am I saying I have never looked at or read a copy in the last few years, when I have I have found it to be hugely short on content, large on pictures (hence the LAT jibe) and very short on pages fr something that weekly was asking nearly as much as a monthly. The writing is fine, the news gathering too, that is what journalists do.

If you think that is great, more fool you, I feel for your other decisions in life lol!

[Peter Mallett]

OK, enough already. John knows quite a lot about this particular publication and many of us understand his support for it. Whether he or you are correct is a matter of your opinion.

As it happens I do think it has lost something but I also know the personnel are working their buns off to produce a weekly publication, which many folks are still buying.

[peebee2]

The problem is that paper publications are like the high street. They can fight but they will die just like the other dinosaurs.

The current McLaren-centred mag will be no exception, especially since it managed to lose its identity about 15/20 years ago.

The race reports add little. They used to be great when you either couldn’t see it, or you had to rely on dear old Muddly Talker’s wild ramblings, but now you can get 100% information and coverage from home and watch pretty much any series worldwide if you want to.

I’m a subscriber but couldn’t tell you the last time I even opened the virtual version of the mag, let alone read it in detail.

[John Turner]

My life choices have been, with one or two exceptions OK as I approach 71. I never said the mag was great, merely that opinions need to be based on fact. £3.99 buys a pint (in some places!). I have no doubt that Autosport in print form will ultimately go the way of most printed publications in favour of the Internet as peebee rightly says although a quick flick through of the pages of recent issues, doesn't seem to bear out the McLaren-centred description.

Anyway, that is enough from me and I'll leave it there.

[peebee2]

You might be right about McLaren John. It turned me right off, but maybe they’ve toned it down since.

[Fiorentina 1]

Autosport and Auto Car stop being distributed in the USA since this time last year. I buy them once in a while, including this week's Murray Walker tribute issue from a source in the UK. It takes a good week to 2-weeks to arrive.