march 2013
newsletter
| autowriters spotlight | ||
Robert E. Calem is in this month’s Autowriters Spotlight because his career reflects how the interplay between the fourth estate and the Internet has changed what he still dignifies with a capital: Journalism. Writing has always been a solitary endeavor, but when I began my career nearly three decades ago (in 1986) Journalism was a group effort. Reporters researched and wrote, editors edited, fact-checkers checked facts, photographers took pictures, and graphic artists put everyone else's efforts together — along with advertisements sold by publishers — on printed pages. The ultimate aim of all of this activity was to build the publication's brand. Now, it seems to me, Journalism itself is a solitary endeavor. Reporters no longer just research and write; they also take pictures, shoot video, and use their personal Twitter and Facebook accounts to promote their work to an audience that follows them individually. While they may work for publications they do not own, and still in the end help to build those publications' brands, they are in a very real sense independent and building their own personal brands as well. Undoubtedly, the Journalists who have the strongest personal brands are best prepared to survive the loss of a job or succeed in the search for a new one even as their employers' brands collapse. So, after 23 years of flying solo as a freelance Journalist, I have finally taken the first step toward a truly solitary career: I've launched my own website and, with it, my own brand. This was easier than I expected — and also just as difficult. My entire career had centered around technology, but as a reporter not as a creator. Soon after graduating from McGill University in Montréal with a degree in English, I started my Journalism career as a freelance contributor to a trade magazine covering video graphics and special effects, and this led to my first full-time job as a founding editor of another trade magazine covering consumer electronics, which led me to the role of top editor at a third trade magazine that I helped to start — this one about consumer electronics for home offices. Next came studies for my Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University in New York, and then a job as the technology editor at a financial newswire. When that newswire folded during the economic downturn of 1990, I began freelancing. That wasn't my intended career path at first. I had been looking for full-time employment again, but the Journalism industry was contracting and I found no openings. Many editors I knew offered freelance assignments to help keep me afloat, however, and I soon had no reason to continue my hunt for a staff job. I was busy covering a beat I enjoyed (technology), earning accolades from editors in the form of ongoing assignments, and earning a living through self-employment. I also was evolving with the changing media landscape. In 1995, the World Wide Web emerged as a commercial entity and a publishing medium, and I pursued it as such. Already a regular contributor to The New York Times newspaper (mostly to the Business section's technology coverage), I switched to reporting for The New York Times on the Web (nytimes.com) when it launched that year, covering technology and the Web for the CyberTimes section. That continued for several years and led to constant work contributing to other major publications online, including The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition (wsj.com) and Newsweek.com. In 2004, when BMW started offering Bluetooth as a dealer-installed option, I took this as an opportunity to meld my career covering technology with my passion for automobiles, and I started regularly covering car technology. I also gained new outlets for my autos coverage, including Edmunds.com. Meanwhile, I have been reading some of the leading blogs that cover consumer electronics and autos, and I have sensed that the career I love is becoming a relic of the past. Their stories are badly written and superficial — often only lightly researched or entirely based on press releases. They are a poor imitation of traditional Journalism. Yet these are among the most-highly-trafficked publications online, with huge international audiences. Thus, I concluded last summer that to have longevity practicing Journalism the way I was taught to do it and want to do it, I would have to supplement my freelancing with my own publication on the Web and build my own brand around it. I bought a URL with my name in it, signed up with a "host" that would store and serve my webpages to visitors, and researched both tools for building my website and sources of advertising that would generate revenue from it. In the nearly 20 years since the dawn of the Web, I discovered, website building had become easier than I'd expected. Software to quickly create and set up a site is cheap or free. Third parties supply the ads that provide the revenue. By last fall, I had built the site in my spare time, replete with sections and subsections. In February, having produced an initial batch of stories, I finally launched it. Now open to visitors at www.robcalem.com, the site comprises five sections to span the range of topics I cover regularly plus any other subject that I think will interest readers: Autos; Devices (which could be anything from iPods to high-tech refrigerators); Apps; Sports Tech; and Random. Also, each of those sections contains three subsections: Features; News; and Reviews. Moreover, every article on the site is new — not a revision or republication of my work for other outlets — and each has the depth, breadth and clarity usually associated with an excellent newspaper or magazine article. I deliberately did not create a typical blog filled with short stories written in a colloquial or stream-of-consciousness style that emphasizes the writer's opinion or personality over the facts. It won't be easy keeping my site filled with fresh, high-quality content, but I'm hoping that my effort to do this ultimately will attract and retain a sizable audience of interested, appreciative readers. Ad revenue grows only with audience size, of course, and so far both have been small. Nonetheless, even as I confront challenges I never faced as a Journalist before, I remain hopeful that there still will be a market for well-written and informative examples of good old-fashioned Journalism for decades to come. I know there will be a need. |
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| mac's detroit dispatch | ||
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Assessing what really counts in the ratings game
Lexus Holds Gold Medal in Luxury Set
Revving Up With Chrysler (of all Brands!)
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| new roads | ||
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Dan Gray writes about a new video series he plans: "Hi Glenn -
Many thanks for the fantastic job you do with the Autowriters
Newsletter!" I've launched a crowdfunding
campaign on
Ohana Road, Hawaii's award winning automotive infotainment TV show is now
Hawaii's newest radio entity NBC Sports Radio AM 1500 has slotted
Ohana
Bloomberg Pursuits, a glossy, luxury magazine, is increasing its frequency from 2 to 4 times a year. New editor Ted Moncrieff, says his moneyed readers like stories that go behind the product to the underlying values. |
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| awards and events | ||
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Third Jerry Flint Scholarship Awarded February 22 the Overseas Press Club Foundation presented 14 scholarships and internships to graduate students of journalism who intend to become foreign correspondents. One of the scholarships is named in memory of automotive journalist Jerry Flint. Kate McLeod, Jerry’s wife, founded the scholarship in memory of Jerry in 2010 to honor Jerry’s contributions to journalism. The scholarship was endowed in record time. This year, winner Valerie Hopkins, 25, who graduates from Columbia Journalism program in June, heads to Belgrade on an internship with Reuters. When McLeod thanked a Reuter’s editor for supporting Valerie, he said, "We’ve never had anyone in the bureau before who speaks the language." Before entering graduate school, Hopkins reported from Bosnia, Herzegovina and the Balkans. "I traveled there for summers 2008 and 2009, and lived there from Feb 2010-Aug 2012. I speak Bosnian/Serbian/Croatian, which are variations of the same language," says Hopkins. She also has a knowledge of Spanish and Russian. Hopkins, who grew up in the Voice of America newsroom where her mother worked, was one of 14 who won scholarships/internships out of a field of 174 applicants. Other scholarships awarded by the OPC Foundation are named for some of the most influential names in journalism history including I.F. Stone, H.L. Stevenson, Walter Cronkite and Flora Lewis. Two winners have preceded Valerie: Natalie Bailey, the first scholar to win, is freelancing in New York; Rachel Will is in Phnom Phen. "I wasn’t sure I would get any support for a scholarship in Jerry’s name," says McLeod. "I found out pretty quickly how well thought of Jerry is."
"An Evening With Brian Redman" April 18 in Long Beach, Calif. prior to the running of the Toyota Grand Prix will honor the more than 40-year racing career of the veteran sports car, Formula One and F5000 driver. It is the Road Racing Drivers Club's fifth annual banquet honoring a legend of the sport and the presenting sponsor is Firestone. For more information and tickets to the event, contact: Jeremy Shaw at rrdc2@cox.net . . . . Also occurring on April 18 in the L.A. basin is the Petersen Museum’s first "Alternative Fuel Symposium." The symposium will feature three different panel presentations and discussions. It runs from 1:00p.m. 5:00p.m., followed by a reception. For more information contact: Chris Brown@petersen.org (323) 964-6320 . . . The 1936 Duesenberg SJN (Supercharged) and the 1968 Ford GT40 "#1075" won "Best In Show" honors at the 18th annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance the weekend of March 9 –10. . . . Automobile industry insider and author/historian Karl Ludvigsen will speak about his experiences in the worlds of cars and racing at 1 p.m. on April 13 at the International Motor Racing Research Center, Watkins Glen, NY. The free talk is part of the on-going Center Conversations speaker series and is open to all. . . . . . Registration is open for the August 5-8 CAR Management Briefing Seminars 2013. For more information contact: Lisa Hart at 734.929.0465 or lhart@cargroup.org . . .Just in case you, like AW.Com, did not know there is a Federacion Internacional de Periodistas del Automovil (FIPA: International Federation of Automotive Journalists), there is. It is headquartered in Guatemala. Its members and the Interamerican Automotive Journalists Federation (IAJP) that extends to more than 20 countries, selected the Mazda CX-5 2013 CX-5 "SUV of the Year for the Americas." |
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| lane changes | ||
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Michael Taylor, former auto editor at the San Francisco Chronicle, is
now writing new-car reviews and other car-related items and features for
Hearst Newspapers’ National Cars Blog, which goes to the big media
company’s 15 dailies, including the Chronicle (blog.sfgate.com/topdown).
Michael can be emailed at miketttt@att.net or telephoned at 510-653-7810
in Berkeley, Calif. . . . . Michael Dobrin, whose PR agency, MDPR,
represented Toyota
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| talk back | ||
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Our apologies to a number of persons who wrote us with corrections or comments but did not hear back or read theirs in one of our issues. A computer glitch stored a number of readers’ letters from way back. The oldest, arrived last October from Automobile Magazine president and editor-in-chief Jean Jennings, but didn’t appear on our screens until March. She corrected our description of her added undertaking: "Tweaking your copy!" "Love following the industry on Autowriters, and thrilled that you gave our new venture a plug. A couple of notes: www.JeanKnowsCars.com isn't a blog but a fully realized website, heavy on the video. Also, I won't be in Tribune newspapers, I will be contributing an automotive service segment weekly to the Tribune TV syndicate. Lots of video, guys! Have a look!
Jean Jennings ### Hi From Down Under Glenn, For 12 years I had the great privilege to be able to work and earn a living in the USA at Jaguar and Bentley. I made many, many good friends, whose company I miss, having retired back to Australia. Thanks for the newsletter which helps me keep up to date on events and old friends. If any of them plan to vacation in Australia, I'd love to hear from them.
John Crawford ### Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show Bruce Hotchkiss regularly sends AWCom his "Spare Parts" column, so we missed a ton of them. Among them was a plug for an event that there is still time to plan on attending: the 23rd Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show. Hotchkiss says it is, "biggest, baddest, most fascinating gatherings of the world's coolest cars, trucks, motorcycles, aircraft and assorted contraptions representing every era and style." To be held at Half-Moon Bay , the show will be April 27-28 from 10 a.m. to 4.pm. You can find an excellent description of what makes the Dream Machine Show so popular by scrolling down Hotchkiss’ web site: www.brucehotchkiss.com. You’ll also run across some other columns that are refreshingly direct and timely. Or contact the show itself at: 650-726-2328 or http://www.miramarevents.com/dreammachines ### Jerry Kuyper's misinformation Dear Sir: Just a heads-up (in case you haven't already heard), but Jerry Kuyper's description of the Chevy Volt's motive system in today's Northwest Herald is way off. He describes the manner in which the Toyota Prius operates (electric power until a certain speed is reached, then the gas engine drives the front wheels) and attributes that drive system to the Volt. HE IS IN ERROR! The Chevy Volt operates essentially just the same as the vaunted Fisker Karma Eco Sport he is describing...that is, the Volt carries its own generator and once the battery is depleted the generator makes electricity for the electric drive motor (NOT gasoline power directly to the front wheels). The Volt does all this for forty-thousand dollars (not the $116,000 the Karma costs) and has been doing it for three years. Perhaps Fisker-Karma learned something from Chevrolet (like, how to copy)? Mr. Kuyper needs to get his facts straight...he is a car guy, right?
David Corkins ### Re: The Piper-Hales 917 LawSuit "The Piper-Hales 917 court ruling has raised major concerns in the automotive journalism community. Many things about this story have an unpleasant smell, and there's lots of discussion on- and off-line about it. There is a broad consensus that all the pertinent facts about the case have not been revealed. So - should any writer ever again ask for or accept an offer to drive a collector car, especially a race car, to obtain a behind-the-wheel experience so he or she can later write a story? For a free-lancer doing a story on spec, I might agree that "You break it, you buy it" should apply in the event of an accident that is the fault of the driver, or a mechanical failure due to carelessness or abuse. I think that there should be a clear agreement between driver and owner as to liability, preferably in writing. If a writer is an employee of, or on assignment from, a publication or website, does the employer bear some responsibility to support the writer legally and financially if there's a problem? I have long had a personal umbrella liability policy, purchased early in my former career as a radio news reporter and anchor, but I need to pull it out to see if it would cover me if I found myself in a similar situation. Several car-enthusiast lawyers of my acquaintance are parsing this case very carefully; one will present his thoughts in an upcoming issue of Sports Car Market. I should also mention that the question of liability may arise at the race track. If another driver asks if he/she can take a few laps in your car, are you prepared to bear the cost of repairs if that person puts your car into a wall? That occurred a few years ago to an acquaintance whose Porsche was severely damaged by another driver who was taking a few practice laps during a club racing weekend. The other person was unable to make good the damage; the owner ate the entire six-figure cost, and I assure you that he was not a happy camper. Well, as the proverb suggests, "Neither a borrower nor lender be..." The final outcome of the Piper affair will potentially affect everyone who loves cars and writes about them. I sincerely hope that the verdict will be overturned. If not, Mr. Hales needs to know that he has a lot of sympathy among his peers. As for Mr. Piper, well..."
Cheers! |
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Glenn F. Campbell
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Is bigger better? One would question answers to that the question now that Automotive News and Ward’s Reports have released their data on the “TOP” dealership groups. First off, there is a big gap on how the 17,000 U.S. dealers are chosen for the “TOP” dealer medal.
Amid all the clamoring among pursuers of supremacy in the luxury-car market, none retains more pluses than Toyota’s Lexus brand.
From the No. 1 perch atop the premier brands, Lexus has established a reputation of excellent never really challenged-either by Nissan’s Infiniti brand over the past two decades since either brand was launched, or by the older German cars-Audi, BMW and Porsche.
At long last, Chrysler Group is drawing accolades for new-car performance and winning back business for police patrols. Chrysler’s often-panned 300 and its sibling Dodge Charger are being lauded by nothing less than New York Times auto reviewer Lawrence Ulrich, who in the March 17 edition writes that the tweaked line of 300s raises horsepower on V-8
models to 470 and the more economical V-6 to 363.
Design director Richard Baron writes: "Recently left Road &
Track after 30 + years. Pursuing a variety of freelance publishing
projects. Currently involved with Porsche Panorama magazine as
well as working on a major automotive history book project, soon to be
published. Also work with developing 'Life With Cars' radio
program, soon to be launched in Seattle. Washington. Thank You!" He can
be reached at: 
Barbara Terry sent along a slide presentation describing a new facet
of her automotive communications career: Public Relations services.
Based on her success in parlaying her automotive know-how and skills to
recognition in all forms of media and dozens of sponsorships, she’s now
offering to help others realize the advantages of a well-conceived PR
plan. She can be reached at: 310 968 4566 or
Road to kick off Saturday, 11 -12 a.m. starting April 20, 2013.
The show will be repeated Sunday's 9-10 a.m. Produced / Hosted by
Bill Maloney and Island Driver TV's Ed Kemper and sponsored
by Honolulu Ford Lincoln the one hour show will feature fine
tuned segments on: New car profiles, local auto events hosted by racing
lady Shelley Wilson, Classic car auction reports live from
Newport Beach, Ca with Kelley Blue Book editor Phil Skinner,
historical automotive flashbacks hosted by Dale Payson, auto
industry reports and motor sports updates. Many movie, TV and
sports celebrities will appear via their appearances on Ohana Road TV.
In mid-April the program will be available world wide via streaming
video on NBC Sports Radio web site.
and Chrysler on the West Coast for 25 years, has set
up offices in Soquel, CA, and taken on a number of new motoring
accounts, including the Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance, "the longest
continually running concours in the world" and Bob Dron’s Delta Diamond
Farm, a motoring destination and events center in the heart of the
vast Sacramento River Delta. His contacts are:
2901 Park Ave, Suite B-6
Soquel, CA 95073, (831)464-8824 (510)693-9701 (cell) . . . Cision reports the
International Herald Tribune will be renamed
International New York Times in fall 2013. In other Times news, its blog "Green" which included autos in relation to environmental matters
in its coverage, has been axed. Also, from Cision, the Washington
Examiner will cease as a daily publication mid-June and become a
consumer digital platform and business to business weekly magazine two
days later. . . .Ricky
Beggs has been
named sr. vice president and editorial director of Black
Book, a daily, timely and independent source of auto pricing information. No contact information provided but we would try:
technical editor Doug Newcomb (picture-r) is now freelancing and can be emailed at:
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| regional news |
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Northeast The New England Motoring Press Association is seeking sponsorships for its 3rd annual Technology Conference and Awards Dinner, both to be held at the MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, Mass. on May 9. The conference will focus on "Balancing Cafe vs Safety + Consumer Appeal." The awards will include trophies for the winners of the 2013 New England Winter Vehicle Evaluations. For more information about the events and sponsorships available contact NEMPA prexy Keith Griffin at 860-523-0618 or kgriff1118@yahoo.com MIDDLE ATLANTIC The Toyota Green Grand Prix, a showcase of motoring technology that aims for a cleaner environment, is returning to Watkins Glen International race course on April 19. The single-day event will feature a two-stage, fuel-efficiency competition for pre-registered drivers of alternate-fueled vehicles, hybrids and traditional gasoline-powered and diesel-powered vehicles. Individuals, colleges and universities, car clubs, dealerships and entrepreneurs are all invited to participate. Entries in the rally are now being accepted through the Toyota Green Grand Prix website at www.greengrandprix.com. The deadline for entries is April 5. SCOTT KEOGH, President of Audi of America, won WAPA’s Golden Gear Award presented at the group’s annual gala in recognition of his company’s efforts in expanding diesel technology in the United States. SOUTHEAST Porsche has signed on as a sponsor of the inaugural Pinehurst Concours d’Elegance to be held May 3 – 5 on the famed North Carolina golf course. For hotel reservations, call Pinehurst Resort at (888) 894-4572 and ask for the Concours rate. For more information about the event and cars to be featured, contact: Dave Droschak, Droschak Communications, 919-630-6656. SOUTHWEST Tickets are on sale now for this year’s United States Grand Prix November 15-17 in Austin, Texas. Go to: www.circuitoftheamericas.com and www.ticketmaster.com for more information and tickets. Registration for the 2013 TAWA Auto Roundup is open to members in good standing until April 14. The event is April 28-29 at the Texas Motor Speedway. TAWA members can register online at www.texasautowriters.org from: michael.marrs@txann.com 409.722.3933. WEST COAST San Francisco car enthusiasts can join a "Cars and Coffee" klatch every Sunday morning at the Blackhawk Automotive Museum starting April 7. . . . A second Santa Ana Drag Strip and Main Street Malt Shop Reunion on Saturday, April 13, 2013 will be held at Santiago Park on the borders of Santa Ana and Orange in southern, Calif. There is no charge other than fond memories of the strip’s halcyon days. The 21st Palos Verdes Concours d’Elegance at the Trump National Golf Club, Rancho Palos Verdes on September 15 will celebrate the “Age of Elegance” by showcasing some of the world’s most luxurious classic automobiles, according to Chairman Peter Kunoth. The featured classes include Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Duesenberg and the coachwork of Raymond Dietrich. The Concours will also recognize the centennial of Aston Martin, the 60th anniversary of the Corvette, and the 50th Anniversary of the Lowey Avanti. The PV Concours will be preceded by a Road Rallye on Saturday, September 14. |
| motoring press organizations |
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The 17 regional automotive press associations provide information and background not easily found elsewhere. If they are too distant for you to attend their meetings, belonging usually gives you access to transcripts or reports of these events and other benefits. |
AARWBA
Norma "Dusty" Brandel |
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APA
Mark Phelan, President |
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ARPA
Stan Clinton, President |
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IMPA 
Dave Kiley, President |
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GAAMA
Greater Atlanta Automotive Media Association 
Davis Adams, President |
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MAMA
Midwest Automotive
Media Association
Tom Appel, President |
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MPG 
Aaron Gold, President |
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NEMPA 
Keith Griffin, President |
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NWAPA 
Nik Miles, President |
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PAPA 
Cathy Droz, President |
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RMAP 
Nathan Adlen, President |
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SAMA 
Jaimie Flores, President |
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SEAMO 
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TAWA 
Michael Marrs |
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TWNA 
Tom Kelley, Executive Director |
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WAJ 
David Ray |
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WAPA 
Melanie Batenchuk, President www.washautopress.org |
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