the road ahead |
David Kaplan, writing for
www.paidContent.org, reports a conversation with
New York Times Company vice president of research and development
Michael Zimbalist who sees the Times’ transforming
from a media company to a technology
services provider. Zimbalist elaborated in Kaplan’s account: “Along with every other traditional media company, the Times has experienced this explosion in our competitive set. Long ago, we just competed against other newspapers in New York and then we began to compete outside New York. Then we began to compete with all news organizations over the web. And now
we are competing against companies that don’t even create original content, but aggregate it, from small start-ups to the biggest portals.” (Forbes
creates some but hardly all of the 3,000 business articles
it posts per day). Zimbalist goes on to say,
" There’s no question that our competencies must move much further into technology because our competitive set now includes technology services companies. He went on to say, “Technology companies have very
short release cycles and then it’s version and version and version. They follow the model of
test, learn and adjust. . . . And that’s part of our Evolution”.
Speaking of evolution, if you find it difficult to
communicate in a world of constantly divided attention, get
used to it. Seana Mulcahy, writing for Mediapost reports an
www.emarketer.com
study says, “tweens and teens navigate from device to device with ease and are in constant communication. You may
think they cannot process information in such large quantity and with such speed but they can.” . . .
Young males, the object of every auto marketers' seduction, want “transparency,
personal expression, experience reinvention and connection”
in their internet experience according to a study by
The Reach Group consultancy, as reported by Lynn Russo
in OMMA’s MediaPost Publications. “In addition, Reach Group’s
Cheri Hanson, says “they like their information blended with entertainment.
”
TOC |
new roads |
Full color videos in print may be in the future but lenticular magazine photos
where the image shows depth or motion as the angle of viewing changes are
already here. Sounds right for auto magazines. Mediaweek had
a piece on this that also described E ink that could produce moving
pictures in print. . . . From Wooden Horse News, Velocity is a new
bi-monthly magazine for car buffs in Orange County, Calif., with information
about muscle cars, hot rods and street rods, exotic autos, men's lifestyle,
events, and profiles. It debuted with an October/November issue. David
Threshie is the publisher.
Big World Magazine is a forthcoming
travel multimedia web magazine that is seeking submissions for a planned spring
2008 launch. High-quality, edgy writing about place, strong photography,
short video and evocative audio are all fair game. Unpaid, but will pay 50% of
any syndication fees. Mary D'Ambrosio, a writer and journalism professor,
is the editor and publisher. Big World is at 55 Washington Street, Suite 460,
Brooklyn, NY 11201 Email queries and submissions to
http://www.bigworldmagazine.com.
SELECTS is a single-topic pullout section packaged with PARADE
in more than 400 newspapers nationally. The first SELECTS appeared October
14 and reported on healthy homes. The editorial team at PARADE is planning
five more SELECTS for 2008, with automotive as one of the possible topics. . .
Some of the titles at Source Interlink, including Motor Trend, may be on the market . . .
Pursuits, a new glossy magazine from the Wall Street Journal, is
scheduled to debut in September 2008. It will be directed at the papers’
affluent audience. . . . Road &Travel Magazine has re-launched with an
“edgy new completely redesigned web site with video and "Web 2.0 features”
according to editor-in-chief Courtney Caldwell. It will also expand to a
weekly release in 2008.
TOC |
road signs |
In a story titled “The Iron Belt Wraps Around Domestic-Only Auto Owners”, Media Post’s
Research Briefs reports that the top ranking markets for domestic-only brand owners are Detroit; Toledo, Ohio; Peoria, Ill.; Buffalo, NY; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Dayton, Ohio; Akron, Ohio; St. Louis Mo.; Pittsburg, Pa. and Cleveland, Ohio. The percentage of domestic-only owners in those markets ranges from 73.4% to 55.6%. The study also revealed that nationally, 47.5% of truck owners
have domestic-only brands and
among owners 50 years of age or more, 42. 6% are in the domestic-only category, 12% higher than that of the average adult.
Media Audit released the 88-market study.
Twitter, so far the essence of brevity in online messaging, has added a new feature that allows anyone to track concepts in real time. The instant anyone Twitters words or phrases you specify, you are alerted. So far
the
favorite phrase is “overheard.” . . . . One media commentator complains of social networking fatigue, for which he has coined the word ”socialnetworkitis” – too many, too much focused attention required, too involving to get in and out of quickly and other ills.
Max Kalehoff, also in Media Post, predicts that social networks will continue to grow in use and importance in our lives, but they will deliver value quicker and more directly as do search engines now.
. . . Current TV pays $1,000 for viewer-created spots it
uses and if it is picked up by an advertiser for wider use, the creator is paid “$50,000. More information is available at
www.Current.com.
While Hollywood
writers are striking for a great share of the loot from Internet use of
their work for other media, it seems writers being exploited by uncompensated
publication of their work on the web are in danger of their work being further
exploited when it gets there. Arstechnica
http://arstechnica.com/index.ars reports a lobbying group is advocating for revised and
updated copyright laws to make fair use of posted materials easier and publisher
“takedown” suits punishable if shown to be without cause.
A
Chevy Trailblazer equipped with GPS tracking system, dash-board mounted camera, cell-based wireless and a laptop, mobile router and special server is being used as a mobile newsroom by the
Shelby Star in Cleveland County, North Carolina, where
TV coverage is not all that good. . . . Mediamark reports the median
age and income of magazine readers has moved upwards over the
last five years. The two related trends, Wooden Horse News notes, allow
magazines to boast about an increasingly affluent audience, but also face
the long-term challenge of recruiting younger readers to maintain their
audience shares.
The Center For Media Research reports a recent
survey by Deloitte's Consumer Products Group revealed consumers are turning to
online reviews in large numbers, and those reviews are having a considerable
impact on purchase decisions. 62 percent of consumers read
consumer-written product reviews on the Internet, says the report, and of these,
more than 8 in 10 say their purchase decisions have been directly influenced
by the reviews, either influencing them to buy a different product than the one
they had originally been thinking about purchasing, or confirming the original
purchase intention. While the percentages were slightly higher for the
younger generations, all age groups are reading and acting on online reviews at
significant rates, says the report. And, the reach of consumer reviews
isn't limited to the online world...seven in 10 of the consumers who read
reviews share them with friends, family or colleagues, thus amplifying their
impact.
TOC |
autowriters spotlight |
Logically, the more ways to get information, the less value any one way
would seem to have. However, when it is the same “voice” that is read, seen or heard, they combine to make
Mark Maynard, a recognized and trusted San Diego “brand” for auto information.

He has been auto editor for the Union-Tribune since 1992. Before that he was
Assistant Travel Editor for close to 10 years. He became editor of the paper’s
Wheels section, Mark recalls, “because I knew how to put out a section. But I always felt -- and still do --
that automotive issues in Southern California were more important that a mere nine columns a week and pushed to build the section. After a few years it became a real job.”
He began writing reviews in 1994 and has stuck to providing information rather than sensation.
Mark admits, “My sickness is that I have a hot spot for cars and I try to resist the red mist in my writing. Instead, he says, “I try to tell a good story so even those who don't care about cars -- and there are some of those who read Wheels every week -- will find something worth turning the page for.”
When the paper added a web site, he
showed up there; when blogs became de rigueur, he started one and he responds thoughtfully in print to readers’ letters.
“I always tell them it is better to ask me about your vehicle choice before you buy than after”. When there are opportunities to meet and speak before interested groups he takes them. “I enjoy getting out in public and talking with readers, even when it’s getting smacked upside the head.”
He appears on TV frequently and recently he began Maynard’s Garage, a half hour Internet radio show for
www.signonradio.com, part of the paper’s SignOnSanDiego web site. However, he feels that all of his interaction with readers or listeners is “still just pumping fuel for the choir”- people already in the newspaper’s fold.
He says, "What newspapers need is to reach a younger audience" and points to his son, 16, “who has been in newsrooms since he was three days old and sees his dad read a newspaper every day. But he’s of the electronic age and gets his news from TV, YouTube and other sources.
Maybe when he’s older he’ll subscribe to a Sunday paper but there won’t be time
for a daily.”
TOC
|
top blogs |
There’s bad news and good news for bloggers. The
bad news is that making big money with a blog remains nearly
impossible. Henry Copeland, founder and
president of BlogAds is quoted in
www.PaidContent.org,
“less than 100 of the bloggers in his network of 1500 or so bloggers can live off their blog’s ad revenue...but
to a lot of people an extra $200.00 per month makes a
difference.”
On the other hand, Standard and Poor’s Outlook
(online edition) had this to say: “First came social
networks. Then virtual worlds. Now blogs are dazzling the
eyes of major media publishers as the next takeover
targets.” Huffington Post (which doesn’t pay its
celebrity writers) was cited among those with attractive
business models. Maybe an auto blog site with
celebrities: Jay Leno (he’s sidelined for awhile),
Lee Iacocca, etc. would work.
In the meantime new candidates for top auto blogs include:
www.Jim'sGarage.com;
Michelle Krebs’
www.AutoObserver.com; Kicking Tires at
www.Cars.com
(edited by David Thomas); Michael Knight’s
SpinDoctor 500, nominated again by radio host, Joe
Benson; the New York Times Wheels blog, which
Jerry Garret points out has been re-conceptualized and enlarged;
Steve Parker adds to the Auto Extremist chorus
and also adds his own www.SteveParker.com to the growing
list while objecting to AutoBlog as a blog because,
“it just posts press releases”; Karl Brauer,
editor-in-chief at www.Edmunds.com acknowledges he
may be biased but he likes the straight forward evaluations
and insider news at
http://blogs.edmunds.com/karl; for the Hispanic
community,
http://www.preguntearicardo.com/ joins the list,
as do www.truckblog.com
and www.musclecarblog.com,
nominated by Mike Wilkes.
Veteran auto writer Stephan Wilkinson nominates
The Truth About Cars, “Its strength,” he says, “is not
only the excellent writing of Robert Farago and
several of his best contributors but even more so the
incredibly intelligent commentary of his community of
readers. I learn more reading the (TTAC) comments than
I have ever learned from print car magazines.” Farago made a brash entrance on the
scene a few years back with an attention- getting formula of
searing a subject up front to establish his separation from
the pack and with an unrelenting series of “Death Watch”
rants on the demise of General Motors (up to 70 some
when AWCom quit counting). Wilkinson, who writes for
him, says that now “Farago won’t permit flaming or
even impoliteness (I’ve been temporarily evicted a couple of
times myself, in fact.)"
He does add, “TTAC has its faults, prime among them that it
has never met a car it couldn’t deride.”
TOC
|
pit notes |
Good for Deke Houlgate. Most retired journalists dream about it but
few get around to writing a novel and getting rich from it. He’s done the first part.
His first novel, Blood On The Wall, is out and the hero is a self-effacing, lucky and enterprising motorsports reporter whose coverage of the month-long run-up to an early ‘70s Indianapolis 500 includes a murder, a kidnapping, sexy women, the Mafia, two scoops of the newspaper kind and some recognizable characters from the racing scene of that time. A lot of plot in 169 pages. His personal knowledge of the “90 days of May” in Indianapolis helped Deke paint an authentic scene and capture the all too frequent petty tyrannies of people given the power to dispense tickets, credentials and parking passes at race venues. The second part of the dream is with
Infinity Publishing
Info@buybooksontheweb.com, for $12.95 per soft cover copy.
Tom Madigan may be back in the running for a second
MPG Dean Batchelor award. He captured his first in 2005 for his book,
Edelbrock, Made in USA. This time it is another subject close to the heart and pride of most MPG members.
Titled Fuel and Guts: The Birth of Top Fuel Drag Racing, it weaves together first hand accounts of 29 persons who gave life to the sport’s fastest class and 242 photos
- 66 in color - many from the private collections of those he interviewed. His own experience as a top-fuel driver helps him ask the right questions and stay on track with
his narrative, Fuel and Guts is available in bookstores nationally
and through
www.motorbooks.com, at $50. . . . Befitting Texas and the nations largest truck market, the
Texas Auto Writers Association just completed its “biggest and best ever” truck rodeo according to TAWA president
Harold Gunn. 63 vehicles entered (at $1200 a pop)
and evaluated by 43 working journalists for “Texas Truck of The Year” titles during the three-night, two-day competition and good times. TAWA paid for all the food, test sites, vehicle logistics, support personnel and other event expenses and helped with transportation and lodging for journalists attending from across the Lone Star expanse. PR types in attendance matched or exceeded the scribes in number and they contributed to the goodie baskets now standard at most such media gatherings. While not up to
Academy Awards loot, TAWA’s included foul weather Harley-Davidson
coats.
Motor Trend Executive Editor Matt Stone’s
book, McQueen’s Machines, an inside look at
iconic screen star Steve McQueen’s passion for cars
and cycles, deserves another plug even if we had not misspelled the title when announcing its availability in bookstores and at
www.motorbooks.com. And, we understand
Jim McCraw’s ire when our report of the passing of Bud Ekins, added an “l” to his name. McCraw relates that
the late Bud Ekins
and his brother Dave contributed mightily to the success of Motorcyclist magazine. Sharp-eyed Steve Parker also told us of these errors. Both necessary contributions to keep AWCom respectful of the craft. As was
Brandy Schaffels' note that the correct url for
Ask Patty is http://askpatty.typepad.com/.
Mazda Speed Team’s adoption of Mutts comic strip animals
"Earl” and “Mooch” added a timely PR touch during the final two races of the
SCCA Touring Car Championships that coincided with the recent considerable news flap over animal adoptions. . . .
Jack Nerad has authored An Idiot’s Guide to Hybrids and Alternative Fuel Vehicles for
Alpha Books, proprietor of the popular Complete Idiot’s Guide series. He is executive editorial director and executive market analyst for
Kelley Blue Books and co-host of America On The Road
radio show. . . . The Los Angeles Auto Show boasts of 14 world and nearly 30 North American new model vehicle debuts during press days Nov. 14 and 15 at the LA Convention Center.
Steve Parker, citing the growth in street racing and resulting deaths in the L.A. area is championing
Terminal Island’s Brotherhood Raceway opening and the cause of the
National and International Brotherhood of Street Racers and its leader, Big Willy Robinson. For more information: http
www.steveparker.com. . . . The newest motoring press association, Miami-based
Southern Automotive Media Association, (SAMA) is up to 50 individual and 12 corporate members.
. . .WAJ past president Michael Coates is now
regularly contributing to Green Wheels at
www.jdpower.com.
Broadcaster Ron Harrison succeeds him at the helm of
WAJ.
TOC |
lane
changes |
James Amend has returned to the Detroit scene as an associate editor at
Ward’s, succeeding Scott Anderson, while
Eric Mayne has added Alisa Priddle’s duties as Sr. Editor, News,
www.Wardsauto.com. Priddle is now
Sr. Editor, News, www.CarandDriver.com. . . . .
Curt McAllister advises he has moved from PR firm John Bailey & Associates
in Detroit to Toyota’s Public Relations office in the Motor City as Midwest Product News Manager, a new post. . . .
Mac Demere, former Senior Road Test Editor at Motor Trend
and, most recently, a test driver for Michelin is now a freelance writer based in Simpsonville, S.C. While at Michelin, he became certified for a dozen different tests, from noise and comfort to snow and race-track handling and earned a Class A Commercial Drivers License with extensive over-the-road experience in 18-wheelers. If you'd like to see him drift a Freightliner, drop him a note at
macdemere@hotmail.com.
TOC |
across the finish line |
Shav Glick, 87, auto racing writer for the L.A. Times for 37 years. A very much liked person and professional.
Allan Miller, Pasadena, Texas radio broadcaster,
The Car Counselor.
TOC |
information please |
The possibility that machines may replace editors, as reported in last month’s newsletter raised a couple of questions by readers:
Corvette Quarterly editor and freelancer John L. Stein
asks about affordable errors and omissions insurance. At least one publication has asked him to pay the costs of any lawsuits that may result from its publishing his work.
Maureen McDonald asks if there is a software program that proofs copy according to AP style. Her own web search uncovered
Claire Charlton‘s excellent review of online writing labs,
Just A Click Way that ran in the September issue of
www.writermag.com . . . .
Autowriters.com is building a list (and results when announced) of all the many vehicle of the year awards.
Those we know of: Motor Trend, Wealth TV, Auto Fondo, Green
Car, Readers Choice, SAMA and Urban Wheels.
Tell us of more, please.
TOC |
awards, honors and events |
"The only live supercar show in the world” has been announced by
Chris Beddows
Communications, USA and Canada promotion agency for the April 24-27 Top Marquees Monaco
extravaganza featuring the “greatest luxury and super cars in the world.” For more information,
Chrisbeddowscommunications@shaw.ca . . .
Gary Witzenburg was presented the “Carl Benz Award of Distinction” for 2006 by the
Society of Automotive Historians at its annual awards banquet Oct. 12. He won for his article,
Standing the Test of Time, The Continuing History of the Packard Proving Ground.
The Truck Writers of North America are calling for 2007 Communication Awards entries. The competition recognizes excellence in trucking industry journalism in
both the trade and the mainstream press, as well as excellence in communication with the industry by public relations professionals. TWNA members and non-members are eligible. Entry deadline is December 15. More information:
www.twna.org/comm-awards.htm.
The
Toronto Star’s Mark Toljagic won the Jaguar Award
as the
Automotive Journalist Association of Canada’s journalist of the year.. . .
American Driver Magazine (print) and Automotive Traveler
(web) are among 15 finalists in their respective categories of the annual MIN awards to be announced Nov.13 at the Tavern-On-The-Green in New York City. . . .
The
Car Middle East Awards (for people, products, innovations and services) will
be presented - where else - in Dubai Nov. 14 by the Emirates Automobile and Touring Club. . . .
Ron Beasley, instigator and now president of the Southern Automotive Media Association (SAMA) was presented the first-ever
Automotive Advocate Award by In Focus Magazine. The recognition came, according to co-publisher
Tony Lesesne, because, “Without him, the local
automotive community wouldn’t be where it is today.”
TOC
NOVEMBER
|
6-7 |
MPG Track Days, Willow Springs, Rosemead Calif. |
13 |
NEMPA Dinner,
Boston Globe, Saab |
14 |
MPG
Breakfast, Los Angeles International Auto Show |
15 |
IMPA Luncheon, 3 West Club, IIHS, NYC, NY |
15 |
MAMA Luncheon,
Nissan, CATA, Oakbrook Terrace, Il. |
16 |
TAWA Awards
Banquet, San Antonio |
26 |
NEMPA Buffet,
Pre Auto Show |
30 |
Registration
Closes, Automotive News World Congress, Detroit |
|
|
DECEMBER
|
4 |
MPG Dinner,
Dean Batchelor Awards Banquet, Los Angeles |
12 |
WAJ Dinner,
South San Francisco |
29-30 |
24 Hour of LeMONS, Thunderhill, Race Track, California
www.24hoursoflemons.com
|
|
TOC |
|
motoring press organizations |
The 14 regional automotive press associations provide
information and background not easily found elsewhere. If they are
too distant to attend their meetings, belonging usually gives you access
to transcripts or reports of these events and other benefits.
Contacts
APA
|
Automotive Press Association,
Detroit - John Lippert,
jlippert@bloomberg.net
|
IMPA |
International Motor Press Association, NYC, Fred Chieco, President -
info@impa.org,
www.impa.org
|
MAMA |
Midwest Automotive Media Association, Chicago -
www.mamaonline.org |
MPG |
Motor Press Guild, Los Angeles -
www.motorpressguild.org
|
NEMPA |
New England Motor Press Association, Boston -
www.nempa.org |
NWAPA |
Northwest Automotive Press Association, Port Orchard, WA-
www.nwapa.org
|
PAPA |
Phoenix Automotive Press
Association, Phoenix, Cathy Droz, President-
drozadgal@aol.com |
RMAP
|
Rocky Mountain Automotive Press, Denver -
vince@theweekenddrive.com |
SAMA |
Southern Automotive Media Association, Miami FL,
Ron Beasley, President,
RonBeasley@SAMAonline.org |
SEAMO
|
Southeast Automotive Media Organization, Charlotte, NC
www.southeastautomedia.org
|
TAWA
|
Texas
Auto Writers Association http://www.TexasAutoWriters.org,
Harold Gunn, hgunn@gunstuff.com |
TWNA |
Truck Writers of North America,
www.twna.org Tom Kelley,
Executive Director,
tom.kelley@deadlinefactory.com
|
WAJ |
Western Automotive Journalists, San
Francisco -
www.waj.org, Ron Harrison
rharr70210@aol.com |
WAPA |
Washington Automotive Press
Association, D.C., Kimatni Rawlins, President -
www.washautopress.org
|
TOC |
- 30- |
Glenn
Glenn F. Campbell
Principal
autowriters.com
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