MCR is DEAD

[Casey Marks]

So folks don't havta be-bop between sites, here's the *OFFICIAL* response from Primedia .....

Dear Sir or Madam,

I appreciate your recent email regarding the decision of Primedia to cease publication of Muscle Car Review. This was a very difficult move for me personally because I too I am a die hard muscle car fan and, in fact drive a restored Mach 1 daily. I was also Publisher of this magazine not too many years ago. Our senior management made this decision for a variety of reasons, which I will attempt to outline for you now.

The number one reason we will cease publishing MCR is that it has not made money for several years. There are really two reasons for this; dwindling advertising support and the state of newsstand distribution.

As you may know, advertising is a necessary portion of any consumer magazine that is published today. The fact is that advertiser support of MCR has been in a decline for several years and has shown no signs of an upturn. I can speculate about "why" this is, but would merely offer the obvious that Detroit isn't building any more of these cars and there are a limited number of them being restored. I have spent many an hour trying to figure out a way to expand the ad base in MCR without corrupting the editorial (i.e. more late model platforms). There simply was not a way to do it and preserve what everyone demanded which was a sixties and early seventies focus that was restoration based with little to no modifications.

The other major issue is newsstand distribution.

When I started in this business twenty years ago there were over 700 independent magazine wholesalers in the USA distributing approximately 2000 monthly magazines. Today, there are only 4 wholesalers distributing over 4000 magazines. Magazines used to be looked at by your local bookstore and grocery as a service to their customers. Today they are looked at as an important profit center and the number of copies that are sold are life or death to a magazine. Small niche titles have a very difficult time in this environment because your local food store would much rather sell People magazine, than another car title simply because of dollars and cents. Primedia spends enormous resources and time trying to combat this, but it is an ongoing problem, which is likely to get worse before it gets better. I get a number of letters from people every month asking why they have a hard time finding our magazines. This is the reason.

It is my hope that when the economic and newsstand climates become more reasonable, we will be able to produce MCR in some form, perhaps as an annual. Rest assured I am already working on such a scenario.

A number of you inquired about refunds as well as getting other Primedia magazines in place of MCR. All of those inquiries can be handled by calling
1-800-777-4370.

Thank you once again for taking the time to write.

Sincerely,

Doug Evans
VP Group Publisher
Performance and Motor Sports
Primedia, Inc.

[tom406]

I'm disappointed as hell, but I can't really fault Mr. Evans' response. He states his facts plainly and clearly, and it all makes sense. I expected a much more generic corporate response. Its a tough market. Personally, I'd like to see a quarterly publication along the lines of The Rodder's Journal, with a $50/year sort of fee to minimize the dependency on advertising. An internet site is probably more doable, but even though I'm only 32, I still like to page through a good magazine.

[Belair62]

Seems to me a rather flimsy reason. Take a look at how much advertising is in the last MCR. I guess all we will be seeing soon is 20" wheels and air bag suspensions.Young kids don't want to see real stuff.At least I know there will be a few boys still nto this stuff when they get old enough huh Marlin. I know mine is heading that way.My 4 year old walked up to me tonight with the last MCR and said it was a "tough" magazine !!!

[bullitt]

Why didn't anyone say something before the axe fell? If MCR was having problems raising money, I'm sure all of us would have had an overwhelming influence on advertisers if we campainged for MCR, through their websites. I know that I would have paid double for my subscription, too! I would have gone to any car show that helped raise funds for MCR's continuation and donated my money. I think it's a poor performance by their management. They didn't do enough and won't admit it. They never gave us a chance to help MCR, either. Just because your dog gets sick, doesn't mean you shoot him. You take him to the vet first and get him some help.If someone's drowning, you throw them a life preserver. One stinkin'annual, maybe? What a poor excuse!--Bullitt

[COPO PETE]

When Primedia signed the deal to purchase, they had a pen in one hand and a axe in the other. If this was not true they would have told the advertising dept. they had six months or a year to get there#'s up! They should have fired their advertising dept. NOT Tom Shaw. I personally too would have gone on a campaign to get more advertisers, but is'nt that why they pay that dept for?
Peter

[COPO PETE]

Well, being not one to let some things go, I have been sending other e-mails to Doug Evans about MCR. He had a meeting with Tom Shaw yesterday and MCR is suppose to be a bi-annual as of this moment. This is better than a no-annual. I still am going to keep on him about his advertising dept. and let him know that I personally will contact some of the companies I deal with to urge them to support MCR. I mean paint companies, trailer companies, tow truck companies, GM High Performance, the list goes on and on. I don't think we should be bombing him with e-mails again or we will just get a form letter, but if you as a person are willing to do this and put an honest effort into it, it would'nt hurt to tell himn of your intentions. Twice a year is good, but 6 times is better.
Peter

[Edited by COPO PETE (10-04-2001 at 11:49 AM).]

[Chevy454]

Well, finally...some good news! Or better news, at least. So, if they are talking about an annual or even a bi-annual like you said, then MCR still has some life?

How close (or far off) is the amount of advertising $$$? I'm just curious, if we could possibly recruit some new advertisers, or maybe the current advertisers would ante up a bit more if they knew the magazine was getting cut? I know it's easy for me to suggest this, as I am not in those advertisers shoes, but I would probably say this is probably the only source of magazine advertisement for some of those companies. Heck, I would pay a LOT more than what I currently pay for a subscription if that would help!

What does an ad in MCR cost...anyone?

[bullitt]

Okay, here's another thing I don't understand. Why did they send out $20 renewal cards, if they suspected the end was near? I paid about $11 for the past two years, so this confuses me. Did they just not know or did they want to stick us with some other mag, so it could claim higher circulation to their advertisers? Man, if I ran a buisness like that, I'd be out on the street in no time.--Bullitt