"On a more general level, what a strange, twisted view of the world you have..."
My world view.
Magazines are in effect an extention of manufactures marketing departments. The fact that the major advertiser stated the reason why they were withdrawing their advertising, not liking your reviews, shows they expected to be buying influence. The fact they withdraw their advertising from the entire group rather than the single publication shows that they thought their influence was being undervalued. No good carrying a big stick if no one thinks you will use it, their action may not have any effect on how you review products but your compeditors may be more wary of what they print. The fact that many of your advertisers use what hifi star rattings and quotes as a means of promoting the products they sell shows they view your magazine as a marketing tool.
Even if you take out advertising I view the magazines as like political correspondents on TV stations. Who are more like members of a political fan club than critical questioners in search of truth. They depend on access to the politicians, if they will not answer calls or questions the correspondents job is alot harder. I found the Sky News advert where the politician asks Sky News for their question before the BBC correspondent, funny because Sky News imply it is because they are better and more influential, when in fact it is probably because they expect an easier question that will show the politician in a more favourable light. It is also telling that the news channels live reports cut short before the politician has to answer more difficult questions form those they pick last, like a team leader picking a football team at school they pick the players that will help them win first. Question time is funny if you have ever seen the show being setup on satellite news feeds, as they present the show as if the questions are unknown to the politicians in advance and are being spontaneously asked by random audience members, in reality the questions are handed out to audience members who are asked to try and look like they are not reading them. Getting back to my view on magazines, they are dependent on the manufactures to provide them with products to review, I assume you do not go to the shops to buy them, and if you did every other magazine would have already reviewed them thanks to their more friendly relationship to the manufacture
My world view.
Magazines are in effect an extention of manufactures marketing departments. The fact that the major advertiser stated the reason why they were withdrawing their advertising, not liking your reviews, shows they expected to be buying influence. The fact they withdraw their advertising from the entire group rather than the single publication shows that they thought their influence was being undervalued. No good carrying a big stick if no one thinks you will use it, their action may not have any effect on how you review products but your compeditors may be more wary of what they print. The fact that many of your advertisers use what hifi star rattings and quotes as a means of promoting the products they sell shows they view your magazine as a marketing tool.
Even if you take out advertising I view the magazines as like political correspondents on TV stations. Who are more like members of a political fan club than critical questioners in search of truth. They depend on access to the politicians, if they will not answer calls or questions the correspondents job is alot harder. I found the Sky News advert where the politician asks Sky News for their question before the BBC correspondent, funny because Sky News imply it is because they are better and more influential, when in fact it is probably because they expect an easier question that will show the politician in a more favourable light. It is also telling that the news channels live reports cut short before the politician has to answer more difficult questions form those they pick last, like a team leader picking a football team at school they pick the players that will help them win first. Question time is funny if you have ever seen the show being setup on satellite news feeds, as they present the show as if the questions are unknown to the politicians in advance and are being spontaneously asked by random audience members, in reality the questions are handed out to audience members who are asked to try and look like they are not reading them. Getting back to my view on magazines, they are dependent on the manufactures to provide them with products to review, I assume you do not go to the shops to buy them, and if you did every other magazine would have already reviewed them thanks to their more friendly relationship to the manufacture
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