What's going on with MCN?

[MacGlennon]

I like Motorcycle Consumer News- it's a decent mag (IMO) and I like that supposedly they aren't swayed by advertiser's dollars. But I have to say that the latest issue left me scratching my head about the magazine's future.
So- on the first opening page in the editorial Dave Searle announces that he's leaving the magazine. OK- that's interesting but in of itself not troubling- editors come and go all the time in publications. Joining him though I found later on is Dr. John Alevzios, who does the Medical Motorcycling column.
What really signaled trouble though was the fact that on the cover was that issue's featured bike (Indian Scout 60) which under normal circumstances would lead me to believe that within the magazine would be a test of that bike. Bizarrely there was no test- it just wasn't there.
The last thing that raised a red flag was that there normally is a little box on the back cover giving a little preview of the next issue's features/ tests. That also wasn't there.
Didn't these guys just have a big sale/offer on subscriptions?

[Gliderjohn]

I have been taking MCN for years but recently it has been concerning. Besides this months issue, what was it a couple of issues ago that they announced they would not be doing actual speed runs, etc. Content is way down from issues of just a few years ago. Hope it is not going down.
GliderJohn

[leafman60]

Print media like magazines and newspapers are starting to look like buggy whips in this internet/computer age.

Whatever is going on with the changes at MCN is more than likely due to money- or the lack thereof.

[oldbike54]

 Even Cycle World has been on a forced diet , no longer the 800 lb gorilla , more like a 125 lb monkey . Sign of the times unfortunately . Oddly enough , more focused mags , like the BMW mag , seem to be doing alright . Hot Rod and R&T are not what they were 10 years ago either .

 Dusty

[Kev m]

The publishing industry in general is hurting because of competition with free content across the internet.

Newspapers are on life support.

Technical publishing is being assaulted by piracy.

And magazines are fighting for advertiser dollars.

Thing is, MCN accepts zero advertising dollars and it's got to be a struggle to continue to publish on subscriber dollars.

I wonder if they could make a go of it with all electronic publishing. The savings in printing and mailing would be significant.

[canuguzzi]

The new generation of motorcycle riders are more into social media than reading magazines IMO. They get recommendations and info from other sources and unless the writers are of the same age group or relateable there is little attraction.

With an iPhone who needs to read a magazine when they can go out on some quiet road and know for sure how fast a bike can accelerate, stop and all that? Then with helmet cams, they can share riding experiences, just look on YouTube.

How many magazines do more than gloss over pretty significant design or manufacturing defects? But you can run a search and find out in seconds and not have to wait for some monthly publishing effort.

They don't need a magazine when they can check out places like Revzilla for tests of gear.

New generation wants interactivity, not just to read what seems like self appointed experts have to say.

Just the way it is. Magazines failed to adapt.

[Ighani]

MCN is a great magazine. I hope they offer a digital only option rather than stop writing all together. Frankly, I don't even read at the paper magazine, I read it "cover to cover" on the ipad. The concept of printing articles on paper and mailing it to people seems incredibly stupid and wasteful given the world we live in.

[Testarossa]

Same concerns about MCN. The editor's departure without introduction of a replacement is ominous.

From 1974 to 1994 I worked at SKI Magazine, while the paid circulation grew steadily from about 350,000 to about 450,000, with a full-time editorial staff of ten. Then I was asked to create something called a website, a whole new concept in publishing. The result, SKInet.com, grew at an astonishing rate: readership rose 20% per week for two winters and went on growing after I left to do websites for Microsoft. Today the paid print circulation of the magazine is under 100,000 and the company gives away another 100,000 subscriptions to keep the advertisers happy. Editorial staff is three. An era has passed. SKInet lives on, still carrying a payroll of one.

[Sheepdog]

After being a subscriber for many years, I gave up on MCN a couple of seasons back. Though they still did their best to remain objective, their long-of-tooth staff's personal biases had crept into the content. This created some predictable conclusions and stale copy. It was a grand concept that worked for many years, but I expect they exceeded their expiration date.

Too bad, really. I'll be keeping all my archived issues...

[Doppelgaenger]

I honestly only read Classic Motorcycle anymore. When it comes to product reviews, I'd much rather watch a video on YouTube than read an article since it takes less time. The availability of free means of reaching everyone by video kinda makes magazines obsolete, but most of the reviewers and writers for those magazines probably don't have any ability to do video reviews so they're in a catch-22 situation.

[Kev m]

I honestly only read Classic Motorcycle anymore. When it comes to product reviews, I'd much rather watch a video on YouTube than read an article since it takes less time. The availability of free means of reaching everyone by video kinda makes magazines obsolete, but most of the reviewers and writers for those magazines probably don't have any ability to do video reviews so they're in a catch-22 situation.

Yes it's the free content that's killing the publishing industry.

But the sad thing in a case like MCN if that they took the time to verify specs that manufacturers provide and measure specs OEM's don't. On doing so they created a table of apples to apples comparison data much of which is not available anywhere else, and certainly not by the free content sources.

[Lcarlson]

These are ominous developments, BUT their subscription web page is still up.

[HDGoose]

Print media? How so 80's.

[oldbike54]

 Really hard to hold a computer while lying in bed 

 Dusty

[DC950]

After being a subscriber for many years, I gave up on MCN a couple of seasons back. Though they still did their best to remain objective, their long-of-tooth staff's personal biases had crept into the content. This created some predictable conclusions and stale copy. It was a grand concept that worked for many years, but I expect they exceeded their expiration date.

Too bad, really. I'll be keeping all my archived issues...

that is exactly how I felt when I gave up on them - 10 years ago!

[LowRyter]

but nothing is "free".  Losing those journalists means degraded content.

[CTYANKEE]

I believe the editor said something about "spending more time with the family". Famous line used by everyone forced out in just about every walk of life. I had to go back an look about no Indian content even though it's on the cover, that's really bizarre.
Figures, I recently re-upped for a couple more years through Amazon, they had some deal for like $12/year.
Should be interesting how this plays out.

[oldbike54]

but nothing is "free".  Losing those journalists means degraded content.

  :1: Good writers need to be paid .

 Dusty

[hauto]

Good writers need to be paid .

How about hot women!Let's face it,that all the internet is good for.

[Shorty]

  :1: Good writers need to be paid .

 Dusty

Yep. I sold them a couple articles. When they quit buying them, I quit reading their content. Funny how that works. 

[blackcat]

but nothing is "free".  Losing those journalists means degraded content.

LT Snyder is a local. His writing is much more likable than his in person presence, in fact I don't know many people who can stand to be around him for more than five minutes.

[HDGoose]

Really hard to hold a computer while lying in bed 

 Dusty

Tablet.

[oldbike54]

Tablet.

 Still awkward .

 Dusty

[Kev m]

Still awkward .

 Dusty

Not really something like an iPad or Amazon Fire is pretty small. Hell, I can read it on my phone.

[oldbike54]

Not really something like an iPad or Amazon Fire is pretty small. Hell, I can read it on my phone.

 Yeah , easy for you pups with no arthritis , holding a small hard surface object gives me cramps .

  Dusty

[Kev m]

Yeah , easy for you pups with no arthritis , holding a small hard surface object gives me cramps .

  Dusty

And a book or magazine wouldn't also?

So prop it up on something.

[oldbike54]

And a book or magazine wouldn't also?

So prop it up on something.

 When your hands get old and banged up you will understand grasshopper  Propping a tablet up requires lugging something else around , I just prefer a book or magazine . No glare , works in any weird position , doesn't need a cord or a battery .

 Dusty

[Kev m]

When your hands get old and banged up you will understand grasshopper  Propping a tablet up requires lugging something else around , I just prefer a book or magazine . No glare , works in any weird position , doesn't need a cord or a battery .

 Dusty

I've then my hands up pretty good between wrenching and martial arts. There are times it's been painful to use turn signals on bikes for weeks.

You don't need to lug anything else to bed, prop it up on the back of your other hand/first. Use a tablet cover with a prop.

You don't need a cord, unless the battery has run down, but then again if it's dark out a book would need a light.

I dunno, seems much ado...

[sturgeon]

The current issue is also a dozen pages shorter than normal. I'm hoping it's a temporary glitch due to staffing changes mid-issue.

[Vagrant]

I dislike taking a computer or tablet into the bath room for my morning cycle reading fix!
MCN is still the only objective one regardless of their slight imperfections. also they go the extra mile with their tests and mention all imperfections in the bikes.