How do WMB and MBUK decide which reviews to print?
bol
Posts: 138
I think I know, but it'd be good to hear what others think?
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Not sure of your question? How we decide what kit to review, or what ends up on BikeRadar?0
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Lol, that one again! Is nonsense.0
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lawman wrote:
Im confused now. Is there a conspiracy? Is there a conspiracy about a conspiracy?
I blame wiggle. Just saying, they advertise in magazines... coincidence? I think not.0 -
I don't know the full story, but it seems that Brant has said that one of the head honchos at Future has pulled a review of a bike based on "advertisers get priority". True or false I do not know, but one thing I do know - I have been with WMB for nearly 4 years, have wrote several articles, over forty columns, tested over fifty drivetrain parts, bikes in Head to Heads, tested random bits in the front section and currently have six forks on the go. Not once have I been asked to give priority to any brand: infact Iget to choose a lot of my own stuff and what I write about, and am encouraged to write about budget items and lesser known stuff.
I guess what has happened in this case will come out in the wash.0 -
Well. Say what you will, but I've never given any advertising money to Future, and they've not featured any of my products.
Coincidence? Huh, more like a conspiracy
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From my limited knowledge of working with journos etc. when I used to work with a bike company was that they would generally moan about the lack of bikes they got sent for any test category, not the other way round. I am guessing that the test brant missed out on was either oversubscribed, or maybe not a true 'category' test, and so preference was given to advertisers. Shh... It happens.
That said, maybe WMB just doesn't like brant any more. Search for carbon 456 to see what I mean.A Flock of Birds
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YeehaaMcgee wrote:Well. Say what you will, but I've never given any advertising money to Future, and they've not featured any of my products.
Coincidence? Huh, more like a conspiracy
Wrong type of magazine. You need to look about 3 shelves up for your products Yeehaa.A Flock of Birds
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when I used to work with a bike company was that they would generally moan about the lack of bikes they got sent for any test category
Very much this! Is like getting a blood out of a stone with some of them. Still waiting for RS to send me some forks! Some price brackets is struggle to get test bikes.Well. Say what you will, but I've never given any advertising money to Future, and they've not featured any of my products.
Coincidence? Huh, more like a conspiracy
I dread to think what products!0 -
supersonic wrote:...but one thing I do know - I have been with WMB for nearly 4 years, have wrote several articles
So thats what, 0.75 articles per year? I hope you have demanded a raise. Its like slave labour
A Flock of Birds
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benpinnick wrote:supersonic wrote:...but one thing I do know - I have been with WMB for nearly 4 years, have wrote several articles
So thats what, 0.75 articles per year? I hope you have demanded a raise. Its like slave labour
huh?0 -
I figured 'several' articles was more than 2 (couple) or three (few) but probably below 7 or 8, as that might qualify as 'quite a few'. I was concerned for SS' well being. Don't want to see him do himself an injury with all that article writing.A Flock of Birds
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Not to contribute to what should have been closed... but I did notice something interesting in Total Film a few years back which made me stop reading.
They often ran three page articles on major blockbusters and then later in the same issue slate the movie in the review. WMB and MBUK don't do this, and across the board that shows impartiality in reviews, but it always annoyed me that Total Film would waste space doing major features on movies they hated.0 -
benpinnick wrote:I figured 'several' articles was more than 2 (couple) or three (few) but probably below 7 or 8, as that might qualify as 'quite a few'. I was concerned for SS' well being. Don't want to see him do himself an injury with all that article writing.
I'm only a part time contributor lol. But doing a 12 page drivetrain test can take several months!0 -
Rankles wrote:Not to contribute to what should have been closed... but I did notice something interesting in Total Film a few years back which made me stop reading.
They often ran three page articles on major blockbusters and then later in the same issue slate the movie in the review. WMB and MBUK don't do this, and across the board that shows impartiality in reviews, but it always annoyed me that Total Film would waste space doing major features on movies they hated.
I think that Total Film were right to do so. Its not just all about their opinion. If it were the case that magazines should be like that, and SS were in charge, WMB would be renamed to Rockshox monthly. For example, Avatar is in my opinion one of the worst wastes of hard drive space ever to be created, but it is also the largest grossing film in history, and one of the most technically important. Just because I (assuming I am Total Film ed.) would rather watch Pocahontas rather than this Smurfs b-movie, wouldn't diminish the relevance of an article about it, or its importance as a film.A Flock of Birds
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benpinnick wrote:...Avatar...benpinnick wrote:...would rather watch Pocahontas...
isn't it the same film? but with laser guns and explosions and spaceships and really neat stuff.0 -
Quite.A Flock of Birds
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It's all kicking off on STW http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic ... ng-adverts
It would seem that WMB (or at least WMB's publishers) may not be quite as impartial as they would like us to believe.0 -
There's a poster there talking about something called a "PX RT-57". Wow, catchy name for a bike eh?.blitz wrote:It's all kicking off on STW http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic ... ng-adverts
It would seem that WMB (or at least WMB's publishers) may not be quite as impartial as they would like us to believe.
They must have the same naming department that motorcycle companies use. Maybe if they paid extra they could add "RR" to the end of it.
Oh, no, wait, it's not a racing bike, it's a sportive bike (whatever that is), so one "R" will suffice, I guess.0 -
Wow. I think I've just given myself a migraine by reading that STW thread. What a boring, repetetive, self-righteous circle-jerk of a thred :roll:0
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I was being a bit mischievous with the initial post, but what I was looking for was a bit of insight from a tester's perspective. Thanks Supersonic.0
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YeehaaMcgee wrote:There's a poster there talking about something called a "PX RT-57". Wow, catchy name for a bike eh?
Well no, PX stood for Planet X, I don't find the "RT-57" hugely hard to remember.0 -
Not particularly memorable though eh?Toasty wrote:YeehaaMcgee wrote:There's a poster there talking about something called a "PX RT-57". Wow, catchy name for a bike eh?
Well no, PX stood for Planet X, I don't find the "RT-57" hugely hard to remember.0 -
With all due respect how much freedom of choice do you have in this SS?supersonic wrote:infact Iget to choose a lot of my own stuff and what I write about0 -
YeehaaMcgee wrote:Not particularly memorable though eh?
Dunno, just swapped my "55" for a "Five". Sounds pretty exciting from here, hehe.
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I'll add the stuff I added in the other thread:have spoke to the person who tested the bikes. He is the least biased and most objective tester around. He does not know why the test was pulled - he is waiting to hear from those at Future HQ.Oh, and to add that that: three of the other five bike manufacturers in that test do not advertise in the mag.It might not have even been replaced - often space constraints mean that things have to bite the bullet. The editor juggles stuff around to fit in the available space, so what might have been a commission for the tester for six bikes may have been cut to five. Not all that is tested makes it to print. But we just don't know.
And to answer Blitz: as mentioned, I work as an occasional freelance contributor to the mag, though do get regular slots like the monthly small column, large feature articles (several of, which people are seemingly referencing ;-)) smaller bits and testing. They will sometimes say, "do you want to test this/that/other" and send it through. I will sometimes discuss what the stuff is and ask for changes. With the drivetrain test I picked every single part myself. Sure, you are limited in some respects with drivetrains, but I arranged the whole lot, tested it and not one word or rating was edited. I tested two titanium bikes last year in a Head to Head, one which I changed to a more suitable model. The fork test I am currently doing, again, I picked all six myself and contacted the suppliers myself.
There are two forces seemingly at work: we get the writers and regulars who test and are genuinely into MTBing and work very hard for the magazine; then we have the people at the owners office who ultimately can have the last say in what gets published.
As mentioned previously, I and others have no idea why the review was pulled, we can only speculate. Brant has his reasons, he may be right, maybe some head from Future did say that. I just don't know. All I can do is reflect on how things work from my, admittedly lower down the food chain, perspective.0 -
I don't think anyone is questioning the impartiality of the journalists who write for WMB but an impartial review of £1500 FS bikes is different from an impartial review of £1500 FS bikes from FP's advertisers. Obv it's not possible to test every bike the same as it's not possible to test every fork or every waterproof jacket but I just wondered how much choice you as a writer had in the matter.
BTW if there's anything you CBA to test send it my way I'll test it for you0 -
My MBUK arrived today - Titus X reviewed!0
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Just a personal comment here, but for me what Mountain biking seems to have much more detail and overall "adult" reviews where as MMBUK seems to be very much picture focus and very "downhill" bikeing heavy, with less on the XC side of things i feel and more of a glossy Top Gear mag ie not many realistic bikes reviewed more 3k+ ect.London2Brighton Challange 100k!
http://www.justgiving.com/broxbourne-runners0
