For those who might care, Power Nation moving to History Channel

[pagrunt]

I just saw the pop up on the screen that Velocity will become Motor Trend on the 23rd. Will people quit screwing with the last car channel.

 

[CaliWagon83]

One of the reasons I left there. Until a little over a year ago, I worked for what used to be TEN (The Enthusiast Network) and before than Source Interlink Media, and before that, Primedia. Basically, Discovery bought the digital assets of TEN in the hopes of monetizing their video/digital assets. The print side of the business is, unfortunately, dying a slow, miserable death. Nobody has the b@lls to just drag that old dog out behind the shed and put it out of its misery, but mark my words, the print magazines will either be spun off in a licensing deal to some other company, or killed outright. The only ones that have a decent chance of surviving are Motor Trend and Hot Rod. Maybe Diesel Power. The rest will go all-digital. That company is in a constant 5-year crisis cycle where new management comes in and thinks they can right the Titanic, but end up throwing in the towel and getting thrown out until the next group of suckers...err...investors are willing to give it a try.

 

[Jeff L]

One of the reasons I left there. Until a little over a year ago, I worked for what used to be TEN (The Enthusiast Network) and before than Source Interlink Media, and before that, Primedia. Basically, Discovery bought the digital assets of TEN in the hopes of monetizing their video/digital assets. The print side of the business is, unfortunately, dying a slow, miserable death. Nobody has the b@lls to just drag that old dog out behind the shed and put it out of its misery, but mark my words, the print magazines will either be spun off in a licensing deal to some other company, or killed outright. The only ones that have a decent chance of surviving are Motor Trend and Hot Rod. Maybe Diesel Power. The rest will go all-digital. That company is in a constant 5-year crisis cycle where new management comes in and thinks they can right the Titanic, but end up throwing in the towel and getting thrown out until the next group of suckers...err...investors are willing to give it a try.

Read some of these same sentiments online from some other former TEN employees.

Sometimes my “old fashioned” ways or nostalgia kick in and how much I miss my usual Saturday trips to the newstand to pick up my new magazines. Could easily pick up a dozen car, tech, photography mags each trip and have a relaxing Sunday reading all day.

Most of the car mags from 10 years ago are long gone, folded, and most of the rest seem to be slowly getting thinner and thinner and I wonder how much longer they have left as far as print goes?

I do have most of my subscriptions digitally on my IPad but still prefer to read a “real” book or magazine because it is easier on my eyes.

Thanks to my working hours that are all over the place, I do not get to see much tv lately, but realized I was not recording much from Velocity or the Discovery and History Channel as I use to. I became so sick of the fake reality car shows, the produced drama, and how one show seemed to be like the next. Plus as others mentioned the seemingly endless commercial cycles per hour that I thankfully could speed through on recordings!

Not sure if it is myself getting older, technology changing things for the better, (or worse?), and if I becoming the “get off my lawn” kinda guy, but I really miss the days where print was king and walking out of bookstores with piles of magazines and books was the highlight of my day off. Oh well, progress I guess....

 

[CaliWagon83]

To echo what you’re saying, Jeff L, when I got my first job as an intern in publishing, my mom would always go to the local bookstore or newsstand, and buy them out of the issues my articles were in, and give them away to friends and family. I still had articles in print for most of my career, but even with her, once I got her an iPad, it was just easier to send links to my articles.

In terms of a lot of the car shows on TV now, I agree...They’re typically one of two formats...half-hour infomercials for bolt-ons or oil treatments, or fake shop drama of sophomoric pranks or blue collar bluster and braggadocio. Probably one of my current favorites is Wheeler Dealers, even after Edd China left. Also like Overhaulin’, Bitchin’ Rides and Chasing Classic Cars.

 

[jlcustomz]

On the subject of being entertained, we all need to play a little dumb when watching tv, nothing new there. I like counting cars for what it's worth , but one episode Danny happens to find 5 finger death punch guitarist broke down on the side of the road on a bike ride. He pulls air clearer off, pulls something sucked into carb through filter out & bike starts. PLEASE, we ain't that stupid, but hey, it's tv. Was worth a laugh.
On a better note, I happened to watch one of the redo shows of iron resurrection, where they sit around, comment on episode, & show parts that didn't make it to show. Don't usually watch these. In this one, the engine guy was explaining about rocker arm geometry importance in aftermarket engine building & where it needs to rub the valve, etc. Also Shorty was showing how he likes to paint parts like hoods hanging up rather than laying down to pick up less dust, etc. Guess the producers thought all that was just boring sh*t that we didn't want to see. Dumb *ss producer mo fo's know nothing about car guys, do they..