sdt22

I'm not sure what compelled me to do this (it was either my frustration with my March issue or my tiredness of studying for a calculus test) but nevertheless I thought that the below info was interesting enough to me that maybe others might be interested. As I said these numbers are from the March issue of Model Airplane News:

63.5/167=38% Percentage of pages that contain info that is either not new to me or will be seen in countless more issues of MAN. ie, product ads

52/167=31% Percentage of pages that have what I look forward to every month. ie, tips, readers projects, flight reviews, etc.

(the rest)/167= 31% Percentage of pages that although may be useful to some, are more of the above mentioned 38% of ads consisting of hobby shops and other garbage that does nothing for me.

I understand that the ads are sometimes interesting and are also a vital part of any magazing publication, but when they take up more space than what is new to the subscriber then

A: Somebody behind the scenes is making more money than they deserve off these publications (or advertisements with a few tips scattered in between)

B: I get to complain about it while it accomplishes little

and lastly
C: They will have one less commercial postage stamp to use on me when it comes time to renew!

I just felt like venting a little and if anyone else has anything to add, please feel free.

Kraut

My Feedback: (1)

That is exactly why I quit buying all the R/C rags - they all have about the same stuff in them that I've been looking at for the last umpteen years - over and over and over!!!

TopShelf

My Feedback: (4)

Yep, exactly why I did not renew my MAN subscription. RCU is vastly more informative than any of the mags I've seen.

ben flyn

Their reviews are always WONDERFULL, what a crock! I spend sixty times more here than those r/c rags. The only one I kind of like is RC Report.
I'm just glad we have R/C Universe!

cap10fan

My Feedback: (13)

Testify!.....Can't stand reading the advertising rags anymore.

Thank you Marc for RCU!

BigSkyRCFlyer

My Feedback: (36)

RCU Rules that's for sure, but what are we going to use for reading material in the bathroom now???? LOL That's what my Sub to MAN and RCM is for!!

cap10fan

My Feedback: (13)

As for me, I have issues of both that date pretty far back. They are always good for a re-read. It is not like the articles have changed over the last decade or so, besides, that is when they were actually worth reading. Go back and have a look, you'll be surprised. The reviews actually had some meat to them! Not the fluff we have been led to believe is an honest accounting of what to expect.

pilotkelowna

My Feedback: (1)

I only buy RC Report and 2 of the English Magazines now - more articles than advertisements !! 'Course, I can always find the best info on RCU.

Shortman

My Feedback: (21)

I like one mag in particular and I don't think anyone hates it... RCReport

Grumpy Monkey

My Feedback: (7)

I stopped renewing all my subscriptions about 6 months ago. And when they send you the reason for non renawal questionaire, fill it out and tell them why. I stopped my sub to Man because I got sick of all the $%&*$ Arf's. Its bad enough everyone at the field has one, but when I open MAN, I see 15 more of them. AAARRRGGGHH! Now dont get me wrong. ARF's arent all that bad as a concept, but they have gotten to be overkill. RCU is the premier source for info. Its modellers talking to modellers and there is a forum for everyone. I have read a lot of construction tips and build posts that gave me more info then I have seen in 10 years of MAN. Way to go RCU!!

Warren

TopShelf

My Feedback: (4)

Warbird Fanatic,

Yep, I said the same thing on my survey.

Grampaw

Magazines, newspapers and other publications that depend upon ad revenue to stay alive usually strive to maintain a 50/50 ratio of ads to editorial material each issue. That ratio varies all the time, but it usually averages out. It's a lot of work to put out a publication. I know, I spent 20 years as an Editorial Artist! Now days I log onto RCU each evening before I hit the sack to see what's happening. I may pick up a ccpy of RCM or MAN now and then to see what's going on and, to stay current on what's avaialble from my favorite manufacturers and stores. I dropped those subscriptions and went with FLIGHT JOURNAL. No models in there, but I enjoy the pics, stories and history it contains. I don't think we'll ever see the model mags go back to what they were a few years back, but I suppose that's progress. Maybe it's passing me by, but I'm still having fun!

TexasAirMedic

My Feedback: (2)

regarding bathroom reading, that's what my laptop with wireless connection to my network is for ! ..

Joe Nagy

My Feedback: (3)

Hi All;

Greetings to everyone from the sunny and warm 'Valley of the Sun'.

I clearly remember my purchase at age 13 of the Dec '57 issue of MAN, still have it; and my Mom chastizing me for spending the large sum then of 35 cents for said Mag.

I have in my Mag archives a few dozen 50s MANs, and from Jan '60 to Jan '03 every single issue, but am not renewing my subscription. The MAN's of old were friendly, covered FF, CL & RC, good inexpensive black-line plans, and best of all the INDEX was on the front page, now it is on page 6>8, who knows, and now only covers scale RC. In the past couple of years, I have hardly even read an article, just scanned through it, found the contents of little or no interest to me; + the plans cost a fortune and are of very poor blue-line quality. I am letting all of my subs go: FM, RC Report; but am keeping RCM. I'd get rid of MA also, but am stuck with it as it is the AMA rag. I too have switched to several English and Australian mags, free plans and more useful info.

Thanx for the MAN/Mag info, as I thought I was the only one being disappointed in them. I am a life long modeler, 50+ yrs in it, and about 35 in RC, and still love the hobby, but the Mags have lost something by a long shot. Best regards to all from Phoenix,

Joe Nagy. email: [email protected]

flicka5

My Feedback: (2)

The world of RC models has changed. ARFS are neccessary because as you have noted, Americans don't do manual labor any more or the building of anything. Thats why there are no jobs available in the factories and why just about everything you buy, clothes, shoes, hand tools, power tools, model engines, hardware and household goods are made in China.

Two reasons: we ain't got time and we don't want to do it. Too busy on the internet, commuting long work distances and eating out every night. We are becoming the ruling class of the world; that is we think and the rest can labor. So, that is why ARFS are so popular and it allows newbies to buy their way into the hobby and not have to earn it the old fashion way by laboring/ building.

I would guess that ten years from now, 9 out of 10
RC air modelers who are active today and still alive then, will still be in the hobby if they actually build and not totally rely on ARF'S. Further, I would guess that most of those today that totally buy and fly ARF'S will be off on some other tangent, ten years from now. The "old" RC model builders are a different breed of cat!

Getting back to MAN, I will still subscribe just because I am an American but damn I love those English scale magazines. Just wish they were not so expensive! If you have a problem with your MAN subscription, don't bother to contact their subscription service in Il., just go right to the editor because dealing with their subscription service is like dealing with an endless, black hole in space. No one there understands English.

Mendes

My Feedback: (1)

But guys, you're missing out on all those glossy pictures!!!

That, and once you're done with it you can use the pages for masking things while you are painting.

rockmon

Hey flicka5 back up and regroup. I build and fly arf's because of the amount of manual labor I have to do. We don't all sit at a desk and surf RCU all day long and the guys that do well I think they are lucky dogs. (haha) OK this week that's about all I have done but it's -15 and -35 wind chill outside and I don't like working with a coat on. I hope my buddy wildthng doesn't read this, I just wait till he's done reading his scrips and then he gives them to me. I go through them to find cool cover schemes for my projects. Hey maybe I'm not busy, just lazy!!

maverick

My Feedback: (12)

Well that isn't quite true!

I was a subscriber to MAN and RCM before subscribing to RC Report. I heard good things about RC Report so I took out a 2 year subscription. Since then I have dropped both MAN and RCM due to their 'never report any faults in a review' policy and way too much advertising.

I am also now starting to have second thoughts about RC Report and I will tell you why.

Has anybody else noticed that RC Report is becoming a vehicle for the columnists to push their own and their buddy's products?

Nearly every columnist in that magazine has a commercial interest in this hobby and they use their privileged position with the magazine to promote their own products & services and/or promote one of the other columnists products.

Take for example the Jets column. It is written by a person who works for Frank Tiano Enterprises and in the last few columns has been shamelessly plugging FTE products and meets. As well as this, he plugs the PCM Aviator from Pat McCurry, who incidentally is another columnist. If I see another photo of Pat McCurry, John Christensen and Frank Tiano with their PCM Aviators I think I will be sick.

Also in the Feb 2003 edition in the Scale column, Jeff Foley talks about engine cooling and uses a large scale Messerschmitt BF-109 to show an example. It isn't enough to say he has a 109 that he solved a cooling problem for, but he goes on to say "many of you know that I have a large model of a Messerschmitt 109 that I currently produce and sell."

It isn't enough just to use his 109 as an example in the column, but he must go on to say that he "produces and sells" the model also. Now this piece of information is totally irrelevant to the article at hand, but using his privileged position he takes up column space and uses our funds to push his own commercial agenda.

IMHO this stinks!

Frank Tiano has also been known to push his own products in his column. Take for example his comment, "I use Formula 560 because it's an enhanced version of the old RC56 glue..." What he doesn't say is that he uses Formula 560 because his company markets and distributes said product and he has a financial gain to make form you using it too. Now it may be the best glue for the job and I am not arguing that here. All I am saying is that the hidden agenda needs to be exposed. For the record I personally use Zap products and like them.

I could go on with other examples, but you get the idea!

What ever happened to the days of independent journalism? The days when a journalist reported an independent view of the products they wrote about and if there was ever a conflict of interest they declared it up front. Where is the integrity of these columnists gone?

Has it gotten to the point where they will do anything to gain financially from their privileged position?

Where does the Editor Gordon Banks stand on all of this?

Surely he can see his magazine is being put in a compromising position, whereby the loyalty it has built up form being the only 'honest kid on the block' is starting to be eaten away.

Where will he be then? Just another also ran like RCM and MAN that have no journalistic credibility, but he won't even have the glossy pages with color pictures to help him sell copy!

Well I have said my 2c worth. This has been bugging me for some time now.

If things don't change at RC Report I won't be renewing my subscription and I know a number of other modellers at 2 clubs I visit won't be renewing either.

Now I know a number of the people mentioned here are members of RC Universe and will probably read this. Don't take this as a personal assult on your free market enterprises, but just a comment on how you should separate those enterprises from your position at the magazine.

If I have seen things incorrectly, please post here and tell us all what is your reasoning on pushing your own and your friend's products in your column.

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

Concerning the same old ads....maybe Gerry can answer this...does it cost a lot more to change an ad every month? I personally like the arrangement where many ads are at the end of the mag....

And speaking of ads....anyone pick up the R/C Car mag by AirAge? I think I got a bilaterial hernia picking one up the other day - talk about ADS!!!!!

Guess cars is where the $$ is !

Jerry

shess65-RCU

My Feedback: (7)

I started suscribing to RC Report about three years ago because everyone told me about their honest, straightforward evaluations and interesting reading. For the most part I really like the magazine, but I agree, it seems lately more and more it is turning into a scale & jets magazine. I too have noticed more and more of the columnists seem to be pushing each other's stuff.

These writers all are remarkable and have already done more that I will ever dream of. But guys, talk to us about that, let us learn from your experiences. Don't just use the column to push products.

On another subject, the product reviews in ALL the magazines (that I have read lately anyway) seem to be copied from a common "review form" where a few missing blanks are filled in and, presto, out pops a generic review article. So much of the review is repetative jargon that seems copied from one review to the next and words have just been added to fill up the required space needed to fill the magazine. I can almost close my eyes and quote the reviews before reading them. Do I really care the writer performed a last check of the flying surfaces? That's good advice but what has it got to do with how the model assembles/builds, looks, and performs. That's what I want to read, not how big the box it came in was, or that the writer used a new xzy gadget. That should be in another review or a general advice column if it is that important.

Another subject. They should just insert a big bold line on the cover of the magazine asking for pictures instead of burying it in every article in the magazine. Surely there are other things to write about than the picture of some guys plane. I love to see the pictures and read about the models but I want to learn how to build one like it that so tell me, show me.

Also. Enough on whining about how ARF's have ruined and brought about the end and destruction of our hobby. We have now all read it several times over in all the magazines from the AMA rag on down.

I have built several kits and went through more ARF's than I can ever admit to my wife. If it were not for an ARF, I would have never started. Why would I want to spend weeks or months building something just to see if I am going to be able to do it or not. I know lots of people who fly both and when the last plane is crashed and I need something quick, an ARF looks pretty good. I love flying and don't want to be grounded for weeks waiting on enough free time to finish a project. I do always seem to have one going though. I just can't ever get enough time to finish them.

SwampFlier-RCU

I only subscribe (at this time to MAN) althoug I agree with other posts about reviews and stuff at least the photos are good of the major mags the RCM (IMHO) is lagging (way) behind the others in format and structure and some articles are bad..... did dyou see the one about the epoxy mixer scale? not worth the space it occupied could fit in the tips and tricks section.

I wa about to subscribe to RCReport but I also noticed the Columnists/Advertisers/Owners are working on, and you guys are confirming my doubts... I'll wait a little before I subscribe to RCR


Hey Flicka 5.... pleas hold your horses....

Grumpy Monkey

My Feedback: (7)

SwampFlier,
I think there is a place in this world for ARFS, but my point being, as a builder, I want to see build articles more, and problem solving and design aspects, and unbiased reviews as was mentioned earlier in another post. RCM is far better with ARF/kit management then MAN. I subscribed to MAN but would usually pick up RCM for the build articles. I looked into RC Report but just wasnt to impressed. It just gets frustrating when you want a new kit to build, and your options are severly limited because there are far more arf's then kits. It might just be my opinion, because my niche ( small one) is in the scale 40/60 size Warbirds (and I am emphasising scale) which other then GP and TF being the major manufacturers seem pretty limited. Even those kits are more sport then scale and require alot of extra work for a scale enthusiast, and the warbird ARFS are cheesier then cheetos looking. Eventually, when I have the room, I will move up to the giant scale but for now, I am trying to learn CAD and design my own because I cant find a 40/60 size MIG3,Toryu,Hellcat,Yak,Hurricane,Stuka, etc in that range that is suitable for a scale project.
Ultimately, Thats why RCU is my drug of choice, it is people talking, helping, encouraging,supporting other people in whatever arena they fancy, from warbirds to ARFS and electrics and helis. The opinions here are pretty unbiased for the most part and is full of valuable info.

Warren

Grampaw

Warbird Fanatic I also prefer models in the .40 and .60 size. I learned just about all I know about building from reading the construction articles in the magazines (as you mentioned they used to be). I was pretty much on my own as no one else was into R/C models in my area. I learned a lot from those mags and I "reshaped" and built my ideas and had some fine flying models. It was also a great feeling to fly what I built. I don't subscribe to
the mags any longer, though I sometimes purcxhase a copy on a newstand if the content is of interest. I don't miss them. I have a few back issues of several that I saved for various reasons, and will dig them out and go through them and find some useful info there, and often an idea is triggered. I am finally going to start on a model of my favorite plane that I have been gathering construction ideas on for some time. There are no kits or ARFs of it out there, but over the years these old mags have provided me with a wealth of construction ideas and methods to use. I don't think we'll ever see them return to what they were, but that is the way things go. So I decided to wean myself from them and proceed with my own ideas and have fun again with my hobby of model building and flying. Feel free to join in!

phuffstatler

My Feedback: (20)

What folks need to remember, and this is the basis of all the whining I've read in the posts above.


I'ts all about the money. That's why the mags do what they do, why ARF's outnumber kits, why car mags are thicker, why writers push products (because they can't earn enough of a living just writing) and why the world goes to the far east where folks sweat all day for 12 cents an hour 12 hours a day.

Would you be willing to work like that? Me neither. But that's why you can buy a 1/3 scale areobat ARF for under $400. I remember when the large scale kits that required building cost so much more, cause they were being made by us, right here. That's not done anymore, except by the small cottage industries that cater to tiny vertical markets...

I prefer to build, rather than assemble. There are obviously many in the hobby that don't. They have money to spend, in large single purchases, and those folks are who the industries are chasing. You blame them? I can't see why. When they can sell you an ARF that you can build in a weekend, versus a good scale kit that takes 6 months, how often will you come back for another project? With the ARF's, quite a bit more, I'd suspect. And yes, they do market the fool out of them, almost to the point of bombardment. I get sick of all the ads, too. And some of them are downright irresponsible, leading some folks on.

MAN (what this thread started on) is a major modeling publication, and they are in the business to make money. That's it. That's all. When enough modelers say, "Enough" then they'll go out of business, or get it right again. I'm not holding my breath to see which happens first...


Enough.

phil in austin

SwampFlier-RCU

I'ld also like to see more kits .... I am mainly an ARf -sport flire for now, but my to main projects are a Ayres Turbothrush (spray plane) and DH-88 Grosvennor House.
Also the construction articles in the mags are good when they decide to run them.. but still they (teh mags) could do much more for the scratch builders, of which there is still a large base