"Primedia", Stops printing Kit Car Magazine!!

[tyoneal]

To ALL:

Just thought I would pass it along in case you haven't heard. "Kit Car", Magazine announced that this month will be it's last issue.

I think this totally sucks for a couple of reasons:

1) I enjoyed reading about the new cars coming out

2) I just got my first issue last month :thumbdown2:

This just chaps my Butt! It doesn't take a Rocket scientist to figure out your going out of business soon, and if you have people trying to subscribe to your magazine and you know Damn well you'll be out of Business in 60 days, it's hardly ethical to take the check for the person and cash it.

Just to let everyone know, Don't try buying a subscription to Kit Car because they will just take your money and not deliver the promised product.

If they happen to read this, "SCREW YOU", :thumbdown2: and your magazine.

I think they are part of, "Primedia", :thumbdown2: who Puts out Many more Titles. You might want to make sure they are not going to rip you off also. I subscribe to several, "Primedia", Products and this surely makes they look like a Crappy low life outfit.

Ironically, this news appears on page 6 and something as big as this is not even mentioned in the area. "Don't you think this is about the biggest feature of this issue?????? Jack Ass.

A Very Disappointed Reader,

William Ty O'Neal
Frisco, Texas

PS. You know how to find me if you decide to send a refund for the 10 issues I'm not getting.

[Steve1968LS2]

Actually these decisions are made rather quickly.

Kit Car was a very niche magazine and only sold a few thousand copies in total. In this economy companies need to keep what turns a profit and ditch what's loosing money or barely making it. Back in the fat days they could afford to have a low performer, not today.

Also, they aren't going to "rip you off". They will most likely offer a refund or another one of thier magazines.

Even if you didn't get a refund think about it. You lost $10-$20 but other people lost thier jobs.

I think you need to put stuff in perspective.

[DOOM]

I would have to agree with Steve on this one... I know it sucks loosing the money! But I think you'll get it back..

[Bowtieracing]

...This just chaps my Butt! It doesn't take a Rocket scientist to figure out your going out of business soon, and if you have people trying to subscribe to your magazine and you know Damn well you'll be out of Business in 60 days, it's hardly ethical to take the check for the person and cash it.




Sue them! Find a good layers and ask at least 10 000000 :willy:

[rwhite692]

Actually these decisions are made rather quickly.

Kit Car was a very niche magazine and only sold a few thousand copies in total. In this economy companies need to keep what turns a profit and ditch what's loosing money or barely making it. Back in the fat days they could afford to have a low performer, not today.

Also, they aren't going to "rip you off". They will most likely offer a refund or another one of thier magazines.

Even if you didn't get a refund think about it. You lost $10-$20 but other people lost thier jobs.

I think you need to put stuff in perspective.


Steve, I couldn't have said it better.

It is very, very ugly out there and many companies are forced to act.

[XcYZ]

I also have to wonder if the banks and/or investors in Source Interlink have the say in what stays and what goes in order to keep the operating capital flowing. There very well could have been a meeting of the power players and they dropped the hammer on anything that wasn't turning X amount of profit.

I guess my point is that the blame for shutting down Kit Car Magazine may not fall solely on the shoulders of Source Interlink.

[cmraman]

I also have to wonder if the banks and/or investors in Source Interlink have the say in what stays and what goes in order to keep the operating capital flowing. There very well could have been a meeting of the power players and they dropped the hammer on anything that wasn't turning X amount of profit.

I guess my point is that the blame for shutting down Kit Car Magazine may not fall solely on the shoulders of Source Interlink.

Well said. Also this should drive the point to support your favorite automotive magazines. If people don't support them, they too may disappear. It's pretty scary right now.

[tyoneal]

Actually these decisions are made rather quickly.

Kit Car was a very niche magazine and only sold a few thousand copies in total. In this economy companies need to keep what turns a profit and ditch what's loosing money or barely making it. Back in the fat days they could afford to have a low performer, not today.

Also, they aren't going to "rip you off". They will most likely offer a refund or another one of their magazines.

Even if you didn't get a refund think about it. You lost $10-$20 but other people lost their jobs.

I think you need to put stuff in perspective.

===============================
Steve:

Thanks for your comment. I sincerely appreciate your vantage point.

First: "Kit Car was a very niche magazine and only sold a few thousand copies in total."

I agree with you, and I would say that many of the magazines we enjoy are also very much, "Niche" markets as well. Pro Touring, HotRods, Chevy etc. etc. are really few and far between, if you take the time to look on the road around town. There are darn few people under 30 that even like the Vintage cars as we do. Their interest are into tuners and the like. We enjoy and cherish the cars that, "Dad", (According to them) use to have. If they would dump one magazine that was in a niche market, I have no reason to think that they wouldn't also dump other magazines that were in a similar niche.
Here are some of the titles they publish regarding cars and trucks.
========================
Major Primedia Titles regarding Motor Vehicles.

4 Wheel & Sport Utility
Automobile Magazine
Car Craft
Dirt Rider
Four Wheeler
Home Theater
Hot Bike
Hot Rod Magazine
JP Magazine
Lowrider Magazine
Mini Truckin Magazine
Modified Magazine
Mopar Muscle Magazine
Motorcyclist
Motor Trend
Mustang Monthly
Peterson's 4-Wheel & Off Road
Power & Motoryacht
Sail Magazine
SLAM Magazine
Soap Opera Digest
Soap Opera Weekly
Sport Compact Car <-------- Also just went under
Stereophile
Super Street
Truckin Magazine
Truck Trend
Sport Truck
========================
Source: http://74.125.113.132/search?q=cache:zz3LK7ay6KEJ:www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Primedia+primemedia+hedquarters,+publisher,+HotRod +Magazine&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us
========================

Primedia's base at least when I did a Google Search seems to have much of their corporate offices in the NEW YORK area.

It's not about the $20, and it certainly is not the end of the world by any stretch, however it's about how you handle your business, your customer base, and employees. The primarily reason I posted it is because a lot of the magazines many people here enjoy are published or owned by the same group of folks. There are many over lapping magazines in the "HotRod", format that I guess could also disappear over night.

(A little bit of a tangent, but possibly still relevant)
Further there are a lot of people in the NE part of this country who are Butt Deep in snow right now, and are still trying to get us to believe in, "Global Warming". These cars we love are not exactly, "Green", in most cases, not that I give a damn what they think, but I would guess that a fairly great number of these idiots would prefer us not doing Burn outs, building Cars they don't have to pass emission test etc. That too may make our hobby prone to have our periodicals shelved given a down turn in the market.

I know this thing happens, as a competitive shooter, our publications are often attacked by the busy body, anti-gun, "Do-Gooders". This hobby will become more difficult to have fun in as time goes on. Look at the Dummies in California, and all the crazy things they come up with.
========================

Second: "Also, they aren't going to "rip you off". They will most likely offer a refund or another one of their magazines."

(Do you have a source for the above information?)

I've been in business for a long time, and if I were going to offer an option like you mention above, I think I would do it in the same message of discontinuation, as a consolation to the reader, so they don't walk away thinking they just got hosed, especially since it would have to come in another mailed envelope, or emailed to all of the subscribers. By far the easiest and most cost effective way to relay this message would be to make it part of the last issue. I hope you are right, but I'm not holding my breath.

Steve I understand the position you are in, and I admire your dedication to your craft, in fact, I hope to meet you someday face to face. You are a great person for this Hobby, and, "Penny", reflects that.

Please don't hold my position against me, I feel a true Kinship with many people here, and like most, I dream of the perfect car. I save and save sometimes to my own detriment, for a new set of wheels or a paint job or ????, That is just what we do (Most of us anyway), and our passion drives our desire not to want to poop off any money that could be going to our new, "Baby". (Tell me if I'm wrong on this)

I wanted to tell everyone that since they are, Trimming the Fat", in these areas to be wary about buying a multi year subscription, if they can disappear instantaneously with no notice, or make no effort on their part to save the relationship with the customer, I would consider twice before sending more money for a long term subscription.

Economic downturns don't last forever, and leaving on a high note would be my goal, plus as an advertiser, I would not want to be part of that issue.
==========================
Third: Even if you didn't get a refund think about it. You lost $10-$20 but other people lost their jobs.

I think you need to put stuff in perspective.
=========================
Things are in perspective. Bad behavior by a business to their customers has nothing to do with some people losing their jobs. If no one lost their jobs, Would screwing your customer base then be ok? Of course not.

I have been laid off several times, before I went independent and it sucks. I'm sorry when anyone loses their job if they are good workers. I really wish things were not hard for so many right now.

I currently have subscription for another six titles mentioned on that list, (Not to mention the others published by other companies) I usually take the longest term I can so I don't have to mess with it since I have always loved cars old and new and now have time in my life to really enjoy all of them.

In any event, I was just trying to bring some possibly unknown news to some people it might have some impact on.

Again, Steve thanks for your reply.

I respect your opinion.

Best Regards,

Ty

[tyoneal]

Sue them! Find a good layers and ask at least 10 000000 :willy:

==================
It's really for informational purposes for those who subscribe to Car magazines.

Sue them? NOT!

Take Care,

Ty

[tyoneal]

I also have to wonder if the banks and/or investors in Source Interlink have the say in what stays and what goes in order to keep the operating capital flowing. There very well could have been a meeting of the power players and they dropped the hammer on anything that wasn't turning X amount of profit.

I guess my point is that the blame for shutting down Kit Car Magazine may not fall solely on the shoulders of Source Interlink.
====================

Scot:

Thanks for chiming in.

I'm sure in a way you right. There is always politics in any big corporations. $100 says that there are less subscribed to magazines, and because some Directors daughter likes a magazine about horses, it is aloud to stay, to make his little darling happy.

Loud Gas Guzzling, tire smoking cars are not exactly PC. We might actually destroy the planet on the Power Tour or something. ;-)

Take Care,

Ty

[Steve1968LS2]

Seriously though.. the guy running Kit Car (the editor) found out the magazine was killed the day he was escorted from the office.

Another guy was brought in to finish that issue.. poof, it was gone.


In a fat economy we could keep mags just on principal, can't do that today.


I will ask officially about subscribers and let you know. Times are tough all over and several magazines were axed, not just auto related.


And so the world turns ;)

[tyoneal]

Seriously though.. the guy running Kit Car (the editor) found out the magazine was killed the day he was escorted from the office.

Another guy was brought in to finish that issue.. poof, it was gone.


In a fat economy we could keep mags just on principal, can't do that today.


I will ask officially about subscribers and let you know. Times are tough all over and several magazines were axed, not just auto related.


And so the world turns ;)
===========================
Steve:

I really hate to hear that otherwise Trusted and Loyal Employees are treated so crappy. When I went through my two layoff's it was similar, it was then I realized that an employee is nothing more than a necessary evil to the business. If the Companies didn't absolutely have to have them they wouldn't.

When they Changed the Office of Personnel, to, "Human Resources", you could tell then the company was separating itself from the Person with a Name, to a Resource with a Number.

None of the Big Companies deserve a dimes worth of Loyalty, because they damn sure don't have any for the people working there. The only ones I see that do good, is to Always have a Resume out looking for your next Job. You can usually get raises a lot faster as well.

In any event I feel sorry for the people in that department. You could see they were working at getting the Title off the ground, but didn't have enough time.

Thanks for your input as always. I hope no one on this site gets the knife, it ALWAYS SUCKS so bad.

Take Care,

Ty

[XcYZ]

Maybe if more people would have subscribed or bought it off the newstand, it would still be around.

There's a lesson here... if you don't want your favorite magazine to go under, be sure to subscribe. Spend that $1 an issue.

[ProTouring442]

===========================
Steve:

I really hate to hear that otherwise Trusted and Loyal Employees are treated so crappy. When I went through my two layoff's it was similar, it was then I realized that an employee is nothing more than a necessary evil to the business. If the Companies didn't absolutely have to have them they wouldn't.

When they Changed the Office of Personnel, to, "Human Resources", you could tell then the company was separating itself from the Person with a Name, to a Resource with a Number.

None of the Big Companies deserve a dimes worth of Loyalty, because they damn sure don't have any for the people working there. The only ones I see that do good, is to Always have a Resume out looking for your next Job. You can usually get raises a lot faster as well.

In any event I feel sorry for the people in that department. You could see they were working at getting the Title off the ground, but didn't have enough time.

Thanks for your input as always. I hope no one on this site gets the knife, it ALWAYS SUCKS so bad.

Take Care,

Ty

I think you may be missing something here. Have you ever closed or sold a business? Do you know what happens if you tell your employees that you are closing or selling? They leave in droves, and some will even sabotage things. When my father announced he was selling his service station, several people quit that day, despite the fact that they had a shift to work. Over the next several weeks, several items mysteriously broke. Someone set the microwave on fire by nuking a half&half container until it caught fire. Someone, most likely the microwave culprit, set the toilet on fire as well. When their life is going to change, people frequently react in a violent way.

While I sympathize with the employees, I have to say I don't blame management at all for the way in which they shut things down.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

[rwhite692]

In conditions like what we are seeing now, the overwhelming majority of companies that lay people off simply have no other choice. When the business is in an extended operating cash crunch, expenses have to be cut, or, the business must burn through it's savings (which it may not have).

Prior to the recent trouble in the financial markets, a business facing a short term operating cash crunch typically could access a line of credit to bridge the gap until business activity improved. For most companies, that option is entirely GONE.

Therefore, we can expect more companies will be forced to act, since there is no line of credit available to provide any "elasticity" for maintaining operations.

Cash is King.