The continued decline of the automotive press

[Capt W]

As a long time subscriber to several popular automotive magazines, I've watched the quality of so-called automotive journalists decline precipitously over the past 10-20 years. This article I found today - covering manual transmissions - has to be one of the worst I've ever seen. It's so bad I couldn't make it past the first paragraph. The writer has obviously never driven a manual, and it appears none of her editors have, either.

Too bad...the Free Press used to be quite a distinguished newspaper.

Driving stick shift has become a niche craft in America

Here's a look at the role of manual transmission vehicles in the U.S. auto industry, as cars shift to automatic transmission.

www.freep.com

 

[dishdude]

The feel of the clutch underneath your hand?

 

[Tdbo]

Journalism is dead.
She is no automotive journalist.
She's an intern.
About the only thing that she knows about cars is that Daddy bought her one before she sashayed off to Wayne State.

 

[The Lube Guy]

True journalism has been dead and buried for a long time now, at a global level. Corporate interests killed it. A journalist would encounter various roadblocks when attempting to do research for a story. For journalists it was more trouble than it was worth, and then some. What we have today are mostly bloggers. There is very little out there that's worth reading. Just my two cents.

 

[GMBoy]

Automotive magazines have gotten terrible as well. I recall the hayday of Car & Driver with Brock Yates and crew that wrote articles you could feel and enjoy reading. Now the magazine is as thick as a dime and nothing interests me so I let that subscription of atleast 35yrs expire. Motor Trend and the rest are horrible and left leaning as well. Popular Mechanics the same .... small and worthless.

 

[97prizm]

True journalism has been dead and buried for a long time now, at a global level. Corporate interests killed it. A journalist would encounter various roadblocks when attempting to do research for a story. For journalists it was more trouble than it was worth, and then some. What we have today are mostly bloggers. There is very little out there that's worth reading. Just my two cents.

This really bugs me as I go my Bachelor's degree in Journalism with a minor in Aviation Management. I interned at a magazine where the head editor was a stickler for facts, accuracy, grammar etc. It isn't dead but .... I had a professor in College that taught a Journalist beat class as most journalists take sports, business etc. Occasionally you will get handed an assignment way outside of your beat and you have to research and make it work.

 

[bdcardinal]

The only automotive magazine I get anymore is Racecar Engineering.

 

[Owen Lucas]

Journalism is like photography, anyone can say they are one. Many of them pump out crappy work even with 4 year degrees.

 

[JavierH19]

Journalism is like photography, anyone can say they are one. Many of them pump out crappy work even with 4 year degrees.

You missed this poop show. Read my comments and photo post. This slashgear post was peak automotive urinalism compared to this article.

Oil differences?

https://www.slashgear.com/1542331/how-diesel-engine-oil-different-from-conventional-oil/ Interesting article. I would like to know what is factual /inaccurate about the claims made. My vehicles are older gas units and aren't direct injected Any thoughts?

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[mrsilv04]

The feel of the clutch underneath your hand?

Well, if you're riding a motorcycle...

 

[Thomas Campbell]

Didn't
Earn
It

 

[MCompact]

I still subscribe to C/D and R&T- and I also receive the BMW CCA and MBCA magazines. That said, I now prefer a few British magazines- Mercedes Enthusiast, Motor Sport, Thoroughbred and Classic Cars, and Total BMW are a few of my favorites, along with CAR and EVO.

 

[bdcardinal]

Didn't
Earn
It

Dale Earnhardt Inc.

 

[MCompact]

Automotive magazines have gotten terrible as well. I recall the hayday of Car & Driver with Brock Yates and crew that wrote articles you could feel and enjoy reading. Now the magazine is as thick as a dime and nothing interests me so I let that subscription of atleast 35yrs expire. Motor Trend and the rest are horrible and left leaning as well. Popular Mechanics the same .... small and worthless.

I covered a few press intros from 2001-2014. In the later years it became obvious that some journalists were simply regurgitating the press kit. It’s even worse today.

 

[andrew_j]

A good author will use AI and heavy edits. They just have not figured out how to harness it well.

 

[97prizm]

The only automotive magazine I get anymore is Racecar Engineering.

I still het grassroots motorsports magazine and it's still well thought out and put together

 

[riverblue]

I read Car and Driver religiously in order to keep apprised of (a) the size of Elana Scherr's derrière* and (b) just how much I need, and I mean REALLY NEED, to buy an EV.

Honestly, the magazine has become pure pablum; easy swallowing for the intellectually defenseless. I would dearly love to know who's funding C&D's strident agenda. I can't imagine, nor will I bother to check, what's going on at R&T and MT.

*No joke; the latest in the ongoing saga can be found in the CX-70 review.

 

[The Lube Guy]

This really bugs me as I go my Bachelor's degree in Journalism with a minor in Aviation Management. I interned at a magazine where the head editor was a stickler for facts, accuracy, grammar etc. It isn't dead but .... I had a professor in College that taught a Journalist beat class as most journalists take sports, business etc. Occasionally you will get handed an assignment way outside of your beat and you have to research and make it work.

It's disheartening because there are many talented individuals who work hard to earn their degrees.

I fondly remember a computer hardware website called [H]ardOCP, which I started reading around 2002-2003. Their long-form, in-depth articles covered topics beyond the scope of most cookie-cutter publications at the time. The advice was solid, and I based many of my purchasing decisions on their reviews. The owner, Kyle Bennett, is a straightforward, honest guy.

Six years ago, Kyle Bennett and his team at [H]ardOCP did a fantastic job investigating NVIDIA's unscrupulous business practices, specifically their Partner Program. It was real hardcore journalism at its finest, exposing the sleazy tactics of a mega-corporation. Unfortunately, NVIDIA retaliated, making Bennett's life difficult. A quick Google search for "NVIDIA [H]ardOCP Kyle Bennett" reveals the extensive effort NVIDIA put into sabotaging him.

In 2019, Bennett ultimately shut down [H]ardOCP. While a blog remains, which he updates occasionally, and the community is still active, Bennett continues to host and pay for it all. He is truly an inspirational person.

This example illustrates why real journalism is struggling. It's not due to a lack of talent or education, but because of corporate sabotage. Genuine journalists are being replaced by corporate influencers and bloggers. These influencers aren't just random people on YouTube promoting products; they are structured businesses selling their services to the highest bidder. In the tech industry, look no further than Linus Tech Tips (Linus Media Group). They have perfected the art of shilling, and the company is now worth over $100-$150 million.

It's truly regrettable that this is the current state of journalism.

 

[CKN]

As a long time subscriber to several popular automotive magazines, I've watched the quality of so-called automotive journalists decline precipitously over the past 10-20 years. This article I found today - covering manual transmissions - has to be one of the worst I've ever seen. It's so bad I couldn't make it past the first paragraph. The writer has obviously never driven a manual, and it appears none of her editors have, either.

Too bad...the Free Press used to be quite a distinguished newspaper.

Driving stick shift has become a niche craft in America

Here's a look at the role of manual transmission vehicles in the U.S. auto industry, as cars shift to automatic transmission.

www.freep.com

I just read the entire article-yes the first paragraph is silly-but I can't find anything wrong with the rest of the article. However-some might disagree (I don't) with some points that were stated.

 

[KrisZ]

Some of you must be old timers or just have that old timer thinking. I have not read or watched an auto review in like 15 years. TTAC used to be decent for a short while, but they went down pretty quickly. I don’t need someone read a manufacturer’s brochure for me, I can do it myself.

IMo, BITOG reviews under the vehicle section are way more informative, than the reviews I used to see.