MBM / MBY Overlap

Re: Hmmmm...

IMHO I would say that I do see some real differences between MBM and MBY.

My view on MBM is that its aimed at 'family' cruisng, a more practical magazine with tests of small cruisers of 25 feet or so with occasional glimpses into the unrealistic world of million pound yachts.

I see MBY's demographics as an 'aspirational title' for 30 -50 year old highest earners in society. Thus by nature of this fact little practical articles and a whole bunch of hugely expensive boats with ideas as to lifestyles are incorperated.

I think they are very different and know exactly what I would advertise where and that I think that is a definite accomplishment for the editors and publishers in a very small specialised market.

Still need improvements though -smiley face-

Kevin

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
To Kevin on magazine distribution

Kevin, the comment i made originally is that the publisher gets on a good day 60% of cover price. The rest goes on distribution. I said distribution involves trucking 'zines to every goddam newsagent in the country, and dealing with unsolds. All that is true

You have picked up on unsolds and made a bit of an issue out of it. But you're missing the point. Fact is, distribution costs in the order of 40%. Doesn't much matter how that is split between trucking and other, though of course the biggest by far is trucking and warehousing cost.

You are naive about getting the print run size exactly right. In UK mag distribution, there is limited shelf space in shops and much impulse buying by punters. Even repeat punters buy from newsagent A one month and B the next. Most in the industry will want to get more on the shelves than they know they can sell, to get share of impulse buying. And anyway, the cost of returns does not fall proportionately if you get the print run just right. The cost of returns is spent dealing with newsagents' paperwork wherein they report their unsolds, making refunds to them, getting affidavits, auditing them, etc etc. All this cost is incurred whether the returns are 2% of the print run or 4%. Apart from the tiny element which is pulping, it aint a variable cost.

I note you list some industry credentials. I can list very many more in UK mag distribution since 1988. Editing and publishing is a quite different business from distribution

Sorry to rant, but you were being a bit rent-an-expert about this :-)

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Tom

You are a magazine editor. You are not allowed to be amused. Have you wondered why there appear to be more people on here who would change how you do your job than the total circulation of both magazines combined?

Could I also suggest the following articles for Practical Mangusta Owner :-

1) How to mark notches on your headboard
2) DIY gold enamelling for MAN engines
3) How to keep champers at the same temperature twixt fridge and lips.

I await this new series with renewed anticipation.

P.S. Want any dodgy stories about cruising on land..??

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue>I am WHAT I say I am</font color=blue>
 
Re: To Kevin on magazine distribution

Thats fair enough I wasnt trying to talking as an expert but please do not bring the topic to a personal level about niavity, when you have no knowledge of my abilities or achievements!

Please also note that my experience isnt only in distribution but in Editorial and that your comments could also smack at 'been there done that' but I will take them as Im sure they were intended as a difference of opinion.

I agree it is a whole world of difference between UK and USA but disagree wholly with a lot of your views, but as much as you were obviuosly successful in your time in publishing I was to and therefore to directly disagree with each other will not achieve much.

Its nice for once though that a thread is being open and upfront without people feeling they are treading on eggshells. Now its more of a forum than a club.

Kevin

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Re: THE shilling

E

be quick, retract your post and be v nice to Mr Isitt because he's got an actual shilling AND YOU NEED TO FIND ONE

A

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Already moving in the right direction?

Perhaps this thread has developed a little two late, since on reflection, there does seem to have been a shift by MBM towards the 'lower end of the market', and user feedback type reports in the last month or two.

The recent cuddy size sportsboat group test, and reports of (and requests for) user experience of certain boats examples that spring to mind. Hopefully these areas will continue to develope.

What I would like to see are more 'long term tests', perhaps in the 'What Car' fashion, where users give ongoing reports and feedback, together with operating costs etc.

Interestingly, when I bought my Birchwood, I ordered reprints of all articles that I could find about the Countess 27, and ironically these came from MBY (don't think MBM was about then!). The reports I recieved were very interesting, where a couple of 27's with differing engine configurations were 'monitored' following the initial 'new' test report. Also there was a 'Marketplace' article that revisited the boat, and in much more depth than the current trend of two paragraphs.

To write such articles is obviously more difficult, and requires considerable reader/user support. I'd be interested to know whether it was more because of these issues, rather than advertising/perceived sales success that limits their occurance these days.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue> <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mboat.org>http://www.mboat.org</A></font color=blue>
 
Re: MBM / MBY more overlap please Tom

Tom I know you're kidding but PMO is actually a great idea.

There is much stereotyping here. People say (generally, and in this thread) MBM should be for low cost DIY budget boating and MBY is for wealthy £500k + boat owners or whatever. But many people fortunate to own big boats have humble and practical backgrounds. So how about a PMO containing techy detailed engineeringy articles about a massive boat? Like a detailed write up of how they actually make a Gusta 108 or a Leopard. The hull is made in E Italy, then trucked in the night to Overmarine/Arno I think . So let's see a pic of the massive lorry doing the hairpins. And the crane. Then let's see lots of nitty gritty on how the thing is screwed together. All about the hydraulics and not the silk duvet covers.

Many superyachty types dont just drink gin on deck. One superyachty (34m) owner I know (who lives for his engine room) happens to know Prince Alwaleed, who sed that when buying his Bennetti (now called Kingdom 5KR) off Donald Trump he spent all day crawling around the bilges, much to the broker's surprise. Likewise see Joe Vittorio's involvement in Mirabella 5, he aint some billionaire waiting for gin palace to be delivered, he is approving every nut and bolt.

I'd like a PMO kind of blend between MBM and MBY-Custom Boating. I hope many would be interested in this, otherwise the idea is ruled out by my own economics above dang :-)

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Re: THE shilling

I didn't mean to have a go at him !! I found his post rather amusing. Mr Isitt seems to have gone to the same Marketing school as me .... 'Sod the Begrudgers'.

Which shilling does he have ? I don't follow. Maybe it is the 'King's shilling' after he was ''press'' ganged?

Anyway he hasn't offered me a commission (yet) , mind you think his boss should put his circulation target up to 25,000 with immediate effect ....

Also interested that MBY editors now have PDAs. As he is posting pm, no other solution as all journos are in the pub aren't they?

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue>I am WHAT I say I am</font color=blue>
 
To which I\'d add...

We have MarketForce in the same building as us and there's a fair bit of distribution expertise right on our doorstep. Plus the US distribution model is massively different than the UK one and heavily reliant on subs copies, which in turn is a much cheaper method of getting issues out in the US because of the postal costs there.

JFM is right that the challenge in the UK is to balance availability with wastage on specialist consumer titles and if you go too much for cost efficiency on the print run the complaints start rolling in about invisibility, despite the modern tools at our disposal that should, theoretically, neatly place each copy printed into the mitts of someone wanting to read it.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
BIG boat owners

Hadn't thought about it but you are spot on.

If this forum is representative of the general boating fraternity ( lawd preserve us), the big boat owners are amongst the most practical DIY-ers or interested in how things work/can be improved..(TCM, Gludy, HLB, Moose, yourself come immediately to mind)

Mind you never understood how there are so many Mech Eng graduates amongst you.



<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue>I am WHAT I say I am</font color=blue>
 
Employment Law

uurrgghhhh

If you are all doing that then i fully understand if you all go down pub immediately afterwards. You've earned it.

ER Solution - sack everyone
DPA Solution - sack all politicians

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue>I am WHAT I say I am</font color=blue>
 
My sympathies (not boaty)

I'm doing the employment law stuff as well at the moment. Political madness gone mad IMHO (Don't expect you to comment in your position)

I'm not aware that we currently discriminate against cross dressing, uncertain gender orientation, jedi knight fundementalists but we are obviously going to have to be more careful in future.

Sorry if this means nothing to those of you not concerned with employment law but I am sure Kim knows what I mean!!



<hr width=100% size=1>Martyn
 
Re: My sympathies (not boaty)

Hi there Marty poops!

I know just what you mean, I can't decide what to wear for the 'wear something pink' day on Friday. Not sure whether to go for the mini-skirt or the combat trousers, but must make sure they match my red light sabre.

BTW any jobs going at your place /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue> <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mboat.org>http://www.mboat.org</A></font color=blue>
 
Re: My sympathies (not boaty)

Well your CV reads well enough but I can't get rid of anybody to fit you in!!



<hr width=100% size=1>Martyn
 
Re: My sympathies (not boaty)

Oh well, but if you change your mind I'll be in Naburn tomorrow afternoon, so long as I miss all the gas bottles and fridges and see off Darth Vader from Cawood Bridge.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue> <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mboat.org>http://www.mboat.org</A></font color=blue>
 
Re: PDAs

Actually, have been issued with one of these new-fangled PDAs that has satnav...apparently it's called a Combined Universal Navigation Tool (the bloke in the shop said you'd have to be one to buy one...whatever that means?)

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Re: Eh?

our local newsagent was taken over by a local supermarket,i some times ask them to look in the storeroom!

<hr width=100% size=1>rich :-)) <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.jersey-harbours.com>http://www.jersey-harbours.com</A>
 
Re: Already moving in the right direction?

I think the idea of long term tests is a good one, it would be good to hear what a particular boat is like to live with day to day rather than just on test, it may also be good to learn of experiences with particular dealers with regard parts and servicing.

I am possibly stating the obvious but it does appear that repairs, parts and associated bits and bobs do seem to play a huge part in the ownership of any boat, possibily lifting the importance of the dealer equal to that of the performance, ride etc. of the boat itself.

This may already be the case but a table as used in the car market based on reliability, costs etc would be good ( not sure of the name of that table now)

Kevin
 
Re: Already moving in the right direction?

could be JD Power (Top Gear)

<hr width=100% size=1>Adrian - <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/kelisha>More Pics of Kelisha</A> /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top