Harry and Bernie:
You guys are both aware that any magazine, regardless of its subject area is somewhat to sort of to very much handcuffed by its advertisers. In the magazine business there is an old adage that is often tossed around that goes, does advertising breed editorial, or does editorial breed advertising. And the only industry in which I have seen magazines basically stick their noses up to their advertisers are some of the computer magazines, when I have seen reviews of computers or peripherals or software that make negative comments once in a while.
Interesting perspective. Tom is quite right that the advertisers control the magazines in most cases. This is nothing new. I remember when I was a teenager in the 1950s reading a chapter on this in one of my parents' books, "Counterfeit: Not Your Money But What It Buys" -- don't remember the author. The book was from the 1930s or '40s.
But whether the advertisers or the magazines control the relationship, you need to take the reviews with a grain of salt. Tom is right that some computer-industry mags have the upper hand. But Scott Adams (creator of Dilbert) shows us how that can color the reviews as well. He doesn't have the relevant strip on the Dilbert web site any more, so I've temporarily put it on my site to give y'all a chance to see it. http://www.monmouth.com/~dtutelman/youWILLadvertise.gif
I try to remember the two sides of this coin every time I see a product review in a magazine that accepts advertising.
Cheers! DaveT
