Rodders Journal

[enjenjo]

I have had a subscription to it for many years. I just read the latest one, and there were 56 pages of full page ads, not including the RJ ads that I didn't count That just seems like a lot for what it costs to subscribe, over 1/3 of the pages are ads.

[Charlie Chops 1940]

Sounds like you're talking about Street Rodder...

[slocrow]

Interesting! I stopped my subscription with #71. I was really tempted to buy the lifetime membership a few issues back but just couldn't pull the trigger as I couldn't figure how they were going to make any money. Then they doubled down by offering more lifetime subscriptions and I got worried about a shutdown.
Now I see how they are going to produce cash flow, ad revenue. I wouldn't suspect the flow of ad pages to ebb and only increase in number until they hit a ceiling of page print cost and/or ad price resistant's.
Just as a side note, I've had my RJ collection, issues 1 through 71, on the HAMB since Sept 24th and reduced the price from a grand down to $800 scoots with plenty of looks but nary an offer. Maybe I should sell raffle tickets?
Frank

[chimp koose]

I used to do a class about money management with grade 10 s  years ago . We would look at advertising as a topic of study . Most womens magazines are 50% or more advertising . Subscriptions are mostly a way of increasing your solid month to month readership numbers to increase advertising rates . As long as the printed articles are still worth reading , I don't care how many ads are in a magazine . The ads are what keeps the magazine in print and the readership is what keeps the ads selling . Many companies will keep track of which magazine ads generate sales by offering a deal using a promotion code with the letters of the magazine title as the promotion code ie. dept . HRM  (hot rod magazine) to track which ads best generate sales . Have a good look at the magazine racks in the store next time . It is getting harder to find hot rod or car craft at some stores lately . There are more tattoo , diesel , bodybuilding and import car covers than anything else in the male oriented segment .Those are the retail segments with the age group with the most disposable income . Magazines are mostly a vehicle to generate sales to a specific market . Where magazines like American rodder and hot rod mechanics or rodders digest failed was because they showed you how to MAKE it instead of where to BUY it . Advertizers will not support a magazine that shows you how to make something that they would like to sell you .In the 70's Street rodder had articles about which wrecking yard parts you could use to complete any number of projects . Now look at a recent street rodder and you see that the tech articles show you how to use advertisers products to complete your car . That is probably why street rodder is still in print after many others have failed .

[papastoyss]

Well said Chimp. What we see as a hobby is a business to the magazine owners.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

What enjenjo & chimp point out is all very true.

Lots of ads, they are needed.  The proper tech articles of products pays the bills.

this is also the reason I think Roadkill with Finegan & Frieburger is so popular.. These 2 guys went back to ground level basics that the ''car guys'' love.

But alas:  The corp sponsors have  crept in on Roadkill.  That likely will grow & kill off Roadkill popularity

[Bruce Dorsi]

Where magazines like American rodder and hot rod mechanics or rodders digest failed was because they showed you how to MAKE it instead of where to BUY it . Advertizers will not support a magazine that shows you how to make something that they would like to sell you.

Tech articles today are "advertorials."