I cancelled my subsription to Wakeboarding Mag.

I did. I got the most recent mag, flipped through it in 5 minutes, and felt like I had wasted my time. There was no longer the same "pop" that the magazine used to have. Where has the heart gone?

I just got tired of 80% ads, 10% poor content and 5% enjoyable material. Wakeboarding is entirely about style, so why can'••••• largest, most widely distributed publication reflect that?? They must understand that now, with resources online like WAKEWORLD, they have to shift their focus away from traditional mag material: people can get the exact same information (news, events, results, opinions, ads) from equally credible resources on a larger scale months before we can get it in Wakeboarding Mag.

What people can't get online: a physical connection to the wake scene, sweet design layups, unique features that tie together professional journalism, photography and design that deliver a package to the consumer that make the reader feel involved and connected to the content. As the reader, I feel like I have taken the backseat to advertisers, and while I understand advertisement is KEY, the reader should never feel like the focus has shifted from them.

Imagine if Wakeboarding Mag felt like a "storybook" version of a wakeboarding vid... a logical progression with flow and style, focus being on conveying the emotions we feel about wakeboarding. When I read a magazine, I want to not only read and see the material, I want to feel the material. Hear the music, absorb the ambiance of the scene, feel the adrenaline & momentum.

After all, without emotion, what is wakeboarding?

Here are some ideas to jumpstart the mag:

1. throw more contests that involve the reader. Have a "draw your dream boat" contest. Throw a "design the Wakeboard Magazine Signature Beverage" contest. Make people go crazy and have fun... if you can instigate people to have fun, they will connect with you. Have certain contests that you do annually, so people have something to look forward to (not just once a year with the photo annual).

2. bring in guest artists to do special art sections and to keep the layouts interesting: people love it when you throw new style at them. Volcom has been so incredily popular because they mix things up so well: their style changes often, but their approach remains the same. Keeping people off balance keeps them interested.

3. retro. pull stuff out of the archive and republish it. History is just as good as current. You have a huge advantage here: you've been around over a decade longer than the internet: use those resources that are unique to you. Include retro photoshoots. Do cool "then & now" stylised layouts that reflect not just riding style, but era style.

4. Posters. Wakeboarders of ALL AGES love posters. New photos, retro photos, unique sizes (panoramic), maybe even a large wakeboarding mag poster. I'm sure your advertisers would be up for the idea as well: get them to pay for it.

5. Giveaways. Radomize it: "the 510th person to send us a postcard that says 'gimme the prize' wins this wakeboard". Then do a full-page print of the postcards in a stack in the next issue listing some of the funny postcards & detailing the winner. "tell us the 10 reasons why you would rather be slalom skiing". "why is your board better than your friend's board?".

6. Surprise people. have favorite recipes of pro riders. Favorite places to eat. Favorite songs (not just new albums). Favorite video game. Have top-ten lists. Break things down into simple, digestible tid-bits. People really connect with bitesize random things. I loved your 10 things about Travis Moye... people dig stiff like that.

7. Don't jam-pack it. I know, it's all about the bottom line, BUT you can have some fun too. throw in random pages that reflect the Wakeboarding mag team... fun stuff, crazy stuff, whatever.

I hope I've started something... People, let's gather some more ideas!

wakeboarding is entirely about style?

i dont blame you. it usually goes from my mailbox directly to the trash can(the one on the outside on my way in from the mailbox)

Gee alan, sounds like you maybe should cancel your subsription also and save the $20.00. I get and read both mags, the adds are necessary and support our industry and the riders & photogarphers trying to scratch out a living off this sport, and a lot of the adds are creative and have some sick photos. If you don't like it don't buy it, but don't trash in on a public forum. My 2 cents...

I agree that there are too many adds, but I very much enjoy most of the content of WBM.

The content sucks, but the pictures are normally good, even in the adds.

one more factor might be that the two most prolific photographers in the sport have gone on their own and as a result have minimal if any shots in WBM......Not to take away from the Guys still contributing to the mag....but letchy and meddock were putting out some great shots....

I did the same last summer after 4 years, just wasn't feeling it any more, too many adds.

This is my last season too.....no more renewing this year. I have enough lying around to thumb through if i want to. Is there anyway to find out which mag has a certain article in it?? Like a wake mag search engine or something? I've been tryin gto find one from a while back and can't. thanks

Couldn't agree more Randy. Well posted.

adds and advertisement is part of it. if you had boards,boats,ect... for sale wouldnt you want it all over the book?? New ideas are always good tho.I think the book has done alot for boading.M-O

SUPPORT THE STANDERD.

Has anyone ever contacted WBM and suggested some new things to consider in their mag. Personally I like the mag. But it may be worth a shot to contact someone from their and see if they would maybe start doing some new things. All they can do is say NO!!

SUPPORT THOSE THAT SUPPORT THE SPORT.

yes, this includes wbm and alliance. no, i'm not suggesting that the standerd doesn't support the sport. but i agree with randy. if you don't like either, don't subscribe and not trash them online. or, you can send messages to the mags and let them know what they can do to improve the mags. yes, the ads are necessary.

(Message edited by dakid on April 01, 2007)

let both subscriptions die. alliance has always been the better mag. Support those who support the sport. whatever. I subscribe to three surf mags and the writing and content is far superior. wakeboarding mags need more travel articles. that means more than 5 pics and 250 words written at 9th grade reading level.

Mr. Gray just summed up the magazine perfectly with his last sentence.

Ya, everytime a read the magazines it seems like the "articles" are more like a few paragraphs next to or on a picture.

what a bunch of whiny girls, I think you can get 3 years for 20 dollars.

I like the ads, new product is a big part of wakeboarding.

Page after page of ads, Look at the write up on wakestock....Literally about 2 paragraphs, small pictures crammed on to two pages. Are these guys afraid of the keyboard? And yes I have written them with ideas.

How about a section for project boats. Not all everyone buys a brand new boat. Take one boat a year and show people how to DIY if you choose to, then tie it in with products or companies that can help you out....In some older issue (years back) I remember a brief explanation of plumbing in a shower.... Anyway, for example, take an old sunsport, give somebody $2,500 to upgrade it and see what they can do. It defeats the purpose if they drop 10k on the boat.

There are a lot of ideas on how to make the mag better, mostly just be involved with people the commentary is so distant from the scene and people that its just pictures.

you know, if they did more travel articles then you'd have people complaining about how that sort of riding isn't all that realistic (trust me, I've seen it in snowboarding magazines before). This thread is a perfect way to illustrate the fact that they'll never be able to please everyone...

And quite frankly, the pics in WBM seem more arty ever since the standerd was announced (do not read into that at all becuase there's no subtext to look for). It's rad too because the most recent cover shot of robby jaques reminds me of the cover shot for the 1996 buyer's guide of wbm...

anyway, there are juvenile articles in alliance as well. Ultimately, both cater to different demographics. and I'm sure either one would be open to any constructive criticism and suggestions...

Kani, which article are you looking for? I have every issue of wbm and alliance so there's a reasonable chance that I could help you find what you're looking for.

I'm not trashing, I'm just stating an opinion. This is a forum, right? We are all biased people, right?? If anyone noticed, after ranting a bit, I proceeded to list a few ways in which I would like to see improvement to build greater reader interest. Constructive criticism, if you will. I then asked for the input of the people of wakeworld for other ideas for improvement.

we all know the ads are necessary. But it's beginning to look like Skateboarding mag.

I'm just trying to get some other input, then maybe I will send something in. or maybe someone from WBM will see this?

In the end, it's not my publication. But we are the market, and we are their target. If they're not hitting the mark and are losing interest, I don't see why it's wrong to let them know. If anything, it's in their best interest.

If you loved wakeboarding and thought you rocked, wouldn't you be happier if someone told you early on the improvements you could make to better yourself for the future? I know I would.

I like the mag...Yhea it has added quite a few ads...but like mentioned already...that is what pays for the mag mostly..not our subscriptions. If they have to have numerous ads...maybe they just need to add more content to balance it out again. More interviews, more surprises. I agree with everything you said. But like mentioned before from other posters...contact them with an email....lead them to this discussion so they can see what people are saying and what people are wanting. Maybe this is what they need to get things going again. I do like their pics though. But then again, I am looking forward to my first copy of the Standerd. I hope I get that today.

I would like it to be more current and a little more in depth, especially contest. I know the challenge is June and July have 90% of the competitions. Why does it have to be once per month?

I wouldn't mind if the mag was more often during the season (June thru Sept) and maybe a little smaller but have more current coverage. Then make it bi monthly or quarterly in the off season.

There is a lot going on in wakeboarding also that can be covered. It seems like they focus on a handful of riders in all the pics and stories. Even the ads seem to be 15 or so riders.

I think it would be cool to have an INT coverage. Pick a state per issue and give it some coverage. Go to US Championships and do a thorough story.

I like the mag and subscribe. Just some suggestions.

I'd just like to get mine on time...

Got my March issue Saturday.

they may need to run tons of ads but if people are cancelling their subscriptions the advertisers will stop calling. I cancelled my subscription a couple of years ago for all the same reasons.

9th Grade? Some of the articles wouldn't pass a 2nd grade creative writing test. Very poorly written.

Suck it up and quit all the BITCHING. WBM has been around a very long time supporting our sport. I can understand if the year's subscription was $40-$50, but it is not. You guys probably spend more at McDonalds... For the $10 or less per year, IMO, you are getting a lot of bang for the buck. Personally I would like to see the articles a lot longer, but they seem to be trying to fit in a lot of different stuff in each edition.

I look at it this way, for my $10 a year, I'm feeding a starving wakeboarder. I'd much rather support one of my own than feed someone from a third world country, the magazine is a bonus...

I guess you guys don't like the Reef Ads. :-(

Simple solution ,either like it and buy it or not like it and Don't ...

much more advanced solution


BUY out the magazine and change it to the way you like it...

It can't be written like a graduate school text book...nobody would stay interested. When I write for professional purposes...I try to stay pretty straight forward to keep the reader on point. I would guess most "journalists" would do the same. Your audience is pretty wide.

Also, the June mag probably has to be done a lot earlier that you think to get to your door in June (or whenever) so being current is tough. It's one of the things the internet has changed. Imagine though if you had to subscribe to Wakeworld to get your current content?

I like looking through the ads...interesting photos, and new goods to stimulate my urge to buy goodies.

I do like a lot of the suggestions for fresh content though. Dave...hope you are taking notice of those too!

you just can't complain about the ads... i mean, if you want more content, you need the budget to do it. 2,500 for the boat DIY project has to come from somewhere... traveling all over to each state isn't free. So don't cancel yet, i put an ad in there for the next issue!

*steps on soapbox*

I wish they would clean up the letters submitted to the editor. Why? My girlfriend reads the letters and says that it looks like wakeboarding is for a bunch of 14 year olds. Looking at the grammar in the letters, I would have to agree. Don't get me wrong, this post has some grammatical mistakes in it I am sure -- but if your going to print a professional magazine, clean the content up so your fanbase doesn't sound like a bunch of retards.

*steps off soapbox*

I still like the mag though.

---

quote:

clean the content up so your fanbase doesn't sound like a bunch of retards

---

But.....isn't the "fanbase" responsible for the content of the letters? I'm not saying wakeboarders are "retards", but I don't see what grammmar mistakes have to do with wakeboarding and I don't see why the magazine should perform some 'cover-up' to make submitters seem smarter. Seems to me if the people who write the letters don't want to be perceived as dummies, maybe they should proofread?

-Steve

I actually enjoy reading Waterski magazine much more than i do wakeboarding. partly because waterski has a lot of good articles that pertain to wakeboarding and it seems to be much more family oriented.

This is the first year of getting WBM and I just received the renewal notice in the mail. It went from mail box to trash can.

I know that advertising is a big part of what a magazine does but come on guys, a little useful content would be nice to. I don't really see the need to have 3, two page ads for one company, you could fit a lot of useful content on some of those pages.

Clayton191 and Steve I agree with you both. In the last issue I was reading the reader mail and thought to myself it's stuff like this that really sets us back as being recognized as a legitimate sport. I don't think that they should edit someone else's letter, but I would like to think that WBM has more than the 10 or so letters they print to choose from. Why not pick some that aren't written so poorly.

For $10-$15 per year, I'm willing to live with those limitations (95% crap) for the 5% of useful tips (such as the prop article) and sporadic cool pics (not ones of guys putting their board on or sitting on shore, puhleaze). The articles (edging, progression tree) that Kyle Schmidt did a few years back when he was really pushing the Book were great. Plus, not like I'm spending/wasting much time outside of the bathroom reading them.

In case anyone is wondering. Page 1-21, 25-37, and 39-57 are all full page ads. After that, there are either half-page ads or full page ads scattered throughout the magazine.

Personally I don't mind the ads. I like seeing the new stuff coming out and I really like the boat buyers and the board buyers addition. I think they are really informative and I look forward to them every year.

I used to have a sub and didnt end up renewing. Moreso out of being a slacker about it though.

The board and boat buyers issues were the worst though, especially the board one. All they did was reprint the exact information that was on a company's website. If there were actual reviews of the products it'd be one thing. But just stock pictures from the factory? No thanks.

Lets see, "love it or leave it"......Or they could read this and try to make it better. This is great market research. Many companies pay 20k + to get research on what their readers like or don't like and how to improve it. I would think that they would take the suggestions and make some changes so they can grow their subscription base.....If they don't want to listen to what their readers want.....

Could you explain the difference you see in the advertisements and the articles? It's becoming an online store where the description was pasted from the company's website. I get catalogues free. BCH you're right, the poorly written articles do keep my mind off ish.

(Message edited by behindtheboat on April 02, 2007)

I completely agree with Gerald. The ads keep the writing staff from sharing a meaninful opinion about the products.

But see, when you start looking for opinions on products, it gets really tricky to understand what someone means as a description of how a board rides/performs.

For example, read the Alliance article where the pros switched boards and see what they think about each other's stuff. One person says a board is "slow," and means the ability to carry speed into the wake. Another person says a board is "slow," and they mean it has a later release from the wake. So, the author would have to be really specific to give an accurate review.

The bottom line is that the internet is a great resource and that equipment has evolved so far so that there aren't that many "bad" products still around.

I agree that there aren't many bad products and that the reviewer would have to be specific. I disagree that the internet is a consistent source. What I mean is that if I find a movie reviewer I tend to agree with most of the time I can be pretty sure that I will like the movies that he/she rates highly. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places but I haven't found that yet for wake product.

Just read it on the can! Look at the pics. Get some ideas of what the new product is going to look like. And that's it. You can not take the computer to the can. Well you can with a laptop. But that is breaking tradition. It's good material to pass the time...while your passing...well,,,,you know! Maybe Wake World needs to come out with it's own publication.

Some people on this forum get upset anytime something is said they don't agree with.....
IF ANODYNE just said WAKEBOARD MAG SUX then you guys are justified jumping his •••••••• BUT he took the time to say why he thought what that and actually took the time to give examples of how they can improve. Those that bashed him- OPEN YOUR MIND. WTF? Are you all that close minded you can't even consider what someone else says? The best you can say is "IF you don't like it don't subscribe" and "Dont trash them on this forum"? Why don't you all give a list of OK subjects so no-one violates your standards here on WAKEWORLD

ANODYNE- state your opinion anytime you wish and F those that don't agree with you.

Take a peak at The Standerd Quarterly. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. The new mag is going to be more of what everyone wants; incredible pics and detailed essays. Check it out, you won't regret it.

support anything to do with wakeboarding

I like the ads.....someone else stated above...it's cool to see new product, and I agree. I guess I am "pro WBM"....but having some journalism in my background, I can see what's working and what's not. Event coverage is kinda pointless 3 months later, but I still want to see the mag's view and report...behind the scenes stuff...what I get is a full page pic of the spectator area and one pic of one of the winners. What about the pic of the kid who backside 9'd his way onto the slider but fell 5 more times and finished 5th....I want to see that too yo!
When your X Games report comes out in the January issue...it's kinda old news by then.....but again...I looked forward to seeing it.

So what's the answer for WBM?.....go weekly or bi-monthly? Overkill for sure, but the ad revenue would be nice!

It needs a Racer X Illustrated" feel(which I've been published in by the way!)You can open an issue of that mag, and instantly feel the "passion" for the sport. That's what WBM lacks......it's just ads and killer photos for the most part.....and a little dated info.

If I were involved:
It would have a TON of lifestyle coverage....ie. off the water, wake LIFE.

More Grass Roots event coverage....nothing better as an amateur than to get your pic or name in the big mag! And college events should be covered more too.

Boat stuff.....so much of what we're into is our friggin PIMP wake boats! All you get now is boat ads, tower ads, and other product ads.....I wanna know how to do things and what's the latest pimp add on, or Reader's Rides section.

Behind the scenes stuff...articles, and interviews......board companies, boat Mfr's, event promoters, reps, athletes.......we all love this "lifestyle" and there you'll find passionate people in wake.....the Umali's of the industry.

The look....is tired....like MXA (Motocross Action). What was cool in the 80's and early 90's is not cool now.....evolve. Create a logo that gently says BAM!

Spontaneity.....I'll bet anything that the next issue will have some pro or rider pulling a HUGE trick on the cover!!! Nice and it's an eye catcher for sure...but if I were the Ed. of WBM...you know what my next cover would be, or shouldhave been in March...little Dallas Friday hopping her butt off the dock at OWC a few weeks ago.....that's a story worth a cover...even though we've all seen the pics on here......there's got to be one photographer who could have been there to get a close enough shot that no one has seen of that day...a day the wake community had hoped and prayed for many months. Instead we got about 5 pics, and two sentences..."Dallas Friday makes her return", and "Dallas was a little tired but all smiles".....sounds like a High School newspaper team covered it!

And someone there needs to push for getting exclusives......new product releases, event announcements....that'll also bring the big ads.

They just had a deal about my home state SC...riding at Lake Murray, where the wake scene is huge, so I guess that's all we'll see from SC.....but there needs to be more than a state page or a "where to ride" section.......we are lake people....I'd like to read about other lake people....everywhere and anywhere.

Hire some writers....articles, interviews, product reviews need to reflect the best of all parties involved.....hard to get that from one tiny paragraph. The message isn't getting through!

So.....someone is gonna ask...won't that make it as fat as an NYC phone book?? It could, but it can be managed. It needs a bigger "Market Ad" area....where the smaller companies like "Butt Buoy" ads can be....if you'd take all the 1/4 page ads out of WBM....you'd open up a LOT of press space. Charge more for your larger ads so you don't need as many small ads to bring revenue.....and they'll get more if they know the WBM mag is "re-vamping". That will open up a LOT of pages for better articles, interviews, product reviews, etc. Thus.....giving readers CONTENT! That's what we're after here right!


I'm telling you.....those things would step up the ENTIRE game of wake...not just the mag.

And finally.......HIRE ME! I would!

That was a decent reply Fox. Not all my opinions but constructive none the less.

As for the rest of you, the editors and staff at WBM read all of these threads. Just bitching and saying "I'm cancelling my subscription" doesn't do anything. Give them your input, write a letter and get involved. The magazine is always looking for content, locations to shoot and people to contribute. For those of you that just sit behind your computer and piss and moan about how bad things are, get out of your house and go ride! Maybe that will bring back your stoke. Then write a story about it and post it here, so we can all diss on how lame your 2nd grade writing really is.

Just my $.02

bessmarine- is that a new magazine?? i have never heard of it. If its what you say i want to take a gander.

As for the original poster, i agree that the advertising is extreme. thats hard for me to say as well seeming as though im an advertising major, but i like foxrep's view that the advertising just showcases the product that we all spend our hard-earned money on all summer long.just like a poster wrote up above... "support anything to do with wakeboarding".

Mike, The Standerd Quarterly is a brand new magazine that hit the shelves for the very first time April 1st (yesterday). Joey Meddock and Josh Letchworth are heading up the project and make sure that every aspect of it is quality. Even the ads. Joey was saying that if the ads were poor quality they wouldn't even allow them to go in the mag, they'd send them their money back. I can't wait till my copy of the first issue comes in. Its going to be sick for sure. You can find out more about it at www.thestanderdquarterly.com or on their myspace page which is http://myspace.com/thestanderd . I think the myspace website is better and has more pics and info then the other site but check it out. It'll be really cool for sure.

I was trying to drum up some interest. Controversy always does the trick. It did the job nicely, I think.

you said it was "80% ads, 10% poor content and 5% enjoyable material" wheres the other 5%

FoxRepPD, one thing you missed on is what about start ups? If they ditch all the 1/4th page ads and only go with the big dollar full spreads, how can companies that are start up, or trying to start up in the scene spend that kind of ad dollars. Those ads ain't cheap. Hell, the 1/4th page ads aren't cheap!

My subscription just expired and I have no desire for another year of the magazine.

The adds are to much for me, not to mention the same adds cycle for a couple months! Its not like your seeing new product in every issue.

Not sure if you guys read snowboard publications but they are definetely better...the product reviews are actually tested by riders and not to mention great travel articles and interesting bios on tons and tons of riders ect ect.

WBM needs to be refreshed...something is off in the company.

I think the point is that seems to be the same way the Mag feels, it's just $10 a person we lose, it's okay. People say they have sent suggestions to the Mag, and this is their next outlet. The Mag seems to be losing credibility among some of the market, and that segment would like to be addressed and their suggestions taken into consideration. I still buy and read the Mag, and actually pay full price because I move quite often and it takes them 6-8 months to implement an address change. I do feel that they are going down hill, and catering to the wrong market segment of the sport. The editing does need to step it up a notch. When you pay for a magazine you should not find multiple typos, incomplete sentences, and fragmented sentences. I think some people feel they should have researched needing some of these suggestions and ideas a long time ago, and would probably agree. I'm supporting everything wakeboarding, but it's beginning to not support MY wants and needs.

(Sing) Only....you're Mr. Only, you have nobody..to call your ownnnnn ahhwoooooahh!!! Sorry, had to get that out.

Most "smart" start up companies that are succesful in any industry consider the cost of advertising when they are applying for SBL's and such. It's a known expense that most small business owners can't foot out of pocket until the business is selling and can support itself. As far as a start ups in the wake industry....they're gonna come in trying to sell a boat/marine or actual riding end use product,i.e. board, vest, rope....as competitive as that market is, if they can't afford to advertise it big and bold to start....they're wasting their time anyway. WBM is mostly ads and pics(which is really it's saving grace)....be it full page, two page, 1/4, or half.....if you brought more and better content, you would still have room for small ads......but with killer content on the same pages, more companies will want to be in it and the companies that want to get in front of this new "captive" audience will do so.
WBM could still offer start ups one time ads with no contract or seasonal ads, and if the product is worthy....a decent "product review" as part of the package......but I know from experience that if they had a "Market Place" with yellow page type ads each month as part of a contract package like MX mags do, they could offer advertisers more bang for the buck. Right now....a start up would be LOST in the pages of WBM anyway. It's Billabong, Reef, Fox, LF, Ronix, Hyp, Tige, Bu, MC, Moomba, etc all in full page spreads and PLENTY of them.....are you really paying attention after that? I start looking for something to read at that point.

Next issue...take a razor knife and slice out all the ads and full page pics..leave the content pages even if they have a small ad on them.....you'll have a very thin read. It will have to be thicker, more content = more pages.

WBM suffers from the same issues as every other sport mag. The people there are VERY good at what they do, but what they do needs to evolve. The mag has been around for a while, so after a decade plus, its hard to find a new angle to capture a crow-mobe. The internet has made print media obsolete as far as reporting news is concerned. They also have to pander to their constituents, so they cannot really honestly review anything.

So, what can a mag really offer that we havent seen a thousand times before, that we didnt already know 5 months ago, and that has any shread of non-bias reviews?

IMO, you start over. Media is good when it is small time. Media is good when the writers\reviewers dont care who they offend. Be honest. An entity has to have both positive and negative opinions. If all you put out there is the positive, then it seems disingiunous. Media is good when the pictures are of more than just superstars. Its not like it was back in the day when the only guys getting tech was the pros. In my mind Danny, Parks, and the other top pros can do anything. You cannot impress me with pics of them. You can have a pic of Parks doing a dock start off the top of the Sears tower to a rail pool below, and I would say, "well, yeah, its freakin' Parks... :/ " Have some fun and mix it up. Be funny.

I liked wakeboard mag for the Reef ads, they make me all warm inside.

the pictures are usually good. the content is not very interesting and poorly written. but, in all fairness, its riders writing the articles not veteran journalists.

i agree....free posters, less ads, better/more interesting articles (a day in the life of...what a normal session is like for the pros...maybe contest coverage)

I used to have two monthly columns in MX East (defunct now)...we went to MX America right before the publisher went coo coo. One was my column..."Daves World"(tacky name given by the Editor). It basically was a free-for-all column and I could write about whatever topic I wanted....races, people, events, etc.....I spared no emotions! Many times...I just made fun of myself, or wrote about my crew (of course changing their names to protect their identity's...lol)It was heavily edited, def. an "IMO" piece, and a truth spitter! It was a very popular column with East coast racers, and got the attention of Davey Coombs of Racer X who I became good friends with, and he later published some of my stuff in his mag. He even qouted me a few times in his "Overheard" section. The stuff could be funny, cynical, stupid, and even made folks angry sometimes....but always made people laugh. It was an attention getter and opened up a lot of debate....it was a great engine for disussion and I could just flow each month. I got to write about whatever hot topic I wanted, which was usually the current hot topic of the month, or just a story from the latest road trip...I always had, and still do for that matter, GREAT material right in front of me to write about. At times, I was asked to address certain things, but given pretty free reins.

Another fun one was "Ask Dave"...where people sent in letters or e mails asking questions......which usually opened them up for a full "Dave" assault....ALWAYS funny, and very entertaining I was told. It came about from the ridiculous amounts of letters asking or saying the craziest stuff.....so we had fun with it.

A publication that caters to a sport and lifestyle like ours has to have humor.....it's a laid back life, and we all love a good time. WBM has some humor, but it could always use more.
Writing about your passions makes it fun.....and I could bleed my passion for MX and warped sense of humor into every piece. Now my passion is wake!
A buddy of mine..who lives in NYC was also on the staff and he's now an aspiring screen writer. That's what WBM needs....not just guys that ride, but guys that ride and can WRITE.

I just have two words to say "Reef ad"

New fresh content like FoxrepDC suggested would be awesome. I agree there are way too many ads. We made that comment in the office when we received the most recent issue. Wakeside has a full page ad every month and we try to make it something fun and different. It would be easy for our media team to put ads together that looked like everyone else's but we see what is happening to the mag and push for original content. I wish it was more like Alliance but then we would have two of the same. All I know is that I don't like it every month but still stop what I am going and read it from cover to cover when ever it comes across my desk.

well put erick...well put.

they should hire Erik.... www.wakeboardreport.com He's a good write. I always read his blog.

yeah, reef girls
http://www.reef.com/missreef/MARISOL

http://boardermagazine.com.au/ this is an australian magazine its very good you receive a free dvd every issue if you subscribe!

The day WBM stops having the REEF ADS I will cancel my subscription.

Wait, wait, wait! Doesn't 80% percent ads, 10% poor content, 5% enjoyable material add up to 95%? Please tell me someone else noticed this...

This last two issues have pics of 2 riders doing Methods in the same spread. Methods are cool, but this doesn't show the diversity of the sport and the spread would keep my attention longer if there was more to look at than the same trick twice.

We can complain all we want but people will still buy it. Until sales start dropping, World Pub. doesn't care about quality.

something I find interesting is how everyone complains about all the ads yet there is so much hesitation to pay the extra bucks for a mag with less advertising (the Standerd) .....

I normally avoid these kinds of threads, but feel the need to chime in here. Also, everything I say here is my own opinion, not that of WBM/WorldPub/anyone else, since I am not an employee of theirs. Witth that said... The statement "Until sales start dropping, World Pub. doesn't care about quality" is pretty unfair. WBM does, and always has, used their best effort to put out the best product possible. People need to see the bigger picture here. Just like Bess Marine said, with regard to The Standerd... you can't have it both ways. You've got an inexpensive magazine that's largely supported by advertising. There's also Alliance, which has just a tiny bit less advertising, and costs roughly the same...but has a different target market. There's also The Standerd, which is largely advertising-free but is more expensive than the other two magazines. The money has to come from somewhere.

There's only so much money to go around. With WBM, Alliance, and The Standerd... or rather, with the whole wake industry...the pie is pretty small to begin with, and each company gets a pretty small slice. Steven Hahn and I have done a number of stories for WakeBoarding Mag over the years...and we do this all on very small budgets. Without advertising, we wouldn't even be able to do them. It's easy to sit behind your computer with a donut in your hand and comment on these sorts of things, but having been in this industry for a little while now, I've seen what goes on behind the scenes. There are a few realities here:
1. Magazines are very expensive to produce, when you figure what everything costs.
2. The wakeboarding industry is miniscule, compared to other sports like surfing or snowboarding.
3. The active participants of the online forums make up a small (but vocal) part of the target market of WBM.
4. WBM is designed to appeal to a very wide range of people, and each issue must be user-friendly enough to entice someone who's never put on a wakeboard or even heard of the sport.
5. There are not a ton of people out there producing quality content for the magazines. Joey and Josh have started their own publication so their photos don't run much in WBM. A number of past WBM photogs have slowed down their submissions over the years (including me...by and large I'm taking a break from shooting Wake). Garrett Cortese produces a significant portion of the photos in Alliance on his own.

Someone on here was criticizing how the Buyers' Guides were just copies of the information available on the manufacturer's websites. Well, it simply is not possible to do a thorough test of every product in the limited time between Surf Expo and when the mag goes to press, nor is there a budget for this. People want the information in a printed form that's easy to flip through. That's exactly what the Buyers' Guide is. There's no way these magazines can compete with the Internet in terms of bringing information to you fast, so it's unfair to complain that event coverage is so delayed. There's a lead time of 3+ months from the time an event takes place to when it goes to print. It's just the nature of publishing. For example, the Michigan travel story in the April issue was shot back in October. For what I made on that trip, I could make that same amount of money in one day staying at home, shooting for a commercial client. Instead, Hahn and I spent 5 days in freezing conditions. We stayed at a rider's parents' house. We borrowed boats from a dealer and borrowed a car from a dealership. We called in a lot of favors. We definitely weren't doing it for the money! Wakeboarding is all about the fun and the passion of it all...that's why we were there. We could share that experience with the readers of WBM.

Perhaps what I'm trying to say is that for the price of $10 a year or so, you get to reap the benefits of the hard work of a lot of people. What's $10, really? Two visits to McDonalds? Would you rather go without reading two dozen travel stories, trick tips, sick photos, and other information...so you can eat a few more Big Macs?

The wakeboarding industry needs support from its participants to stay alive. We buy from companies that advertise in WakeBoarding Magazine. We enjoy watching wakeboard competitions on TV, that are put on by WorldPub. WBM is very tied into the industry, and the statement that "WorldPub doesn't care about quality" couldn't be farther from the truth... and it in some way hurts me personally. I've been working with WakeBoarding Magazine for 8 years now. I've seen a lot of changes. I saw Alliance come on to the market, and I've worked with them as well. Nobody working for any of the 3 magazines is doing it to get rich. They're trying to put out the best product they can, with the resources that are available.

One must understand that these magazines are businesses... just like Ford, Apple, or even MotorTrend Magazine. Since they are businesses, their function is to sell a product, in order to sustain themselves. A business has expenses, and must take in money. This comes in the form of subscription dollars and advertising dollars, for magazines. I challenge anyone to run the numbers, and come up with a viable business plan for a 200 page publication that costs $10 or so a year, with half the advertising that WBM has. It simply can't be done. Advertising is a necessary evil in our world (beyond just wakeboarding). Plus, some people enjoy looking at the ads, and supporting those companies by purchasing from them based on their advertisement. Heck, even here on WakeWorld, there are FOURTEEN blinking advertisements at the top of every page, not to mention on at the bottom. We don't complain about it, but they are there. Dave needs them there to pay for the site. Once again, it is a business. Money out must be offset by money in.

With all of this said...constructive criticism is indeed very helpful. Anodyne started this thread very well, and his ideas are great to hear. I'm sure that some people at WBM have been keeping an eye on this thread. The more ideas are put in a constructive and useful manner will be heard more.

There's no such thing as a free lunch, and the magazine industry abides by this.

Amen! Well put Mike!

Mike, post of the month. Very insightful. Thank you very much.

...With a donut in your hand!
...so you can eat a few more Big Mac's!

Isler, I've know you for more than your 8 years shooting and that is some of the funniest things you've offered up. I've always been a big fan of yours!

As a former Editor of WakeBoarding Mag, I can offer some insight to this topic.

One thing I can attest to is the research WBM does on their target subscribers. Every few years they do extensive market research among their subscriber base. They hire an outside firm to conduct surveys of random subscribers, inquiring about what they like, don't like and want more from in the magazine. I was absolutely astonished that far and away the respondants wanted more instructionals first and more product info second. People definitely wanted to see the current progression of the sport, no doubt, but I can say that Instructionals and product info were the two top requests. And this wasn't just the response from one survey. This was the requests from several surveys done over several year's time.

Also, WBM has positioned itself to create strong relationships with their industry partners. While I am sure that (Insert brand name here) is interested in seeing the sport progress, they also want to expose their products to the masses. Thus you have extensive product exposure through both the advertising and reviews you see in the magazine. There is an old saying in the publishing business: There's no better advertising than editorial coverage. Industry members love seeing their products show up outside of paid advertising. Wake Boarding Magazine has supported their partners well through the years, and the increases advertising load is a direct result of their serving the industry well. They do have their fair share of progressive editorial content, but it can appear diluted with so much else going on in the magazine.

We also have to recognize that we here in the WakeWorld forum represent the top 3% in terms of passion for wakeboarding. If you look at the circulation numbers for WBM, in excess of 43,000 subscribers, and compare it to the number of people in here commenting, we are just a fraction of the overall picture. That's not to say our opinions are not valid, as the passionate are also the people dedicated to buying the products featured in WBM. The majority of posters are not relying on wakeboarding as their profession and income and it's natural to want to feed the need of your wakeboarding soul. And while wakeboarding is a soul/lifestyle sport, WBM is in the wakeboarding bizz and they have their own financial goals they want to meet. And while we may not get as much soul/progression as we want, you gotta admit they've shown a great ability to run their business well.

And this business perrogative has allowed other mags to florish by filling other niches in the market. It is amazing what Alliance has been able to do. Compared to other single sport magazines, the wakeboarding scene is comparitively small. Alliance has their own unique vibe going, which is not easy to do. For instance, the difference between "Surfer" and "Surfing" magazines is not as easy to distinguish as the difference between Alliance and WBM. At least not to me.

And going back to what I said earlier, about the dedicated 3% in this forum, you (we) are a great reason for the formation of yet another publication, the Standerd Quarterly. Less ads and great images, and it's directed by two of the best lensmen the wakeboarding industry.

Which leads me to my final point, one that's been previously made. Virtually everyone in the wakeboarding business knows to come here to WakeWorld to take the pulse of the wakeboarding scene. The editorial teams from all the magazines visit this discussion board to hear from the general wakeboarding public. While I'm sure they were amused by the tracking down of Josh Boyd, this forum is one of the most value assets to the wakeboarding industry. While the market research surveys I mentioned at the beginning of this diatribe can take months to conduct, this message board is almost a real time source to find out just what the wakeboarding community thirsts for.

Very insightful posts, and thank you for sharing your unique view of how things go down. It is understandable the need and drive for money/advertisements, and to meet the broad market segment. Could the chosen market segment be the problem? When choosing to "to appeal to a very wide range of people, and each issue must be user-friendly enough to entice someone who's never put on a wakeboard or even heard of the sport", isn't that alienating a larger part of the fanbase/market? I guess I don't get why every issue should be catered to the newcomer, and would think that these market studies could identify what months would be best to do "newcomer" type articles. That aside, I would also believe that you would pigeon hole yourself with content if every time you are trying to draw someone into the sport, and end up repeating subjects/articles. And I would presume that the "newcomer" type would majorily consist of families with younger children, who I don't think would appreciate a letter from someone in prison (for beating cops) right next to a mom of the year letter (Board Buyers Guide). Does that entice someone to join the sport? I'm not trying to poke holes in your statements, I really do appreciate your responding to this issue, I just don't understand the thought process behind the mag's said decisions, and how it is that lucrative for the magazine in the long run. Thanks again.

This is one of the best posts I've seen in a long time. what is the standerd Quarterly mentioned by jeff barton?

The Standerd Quarterly is a new mag being put out by Josh Letchworth and Joey Meddock. The emphasis is on quality. It is a quarterly mag and book 1.1 just hit the shelves April 1st. For more details you can check out their website at www.thestanderdquarterly.com

I really appreciate the insights of Mike Isler and Jeff Barton. Thanks guys.
It is nice to get informed opinions from all sides. This forum is awesome Dave.

I too find the current version of WBM less than fulfilling. Thank goodness for capitalism. If their target market is the newby then more power to them. I hope that WBM thrives and brings new riders into the sport.

I will spend my money on the Standard Quarterly and support the guys who seem to be catering to me.

seems win-win to me.