Jolly Jeeper

 

'In tonights episode, we see Dave spend six hours removing a broken bolt and evesdrop a heated two week discussion about the correct shade of olive drab'

 

That made me laugh - so true - thanks!

Its sad that I had to post on here to attract your attention. Please don't blame the Freelancer (I've kept names out of my posts to date), you were sent my email address, the Director of Key Publishing also had my email address, he also replied to me saying he would come back to me. That was over a month ago now so clearly neither of you thought it was important enough to even give me an a reply even if it is that you don't agree and no-doubt if I had not posted on here then my concerns would have remained unanswered.

It is sad that it had to be posted on here, I don't like washing dirty laundry in public. To answer your point in this recent post; I wasn't sent your email address I am afraid, although I don't doubt that people at Key had your address but - unfortunately - I hadn't. That is why I asked 'the freelancer' for it in response to his email to me. Further up, you say that he supplied 'notes' and that I compiled the feature, this is also not true, he supplied a complete feature, I asked for some amendments and he supplied a second version of a complete feature and captions. As for putting his name on it, 'so he takes the blame', err no... Message me your email and I will send you his whole feature.

As I said in a post above, I can only apologise for the upset this innocent headline has caused completely accidentally. John Carroll

In my opinion Classic Military Vehicle (CMV) Magazine has taken a worrying turn for the worse ! Last month my M3 Scout Car was featured. The freelance journalist came (nice guy) and took the photos and some notes and passed them to the editor who produced the article. The Freelancer and I discussed heading the feature ‘Somewhere in Somerset’ but without telling me anything the Editor published it as ‘Scouting for Boys’ !!! The inference that I bought the vehicle to go ‘Scouting for Boys’ was not lost on a number of people who more than mentioned it to me, this included my wife who happens to be the Headteacher of a couple of Primary Schools who was shocked to say the least.

 

In addition to this the article contains both typo’s and incorrect information that frankly just smacks of lazy journalism. I emailed my concerns to the freelancer, he was also shocked and passed it to the Editor who was on holiday so it was passed onto the MD of Key Publications who emailed back saying he would come back to me. That was a month ago and nothing since just silence, other than I’m aware that the Editor has had a go at the Freelancer stating he didn’t see the issue, its normal to go for a headline, why did he complain (not realising it was my complaint), he was out of order and stating it was normal to take a title from a book written in 1906 (I had to Google it) and use such a phrase in modern times.

 

So no apology, no feedback, nothing just a contemptuous silence from both the Editor and Key Publishing. So please take this as a word of caution if you want to have your vehicle in this magazine don’t make the same mistake I did, get a signed agreement to say that you want to see the article first and have full editorial rights and a veto, if you don’t then anything could happen and it seems the new Editor won’t even respond to concerns or have the courtesy to reply. What makes it worse is he put the Freelance Journalist’s name on the article so he ‘takes the blame’. I even had to buy my own copy, needless to say it’s the last one I will ever buy.

"Had a go at the freelancer?" Here's my email of 08.05.17 to him "Afternoon,

Today, I have been told that you are not happy about the heading for the feature on the White Scout Car in the May ’17 issue of CMV. I am surprised that you felt it necessary to telephone the Commercial Director to discuss it.

I can only apologise for any upset this innocent headline has inadvertently caused, but remain mystified why a simple play on words, about the fact that it is a Scout Car using the title of Baden Powell’s famous 110 year old, scouting handbook, should have any negative connotations. Such plays on words are common in magazine headlines such as the ‘four wheels on my ‘wagen’ line on the cover.

Yours sincerely,

John Carroll"

I really didn't read anything into the title of that article - until I read the comments on here following it - and now I see what you mean. There must be a whole number of people with innocent minds who would not have noticed anything either but I agree that it was unfortunate. Perhaps the Editor does not have sufficient back-up staff in these days of everybody trying to cut costs, and able to look at everything again with fresh eyes for such "clangers" before going to press. Presumably, there is a Proof Reader to look at the whole magazine?

 

But after saying all of that, it would be wrong to overlook the rest of the contents of the magazine which I think has a very good spread. It is very easy to criticise and you will never be able to please all the people all the time.

Thanks for such a balanced view. JC

Yes a shame really, its become a "Photo study" good pictures though, and if I wanted to know that much more re-hashed stuff on land rovers I'd buy a land rover mag! I emailed them after a piece they did on a type of vehicle that I have and they said something like " this one had not been seen since" blar blar . so I mailed them quickly to say I have it and it still exists, they messaged back and said thanks, and they they would put something about it in the letters page. Well they did put it in. my exact email spelling mistakes and all! good job I didn't say anything incriminating!! who the hell checks what is published!

 

rant over.

I would be interested to know which issue this was in so that I can respond more fully. JC

Ferg, thanks for your reply, I agree, its sad that the likes of Classic Military Vehicle Magazine and Key Publishing in my opinion feel that its ok to put out such headlines and incomplete articles and not be held accountable. The sad fact is it would not have taken any effort to just say sorry to me, but it appears the attitude is that they don't have to and can publish whatever they wish just to get a headline.

 

I would have expected it of some of the daily red top papers but what should be a respected publisher should be better than that, I guess the fact that as they are the only military vehicle magazine now they feel that they can act as they wish, sad times !! :-(

I asked John Norris for your email address and he, as yet, hasn't seen fit to reply to my email. The title was nothing more than a play on the title of Baden Powell's book. JC

repetitive adverts. Could someone please give me some idea as to the situation of this now,I would think that John is best placed to answer this one

Are we talking about traders' ads or small ads and what kind of repetition? Traders pay for their space and readers want to sell their stuff. Ads are about 20% of the whole magazine. Let me know what you're thinking and I'll come back to you - being an 'editorial' guy I think about 'ed' rather than 'ad' pages. Ta, JC

News for The War & Peace Revival:

Kent has been the home of the War & Peace Revival for more than 30 years. It is with great pleasure that the organisers can announce the show’s long term presence will remain in Kent! Returning to the Hop Farm Showground.

The War & Peace Revival 2017

To be held at;

Hop Farm Show Ground

Paddock Wood

Tonbridge

Kent

TN12 6PY

Show dates: 25th to 29th July 2017

The organisers say, “We look forward to seeing you at the Hop Farm Show Ground for the World’s Largest Military Festival!”

2017 Show dates; 25th to 29th July

2018 Show dates; 24th to 28th July

2019 Show dates; 23rd to 27th July

2020 Show dates; 28th July to 1st August

Thanks for the further positive comments folks, I'm genuinely flattered. I have had a few emails - all positive except two - as well. One chap offered some positive suggestions (which I'll be taking up) and two were a bit troll-y. There are still things to do and improve as the spring comes on and, of course, suggestions, letters/emails etc from members of this forum are welcome. Thanks all. JC

Must have been good - I went into Smith's thinking I'd buy a CMV for the first time in a good few years and there were none to be had!

Individual issues can be purchased online here; http://www.cmvmag.co.uk/view_issue.asp

Thanks very much folks - it's a start and things will continue to evolve as the months roll on. To be honest, if it hadn't been thrust on me, I wouldn't have chosen January for a new start but I had no choice in the timing. Input from people on here is always welcome whether that's suggestions, contributions or corrections and if someone can identify the truck axle in the centrespread, from the distinctive spring mount brackets or the diff, I'd love to hear what it is. JC

 

Good luck, best wishes and glad to see that you are open to suggestions and can take criticism (which is actually aimed at your

predecessors really). Hopefully you will sweep clean as the new broom and morph CMV into something that is worth purchasing.

 

Regards

Doug

The new broom is already in use on Issue 189!

Well I am looking forward to the new issues, I will vote with my feet and buy the first few issues to support the new editor purely on his energy and commitment.... If it's a good read I will continue.....he deserves at least that for being open and passionate about his new role!!!!

Thank you. I am genuinely flattered by such comments.

In defence of MV magazine editors everywhere, I suggest that they have only a modest influence over the content of their magazines. The commercial magazines don't seem to employ a large staff of authors, and must therefore rely to a significant extent on contributors. Editors do not normally have the time to write articles themselves - though JC's account in his early issues of Windscreen of his Jeep trip to the north African desert was fascinating. I reckon that if recent issues of CMV have been full of Land Rover buying guides, it is because the supply of articles from contributors has dried up and the editor has nothing better to hand.

 

Note that Windscreen, being a club magazine, does not pay contributors at all; CMV pays a modest sum that barely covers a contributor's costs. Contributors to both have to do it for the love of the hobby, and must to a greater or lesser extent subsidise the production of the magazines.

 

My pet hate is museums that charge an enormous sum for publication of their photographs. I mention no names, but in the railway field a normal repro fee that I am asked to pay for use in a book is £75 per image. The same sort of sum pertains in the MV field. A noble exception here is the US Library of Congress; the images on their website are for the most part free to use, which is why you are currently seeing their images in issues of Windscreen. If British museums and archives had the same policy, or even charged only a fiver or so per image, then the quality of content in CMV would improve overnight as contributors would not have to pay more in repro fees than they get back in payment by the magazine. Museums and archives would benefit too, as at the moment hardly anybody can afford to use their images.

 

John.

There's a lot of points here - perhaps too many to go into really so a few notes will have to suffice.

No one is looking over my shoulder closely as they weren't over my predecessor's so content and quality are down to the ed. Small circulation hobby mags are marginal so don't employ anyone.

Some editors work harder than others and some are interested in the scenes their magazines reflect.

There is no sign of contributions to CMV drying up - the contributors to CMV have all agreed to carry on working for the mag and are, I think it's fair to say, signed up to new standards and ideas because they too like the magazine and I am glad to have them on board.

There is a fundamental difference between club and commercial mags - I relied on what came in from members for Windscreen for three years (and put with naive accusations of a wartime and Jeep bias when all I did was use what people sent in topped up with a few things I wrote). Commercial mags offer more freedom to commission what is required to maintain a balance and steer away from endless - for example - show reports.

CMV and other specialist magazines' budgets are tiny so we have to do a lot with a little.

Museums and copyright of photos is a minefield - many museums try and charge copyright fees for pics they own copies of but not the copyright to and for copyright free images because they have a copy of the picture that needs to be scanned for an author such as old Ministry of Information pics. I am not going to write pages about this other than to say a bit of imagination goes a long way in getting B&W archive images free or cheaply for magazines.

I have been a magazine professional since 1989 and made a career in 'enthusiast' mags where we have to, as mentioned above, do a lot with a little - guerrilla publishing is how I describe it - and imagination is the key. CMV will be no exception in a line that includes 4x4 Driver, BSH, LRW, 4x4, CLR... People can join us for the ride or they can stay at home. Thanks for commenting. JC

Anyways ......! I wish John all the best .

I haven;t bought CMV for a good few years but may well pick it up next year once he takes over ....... as long as it doesn't have an article on the front on 'Buying your first Landrover !'

Thanks Bob. There's no articles on buying Land Rovers or Jeeps (and no Mahindras) in CMV 189!

Otterburn 2004.

I assume the article meant Belsen - yet another factual error

The feature, I notice, says 'Auschwitz and Belsen' but it's interesting that the feature in question's author is being lauded in another thread here on similar topics about CMV...

Robin. This is the M201 - first in this group - that I regret selling

Those of us on the other side of the pond are watching with great interest.

 

I wish John Carroll all the best with the magazine and look forward to his spin. I have read and enjoyed his pieces for many years from his times with the Land Rover magazine days.

Thanks Robin - I still like old Land Rovers and have enough leafers to drive a different one every day of the week but I like other stuff a lot - sold my Hotchkiss M201 at a tough time but wish I hadn't... - and here's a Jeep picture from our epic trip to Egypt and the LRDG's stomping ground

I wish you good luck, but as I have said before " you can polish a tu*d but you cant roll it in glitter.

Continuing the fecal analogy, you can also just flush it away and start again...

Just adding my thoughts to the mix - no criticism or anything, just thoughts.

Have you looked at the likes of "Practical Classics" - this is the other mag I get on monthly subscription. For me there are a couple of definite draws in reading this one that perhaps are missing but could be added to CMV:

1) They have a regular readers vehicles section - 2 to 4 pages of short stories of readers restorations, either completed or in progress.

2) As well as the professional restorations there are full readers restorations of vehicles - and there is a big difference between people struggling in damp and draughty garages - or even gardens/yards and the professionals in dry workshops.

3) Readers - as well as reporters - accounts of entries on vehicle rallies (not rally sport or racing).

 

Would the future of CMV lend itself to such forms of articles?

Practical Classics? Yes, I have read this on and off since it started. I still have Issue 1 somewhere...

Readers' Restos? Happy to feature them - 100%

As a bloke who has to do jobs outside, I have a lot of sympathy for others in the same boat so again 100%

Vehicle Rallies? It is of no consequence who writes a report to me. We're all in this together so readers' reports are equally as valid as 'reporters'' but you may find that many of the 'reporters' are readers who have typed something up and submitted it. That said, I am going to do away with many of the shallow, page-filling, event reports with captions that say things like 'there was plenty to buy from the stalls'... Thanks Artists Rifles

Im afraid most of you are very short of the mark. You are assuming the publication is for our benifit/enjoyment.....

Far from it, its there to make money......simple as. Sorry but thats it.

Which is why a forum like this is so important....thanks Jack

That could be said about any business - Jeep restorer, military collectables shop, fast food emporium or magazine but all businesses should aim for happy customers who will come back again... Let's look forwards

Agree, it's not a patch on what it was while windscreen has improved into a half decent mag - there is always hope I suppose

Baz48 and Gas44, sorry if a few positive and optimistic comments have bothered you. I was quite flattered but your concerns deserve a reply too. I think there is hope and you should perhaps believe there is too for one reason in particular. You both comment that you like Windscreen, well it looks like it does now because I redesigned it with a good designer, changed its layout, proofread it and so on for the three years of my MVT contract. In that time it won two awards - Most Improved Club magazine in 2013 and Club Magazine of the year in 2015 - judged and presented by the Classic and Sports Car magazine editorial team at the NEC Classic Car Show. Windscreen is still essentially the same magazine now although it will no doubt continue evolve as its new editor gets to grips with it. So with CMV, give it a chance eh?

Did You guys not respond to the CMV subscriber survey.....I told Key publishing that they had stuffed a once great magazine Completely ...I recommended they get hold of some old issues and have a read through them !.

I have the reader survey information. Two things that may interest you; 1. unsurprisingly you weren't the only one to criticise the current CMV (this forum is also evidence of that). 2. I will be taking into account much of what was said in the reader survey as we change the magazine for the better.

I have to agree with you and if you have been reading the classic land rover magazine, you would have noticed that it has also nose dived since Key publishing took it over. I guess that when these mags were run and written by real enthusiasts they reflect that enthusiasm, but with Key it seems to be all about profit and the easiest way of getting it.

 

 

Jon

You may be thinking of another magazine here or you may not - Key actually launched Classic Land Rover magazine and I have edited since it started. Maybe I'm not a 'real enthusiast', after all I only have eight Land Rovers; seven of those have leaf springs and I have had one of them since 1989, the same year as I got my first full time magazine job on a 4x4 mag...