From: teshima@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (A. Lani Teshima)
Subject: Re: Good alternative to SDM is........
Organization: University of Hawaii
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1992 05:16:35 GMT

In article <92241.49453.6845400@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM> 6845400@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM writes:
>A very good alternate, actually a better, magazine to SDM is one called
>DISCOVER DIVING, the travel reviews are not always favorable as they are
>in SDM. The articles on equipment are also much better than in SDM, they are
>more objective. Of course the magazine is not as glitzy/slick as SDM but the
>content is much better. There is another magazine, it used to be PACIFIC DIVER,
>Rodales or Rondaless that isn't too bad.
>

Original poster wanted to know about alternatives to Skin Diver
magazine, and why some people didn't like SDM. Here's my $0.02.

I know a person who used to be an assistant to SDM's editor in chief.
She said that SDM's publisher (I believe it was Petersen's) actually
sells quite a few magazines. "Some of them make more money than
others, and those that make more money are the ones that pay the bills
for the smaller magazines." I believe she said that SDM was one of
their magazines that made money. Basically, that's their driving
motivation, $$$. It's very expensive to place ads in them--even the
small ads in the back of the magazine cost thousands of dollars. So
those big full-page full-color ads are very expensive. Sure, diving
equipment could be fashionable, etc, but I am always leery of "product
reviews" that are placed very prominently next to the full-page ad of
the product. It is seldom you see a review of a product where they
trash it as being bad, or even mediocre. Their slick style reminds me
of real estate brochures.

I am also very leery of "dive shop reviews" to exotic locations, when
you know the travel writer went there with the owners knowing they
were writing for SDM (i.e. rolling out the red carpet, etc.) where
most everything is given to them on a complementary basis, and perhaps
given personal tours by the owner, etc. Some of the larger hotels
always have their own public relations staff, and having interned at
one myself, I KNOW they comp writers and journalists all the time,
with the expectation of good reviews or endorsements.

If you look at the by-lines in SDM, there is actually a very small
pool of writers that serve as regulars. According to my friend, it was
a real business--they didn't like to take chances on new writers but
rather relied on the old standbys as a sure thing (but not excellent
or controversial). 

There are a couple of good things in SDM. The info about wrecks, the
diving quiz, and the "I learned about diving from..." sections are
worth reading the library copy. I have long since let my personal
subscription expire, and I don't think any of my diving buddies
subscribe to it, either. It's not a bad magazine to get a feel for
things in new gear, but the magazine spews out formula copy and gets
dull pretty fast. (Mind you, they do produce a very pretty, slick
magazine, though).

As for diving journals, I have always enjoyed Underwater USA (it's
tabloid size and difficult to find in newsstands), because of its
strong environmental bend. The new Rodale's Scuba Diving (formerly
Pacific Diving) shows promise, and is advertising itself as an
alternative (to SDM, surely). There are smaller serials, such as
Undercurrent, that are not as commercial and may not accept
advertising (so their reporting is less biased).

 

 


--
A. Lani Teshima, UH School of Library & Info Studies   o | /_/_/ "Sea Hare"
A small mind is easily filled with faith.               o|<0_0>--------*
Blessed is a mind too small for doubt.                    \=^-| |____| | 
teshima@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.edu                                 \_}B   \_}B
From: ngsw@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com (Ng Soon Wei)
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 06:02:00 GMT
Subject: Test
Organization: HP Singapore Notes-Server