From day one, he made it clear that, like shoes, watches, cheeseburgers, and children's toys, a media publication is a product like any other. There is one similarity that matters more than any of the others. That the public is aware of the name of the product, and that they have respect for this name is infinitely more important than the product itself. It's partly why a sitcom like TV's Friends, having long abandoned any original jokes, is still extremely popular, while an excellent show like last season's short-lived Action failed almost immediately. The people at this company, of course, haven't the first clue about mountain bikes, or any other kind of bikes, but their company name is one we associate with ruggedness and durability.
Quality is assumed by the consumer.
The media works the same way - newspapers and television shows want the public to associate certain feelings and ideas with their name. The editorial boards of all magazines devote most of their time to discussing their positioning within the market - that is, how they want to be perceived by the public and what they want their brand to mean. At Good Magazine, my young colleagues' goals have always been to appear hip, semi-intellectual, and authoritative when it comes to matters of contemporary culture. This position can be achieved by producing content that is in fact intelligent, hip, and incisively critical, which takes a long time and a lot of effort. Or, it can be done by associating with someone or something that embodies those characteristics.