“And That’s How The Seagulls Landed On The Beach”
From Bondi Beach, Australia 🙂
Now a rant… I used to be an avid reader and fan of the UK photo magazine Photography Monthly, subscribing to it even for a while. The magazine had seen better days even though it has gone through a change of 3 editorial teams since 2003. With the latest change, it seems to have taken a turn for the worse. I was extremely disappointed when a forum thread with 72 follow-up posts, many with negative comments (from loyal and concerned readers) on the new issue (from the new team) were deleted by their forum moderators. When I voiced my comment on their (now restricted-to-public-view) feedback forums, I was surprised to get a notification that posts have now to be approved by moderators before they can be posted. I cross-posted the same post to their general forum as well (no approval required). This was the reply I got a few hours later:
Hello engloy,
You are receiving this notification because your topic “What happened to
the feedback posts on the January issue?” at “Photography Monthly Forum”
was disapproved by a moderator or administrator.The following reason was given for the disapproval:
The post contains links to illegal or pirated software.
—
Best Regards,
The Photography Monthly Team
Hello???????! Has PM hired on its team, people that engineered the “Great Firewall of China”? That magazine has just lost one loyal reader. In any case, I have found my new read and subscription. For those who miss the Photography Monthly of old, check out Digital SLR Photography magazine, which has as its editor, Daniel Lezano, the person who started PM in the first place.
I can only echo your concerns. It is a sad state of affairs for what was once my favourite monthly read. 🙁
As an ex Photography Monthly subscriber I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments. I saw the last forum post that you made before it was deleted/censored by the new editor. I am sorry to say that I do not believe that Roger Payne will be able to assist us as I have since found out that he is now the Group Development Editor of Photography Monthly magazine so I would assume that he has had quite a hand in the new direction that Photography Monthly is taking.
Hi PapaDoc and Jeff. Thanks for dropping by. I was going approach the January issue with an open mind (since the magazine wasn’t available at my local newstands in Singapore yet). I finally got to see it at the newsstand today — UGH! Arrows everywhere, loud fonts, and text overlays everywhere on what were otherwise excellent pictures. I am glad I read the forum earlier and spared myself the money!
You are welcome Tan. The January issue was indeed terrible and February issue has not improved. I find the current situation regards forum censorship unbelievable. PM have deleted your request to have your own thread removed as it does not now reflect your feelings. Instead they have left it in place but deleted from it, as well as your request, a completely innocent post from another forum member time stamped ‘Sat Sep 05, 2009 7:33 pm’. Not only are PM intent on censoring the present they have started on the past as well. Unbelievable!
Hi Jeff. I have noticed that too. I have lost whatever little respect I initially had for Grant Scott as PM’s new editor. No regrets for not starting a brand new subscription with that magazine. I found incidentally (by searching for ‘Photography Monthly censor’ on Google this thread … seems that many of us from the PM forums have found a thread to take refuge in! 🙂
Hi guys, seems like we really got them a bit rankled on PM forum. It wasnt my intention – or yours i would geuess. I jsut wanted to say what i thought of the new look mag on the feedback forum which is what i thought it was intended for. Once posts started to disappear i will admit i got more annoyed with it. Why can’t I have my say. I paid nearly £4 for that rubbish. I have posted an ironic thread saying how much i love PM. It sems to have lasted a whole hour so far! We’ll see… All the best.
Billy
Since I was the instigator of the February issue thread and a major dissenter on the others it seems only fair I post here.
I was the first victim of the censorship and since then have been trying get across my disgust at that action.
Now its obvious having read the new editors comments that he holds his readership in total disregard and hopefully as sales fall he pays for this arrogance with his job.
I would love to see the subscription figures since the revamp, might even request that on the forum, but no doubt it would never make it to print
Hi guys,
I don’t think the current team at PM is interested in our feedback. I saw Billy’s ironic thread and really laughed-out-loud at it. Guessed I laughed even louder when I saw it deleted later today.
The pattern I’ve noticed… If you want your thread to stay long enough there, post it after office hours (UK time). I think Grant does his Bermuda Triangle round in the morning from 9-10am and that’s when the posts starts disappearing 😉
In any case, I’ve given up bothering to post anything there 🙂
Well I managed to get this comment on there from 10pm last night and its survived all day
http://forum.photographymonthly.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1210
Daft I know, the new magazine was a real horror, but this censorship nonsense is downright ridiculous
Only sad part is I actually enjoyed the old style magazine and wish they had just left it alone