latest Practical caravan mag

[STEVE_5041381]

Does anyone think like me that nexts month edition is a waste

of money - nothing but camp sites advertised (What a waste)

only a few pages of caravan interest. Needless to

say gave it a miss for next month. They might as well gone the

whole hog and put next months TV progammes in (that would have

filled some space).

 

[Carol_374304703]

Sorry Steve dont agree we really enjoyed the mag but then we always do, always something to learn for us.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I have the CC and C & CC sites books so I don't welcome pages of sites in PC mag either

 

[Del_374232870]

Wwent into the newsagent this morning, picked up PC flicked through it and put it straight back, fully agree I am not going to waste my money on what is effectively a selective site guide. I buy PC to get a balanced read covering sites, tow cars , vans etc.

 

[Chrissylizzie]

Hi Steve

Quite agree and the latest one I read was nothing but adverts. Also the advice they gave about sticking drawers and using a drill for the steadies is very dated info. For the cost of the mag. now, they must do better.

 

[nrdonnelly]

Hi All,

I think the issue that you are all talking about is the April issue - The one listing the 2008 Top 100 Sites.

I'm sorry that some of you haven't enjoyed the issue. The Top 100 sites is selective, but the sites included are there because readers of the magazine and visitors to the website voted for them. I think that constitutes a weighty recommendation.

As there is so much parks content, we decided to run with continental travel features, in place of the regular Great Escapes, although rest assured these will be back in place for the May issue, having been redesigned to stop them getting repetitive and making you feel like you've 'seen one, seen them all'

In terms of practical content, the Freeview feature, ferry cost cutting and regular Q+A content are included, along with our normal six pages of towcar content, although there is more practical, technical stuff in the May issue.

We do try and ensure that Practical Caravan is not a generic magazine, with the same features in the same place each time you pick the issue up. We can't please everyone, all the time but we do try and balance the content.

I've said before on the forum and in the magazine that all feedback is welcome, and all your views have been noted.

Thanks for reading the magazine and thanks for your feedback.

Best Regards

Nigel Donnelly

Editor

Practical Caravan

 

[trucker]

I must say I have read most of the mag so far and found the long distance caravanning reports very intersting, and 3 in 1 issue.

Lots of adverts yes but lots of other stuff as well.

I say its as good as past issues.

Kevin

 

[colin(bridgend)]

What annoys me about the magazine and also Practical Classics is the amount of advertising. On average there is over 65% adverts for which I am paying for. If I wanted to read advertisments I would buy the Free Ads each week which is solely dedicated to adverts. You could argue that the adverts are keeping the retail cost of the magazine down, however without the adverts there would be far less paper, ink and production labour wasted. Therefore this agruement in my opinion does not hold truth.

 

[Dustydog]

Nigel,

I think it would have been better if the sites aspect had been a separate insert leaving PC mag to focus on what we all enjoy reading. Page after page of commercial sites does nothing for me. Ok , I'm prejudiced and mainly use CC sites. I know what I am getting, I can view them on the internet so in reality I don't want to spend my money on reading a wealth of adverts.

The smaller ads I do read , and enjoy , in so far as they keep me abreast of new products , ideas etc.

Cheers

Alan

 

[Chaps]

We actually enjoyed the Top 100 sites feature as we're new to caravanning and it was useful information for us. Alan's idea of making it a separate insert is an excellent one - ideal to pop in the caravan for information and less bulk to carry around than the full PC issue.

There does seem to be an awful lot of advertising in this issue though - suppose it's a prime issue for site owners touting for business.

 

[KeithJ]

Hi Nigel

My comments, for what they are worth:

I also find the site reports boring - so there is a large chunk of the magazine that I won't be reading this month (sorry!).

Overall I enjoy the adverts - some of them are informative about products, prices etc.

The continental articles I found enjoyable to read, but was a little disappointed to read that you, as a respected and knowledgeable editor, regarded trips to Switzerland, Holland and France as long distance adventures, and stunning journeys, enjoyable as such trips are.

The practical articles and "Our Towcars" I also find interesting and do enjoy the magazine as a whole. In fact when your sister magazine What Car arrives on my door mat at the same time as Practical Caravan, your's always get priority reading!

Regards

Keith

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

In fairness to Nigel, what about new people to caravanning. We were new at one time and being new didn't have a clue about sites down the road let alone around the country.

We always welcomed the 100 sites and perused through the adverts. From the web links in the ads we could check the sites out further and now have a fair list in our favourites folder.

Not everyone goes off abroad, is technically minded or interested in tow cars so they probably don't bother reading these features. After all most of us can only afford one tow car and don't change it that often.

It's getting the right blend and pleasing all is an impossibility.

 

[Steve L]

I've just read the april issue of PC which contained the 100 sites guide.

Even as a seasoned caravanner of twenty five years I still found it interesting. I always lookforward to the sites guide each yaer and put that issue in the caravan for keeps.

As with any publication the editorial team rely on a vast percentage of advertising revenue to fund their production.

Likewise, those advertising want to see their caravan products and services in an appropriate publication. It would be a bit daft to advertise caravans in what's on tv!!

So rather than crib about advertising content, skip what you don't like and get on with reading what you do. For me that was the 100 most desireable places to go plus umpteen others in the classified section.

I do admit to missing the old DIY section of a few years back where I learned hhow ti install both my carver2 water heater and our electric flushing cassette loo into our 25 year old Link 575 twin axle van which is still serving us well. You see, not all of us can either justify or afford to spend thousands on what is arguably becomming the uk's top hobby.

As the saying goes, "you can please some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time".

Steve L.

 

[colin(bridgend)]

Further to my previous posting on this topic I do not object to adverts, what I am objecting to is the vast amount of adverts. The magazine is so thick and weighty because of the adverts, the majority of which are the same month after month. A percentage of the cost of producing the magazine is as a result of so much paper, ink, etc. being used to produce the adverts. It does not necessarily means that with less adverts the retail price of the magazine would be more.

 

[STEPHEN_374226156]

I found this issue so full of adverts that after many years of postal subsciption i have today cancelled it,If more of us were to do this the mag would have to improve or advertisers would be looking for discounted rates

 

[Del_374232870]

Last month there was a free sites guide included , why not just have a reference to the entry in the free guide?

Every year we have the same thing around this time "top 100 sites" would be interesting to see what the sales are for this edition compared to other editions.

Also whose top 100 sites are they, we are all different, some like all singing all dancing sites, others CL's, some like Country side others Seaside.

I buy the magazine for the practical articles and for the accesory adverts

 

[Jonathan_5071894]

Like many of the replies I too couldnt see the value of the space taken up with 100 best sites and as usual top heavy with ads. I did enjoy the long distance touring articles, but have to say that as a subscriber for a number of years i have decided to cancel and will stick with the two main club mags and Caravan Mag which IMHO i find much better than PC.

 

[BeemerMal]

Maybe this thread is a good one to feed back opinions to Nigel and his team at PC.

I cancelled my subscription last November, after 8 years, for a number of reasons. I agree there were enjoyable articles and some good technical pages but these became quite mundane and repetative. I do see the difficulties PC have because there are always new people to enlighten, but this should not be at the expense of regular readers.

Advertising over the last couple of years has become a total nuisance and in my opinion is a complete turn off to many readers, particularly the regular subscriber who sees the same things in every edition.

Nigel, I'm not getting at you because you show a keen interest in caravanning but during the period between late 2006 and late 2007 there were Three different Editors,at least one of those editors showed very little interest in caravanning. It was in this period that the magazine took a serious decline, from a readers perspective.

Another reason I stopped my subscription is that on renewal I was offered two choices:

1. 12 months subscription (paid in advance) for

 

[Marilyn_374349380]

Maybe this thread is a good one to feed back opinions to Nigel and his team at PC.

I cancelled my subscription last November, after 8 years, for a number of reasons. I agree there were enjoyable articles and some good technical pages but these became quite mundane and repetative. I do see the difficulties PC have because there are always new people to enlighten, but this should not be at the expense of regular readers.

Advertising over the last couple of years has become a total nuisance and in my opinion is a complete turn off to many readers, particularly the regular subscriber who sees the same things in every edition.

Nigel, I'm not getting at you because you show a keen interest in caravanning but during the period between late 2006 and late 2007 there were Three different Editors,at least one of those editors showed very little interest in caravanning. It was in this period that the magazine took a serious decline, from a readers perspective.

Another reason I stopped my subscription is that on renewal I was offered two choices:

1. 12 months subscription (paid in advance) for

 

[KenWashington]

Maybe this thread is a good one to feed back opinions to Nigel and his team at PC.

I cancelled my subscription last November, after 8 years, for a number of reasons. I agree there were enjoyable articles and some good technical pages but these became quite mundane and repetative. I do see the difficulties PC have because there are always new people to enlighten, but this should not be at the expense of regular readers.

Advertising over the last couple of years has become a total nuisance and in my opinion is a complete turn off to many readers, particularly the regular subscriber who sees the same things in every edition.

Nigel, I'm not getting at you because you show a keen interest in caravanning but during the period between late 2006 and late 2007 there were Three different Editors,at least one of those editors showed very little interest in caravanning. It was in this period that the magazine took a serious decline, from a readers perspective.

Another reason I stopped my subscription is that on renewal I was offered two choices:

1. 12 months subscription (paid in advance) for

 

[Marilyn_374349380]

Maybe this thread is a good one to feed back opinions to Nigel and his team at PC.

I cancelled my subscription last November, after 8 years, for a number of reasons. I agree there were enjoyable articles and some good technical pages but these became quite mundane and repetative. I do see the difficulties PC have because there are always new people to enlighten, but this should not be at the expense of regular readers.

Advertising over the last couple of years has become a total nuisance and in my opinion is a complete turn off to many readers, particularly the regular subscriber who sees the same things in every edition.

Nigel, I'm not getting at you because you show a keen interest in caravanning but during the period between late 2006 and late 2007 there were Three different Editors,at least one of those editors showed very little interest in caravanning. It was in this period that the magazine took a serious decline, from a readers perspective.

Another reason I stopped my subscription is that on renewal I was offered two choices:

1. 12 months subscription (paid in advance) for

 

[Marilyn_374349380]

Maybe this thread is a good one to feed back opinions to Nigel and his team at PC.

I cancelled my subscription last November, after 8 years, for a number of reasons. I agree there were enjoyable articles and some good technical pages but these became quite mundane and repetative. I do see the difficulties PC have because there are always new people to enlighten, but this should not be at the expense of regular readers.

Advertising over the last couple of years has become a total nuisance and in my opinion is a complete turn off to many readers, particularly the regular subscriber who sees the same things in every edition.

Nigel, I'm not getting at you because you show a keen interest in caravanning but during the period between late 2006 and late 2007 there were Three different Editors,at least one of those editors showed very little interest in caravanning. It was in this period that the magazine took a serious decline, from a readers perspective.

Another reason I stopped my subscription is that on renewal I was offered two choices:

1. 12 months subscription (paid in advance) for

 

[Geist]

Beemermal wrote:

also feel that because the magazine relies strongly on advertising revenue and numerous freebees of long term loans of cars, caravans and equipment, supplied by manufacturers and advertisers, that the relationship PC has with the trade is not really as objective as it could be. (don't bite the hand that feeds you comes to mind?) This clearly shows up in the reports published in the magazine. Far more objectivity is required!

It might be required, but it will never happen. every single magazine is in thrall to its advertisers - you will never hear a really negative comment (even if thoroughly justified) about an advertisers product.

It is this financial servitude that has enabled the British caravan industry to get away with producing sub-standard products, decade after decade. The magazines could have played ,a major role in forcing the makers to produce sturdy weather tight vans - but they didn't. Advertising revenue is a powerful disincentive to start any boat rocking.

Be certain, the hobby or pastime that the magazines ostensibly support is always a poor second to advertising revenue . Thus, Modern Flower Arranging would, I have absolutely no doubt, welcome with beaming smiles a double page ad from The Happy Sunshine Automatic Rifle Manufacturing Company, if that armaments manufacturer wished to place his business with them.

Besides, there is absolutely nothing that they could write about caravaning that has not already been published 10,000 times before - 'advertising' is where it's at!, 'features' are just tiresomely necessary interruptions between product placements

Now, none of it matters. This will all be over soon

 

[Surfer]

We used to have a subscription but as the majority of the articles were repeats and boring, we dumped it and then bought the magazine from the newsagent from time to time. However in the past year we have only bought it twice because some of the articles seemed in some to be written by amateurs with very little knowledge of carvanning.

I enjoy reading DIY articles and also top tips that are NOT ridiculous common sense top tips. I would like to see more reviews of caravans, awnings, motor movers, comparisons of different types of gas to use and not just useless product reviews. How about some reviews on dealers / manufacturer after sales service or is PC too scared to lose the advertising revenue?

I am sure others will think of other articles that would be of more interest that the same old rehash rubbish and ads. Give us the facts that then let us judge.

But then again, if PC cannot even update or modernise their website what chance does a magazine stand of improving?

PS If PC have a vacancy for a writer, I am sure that there are many of us who can offer their services to produce better articles.

 

[Colinn]

Perversely, if there was no Practical Caravan mag, there would not be a Forum. Ironically, its Forum is now far more interesting, helpful, immediate, embracing and informative than anything you can read in the mag...hence, i feel guilty i cannot these days bring myself to bother to buy the mag (because there is nothing of interest in it) but am an avid reader of every section of the Forum...!