Gramophone takes a new turn, backwards
mainThe magazine, which at first found it unnecessary to inform readers of a change of ownership (you read it first on Slipped Disc), has decided on a reversion to founding principles:
Some alterations have been made. You will find more reviews of a greater length, and the reviews themselves spread more expansively throughout the whole magazine. More pages are being devoted to reissues, and a new feature discusses a recording widely held to be a catalogue benchmark. There are of course interviews and features that help add context to new releases, but recording is at the root of everything we publish.
We wish them luck.
Sounds great!
Norman, are you quoting form the January issue? I couldn’t find anything changed in the December issue.
from the website (linked)
Thank you!
Sounds like good news all around
It’s the only way the magazine can survive.
I’m afraid I have just cancelled my subscription, too little too late.
If all else fails, one can go back to first principles.
I don’t know whether the editorial intentions will survive the treatment the Mark Allen Group metes out to subscribers. ‘Updating’ my information for them yesterday failed at the first hurdle, when, after supplying the new password they asked for I was told electronically that it would not be accepted, as it was different from my old one.
Ringing, I was told that this matter was handled not by Mark Allen but by another company, who would ring me back. They didn’t. A second call, to someone called Sally, revealed that the person who had taken my first call had been supposed to ring me back. She hadn’t. Could I be put through to the other company? No, Mark Allen was supposed to handle that. I first gave them an hour, but since Sally – who claimed to be a director – was clearly not listening, I cancelled my subscription.
Further investigation revealed that the other company would be something called Exact Editions. I rang them. They had not been contacted about the glitch, and immediately resolved it. An academic exercise, since I had already cancelled. But at least it indicated I had been right to.
To do her justice, Sally was prompt in cancelling. I got my unspent balance back straight away. But this is a group apparently anxious to shift Gramophone towards online readers. I would give Gramophone about 18 months before closure. Start collecting your copies from your local newsagent now.