redundant? perhaps. But whats the deal with VC mag?

[scootermm]

okay.
This is perhaps redundant but nonetheless I feel it somewhat an important thing.
I was sitting at an auto repair shop for way too many hours trying to get my AC fixed. Under a tree in the shade I pulled the most recent issue of View Camera magazine out of my back seat to take a read through it.
As a view camera user and a subscriber to the magazine I feel I fall into the category of being part of the "readership". Given that, I don’t understand the simple editorial and layout errors that seem to plague this publication, issue after issue. An exorbitant amount of grammatical errors, misspelled words, unlabeled images, reference to images that don’t exist, missing by lines, etc etc etc. Just in reading one article I ran out of fingers when counting them up.
I have posted on the VC forum asking about missing "figures" referenced in articles. No response. I just feel like a certain basic level of editorial integrity and professionalism is and should be expected from any magazine. Especially one for a discerning crowd such as large format photographers. I know the publication just surpassed 100 issues circulation being around 16k. But I honestly feel it detracts in a horrible way from, what should be, an otherwise good publication and source for innumerable amounts of information. In fact, I feel it detracts so much so that the negatives outweigh the positives.
I admire that it was created and published for 100+ issues, but as a member of the readership I find it saddening that such easily fixed editorial and layout errors never seem to be corrected.
I am personally apart of the magazine world. But I am also a part of the magazine reader world and it just seems to border on disrespectful to the readership.

[BradS]

Matt, I agree with you 100%. It is absolutely disgusting.

Steve S, Please, please, please get somebody...anybody, to PROOF READ the copy before you go to press. Hell, I'll do it for you....FOR FREE! Just ask.

[John_Brewer]

I totally agree and would also be willing to proof read for free.

[Joe Lipka]

True and Sad. I don't expect any changes in the future. You need to make a decision about whether or not you want to support VC, warts and all and subscribe or unsubscribe accordingly.

[mark]

Let's see:
1-There is only one magazine dedicated to LF cameras and steve owns it
2-People complain about these things all the time but never cancel their subscriptions
3-editing costs man hours and would cut into the profit margin
4-same as 2
5-advertisers only care if you spell their names and info correctly. They don't give a damn what is in the articles.

Why should simmons care? You folks who subscribe will only keep complaining and continue subscribing. It is very disrespectful to the readership but since you do not advertise then you and your opinion mean nothing. Now go back to the magazine and see how many advertisements have mispellings or missing pictures.

[Jorge]

I am with Mark, this has been an ongoing complaint for years. If anything it seems to be getting worse since I stop buying the magazine.

By now you all should know that Simmons either does not care what you have to say as the reader or does not feel he has to do anything about it. In either case, after all these years of the same complaint you should all realize it is not going to get fixed. Vote with your wallet, if you buy the magazine you know what you are getting.

[steve simmons]

On a more positive note

There were problems with the July 05 issue. We have taken steps to fix them and there will be significant improvements with the Sept issue.

steve simmons

[Daniel Grenier]

As a buyer of VC from day 1 and owner of every single issue since, my problem with VC is not the typos and such. Rather, it's just getting the *$^& thing to my door in the first place! I used to subscribe but quit years ago and bought off the rack - too many problems.

This X-Mas, my stepson got me a one-year subscription as a gift. Got the first issue OK. Then, all downhill. Had to haunt VC for the next one. The following issue never made it (back to the rack to buy) and the current one hasn't made it yet either. emails to VC got me nowhere. I'll be back at the rack to get that one and all those that follow.

Steve, just cancel my sub and go have a beer with whatever money that gets ya. I don't know whether the problem is with VC, the Post Office, the neighbours steeling the thing or what but that's it subscribing to VC for me.

[scootermm]

Why should simmons care? You folks who subscribe will only keep complaining and continue subscribing. It is very disrespectful to the readership but since you do not advertise then you and your opinion mean nothing. Now go back to the magazine and see how many advertisements have mispellings or missing pictures.

I really hope you are just being sarcastic mark. because if not basically it sounds like you are quite literally saying that the readership is crap. If any magazine has this sort of mindset I find that INCREDIBLY sad.


Also, I would like to add as well that I would be more than willing to donate time to be an outside proofer.

[mark]

How long have these complaints been going on? It has not changed. I wish I was not being sarcastic. The readership is not crap, The way the publisher treats it's readers is. For some reason, those who subscribe take it. I think there is a lot of potential in VC, but the present leadership is standing in the way.