The Motoring News?

[Gerry Taylor]

I guess this has to be the right forum to ask. In my day we had two Motor Racing/Motor Sport newspapers/Magazines. These were the only weekly ones we could buy, firstly Autosport, the glossy covered MAGAZINE and the NEWSPAPER was called MOTORING NEWS. In those far off days, if the current edition was not in my newsagents on the day, I would telephone the head office to ask why? ( I know, I know, but it was really important to us at that time). Every word was devoured, and stories disected and analysed, it really was THE read of the week for most of us. Whatever happened to MOTORING NEWS? The layout was excellent, the contributors knowledgeable, and the letters column always worth a glance. It seems that in the intervening years of my retirement from the game, it has gone. Or is it still available under a different name? Another point whilst on this subject; do these two illustrious publications have an archive that may be looked into?
Note: Moderators, if this is in the wrong place, move it by all means, Thank You.

[Adam43]

It is still available, but a few years ago they changed the name to Motorsport News. Not sure why, but it might have been to help stupid people.

I haven't seen a copy for some time, but I went to find a link for you and see it is now a "MEGA NEW LOOK-MN". Does that mean it isn't newspaper stylie? Also does it mean the BISH now writes for it?
MEGA LINK!

I liked it, although didn't buy it every week. I used to buy Autosport every week so didn't really need two, even if they were slightly different.
Mainly used to get it if I was in it!

ooo, and as it is still going, I'll move this to Armchair.

[chunder]

Used to buy it
Used to work there
Now, don't buy it
It's full of things I dont like!
If you want to read about club racing and club rallying off you go, for anything else stick to the net

It's nearly 3 quid!!

[Knowlesy]

I spotted this in a newsagents the other week, I could not believe it was so expensive! And so thin as well.

I am sure it was around a quid in the late nineties.

It also now looks incredibly gay.

[Super Hans]

I haven't bought a copy for a while. I used to enjoy Simon Arron's column and his opinionated F1 reviews.

[SALEEN S7R]

Just had a quick look on google and found the newspapers website. www.motorsport-news.co.uk - like many others I used to buy the paper every week at my local newsagent, as well as Autosport and F1 racing. It's quite sad really to see how it has gone downhill, makes you wonder how much longer it will be around for in any format.

[davspeed]

I used to get it every week for years. One of the main reasons was for the classified adds both to buy and to sell, but with the net that part of it is redundant. Just buy the odd one now and then when I spot one in the news agent.

[T600]

Anyone got a complete run (or close) of Motoring News from the 80s and 90s they would sell (reasonably) before I approach a dealer??

[Thundersports]

Originally Posted by chunder

Used to buy it
Used to work there
Now, don't buy it
It's full of things I dont like!
If you want to read about club racing and club rallying off you go, for anything else stick to the net

It's nearly 3 quid!!

I get it weekly and really am wobbling over the price; it really isn't worh £2.80 i'm afraid I buy it for Simon Arrons articles and that's about it.

[61GT]

Originally Posted by T600

Anyone got a complete run (or close) of Motoring News from the 80s and 90s they would sell (reasonably) before I approach a dealer??

Hi, I have a fairly complete set of Motoring News from the 70's, 80's and in to the 90's that I was going to list on Ebay. If you're interested let me know and I'll go into the attic and check exactly what editions I have.

Kind regards, George

[RTH]

I think you are all right. when I first bought it MN was 1/- and AS was 2/- and quite superb

You do wish the owners of AS & MN would pull out back numbers from the 60s 70s and 80s and analyse the type of content, layout, pictures etc and relaunch the magazines with the benefit of hindsight.
Price have gone sky high more than doubled in real terms taking average general inflation in to account, which is why sales have gone down in proportion. They were great magazines both, they could be again. I was with Simon Arron on Saturday even he does not qualify for a free copy so he doesn't see a copy either.

[The Fat Clerk]

The quality of Motosport News has gone down and down in my opinion,and I can't really see it surviving much longer.

[andy97]

It would be interesting to know what the circulation was compared to Autosport. I actually quite like because they do try & put things in there which are not generally in AS like more rallying, oval racing, kart racing, speed eventing etc, even though I don't enter any of those. I just wish there was more club racing articles (not race reports) but I know that club racing doesn't sell.

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by RTH

Price have gone sky high more than doubled in real terms taking average general inflation in to account, which is why sales have gone down in proportion.

I think it's fair to say that the emergence of the internet is the key reason for the drop in sales of both titles.

[The Fat Clerk]

The final nail in the coffin for me was trying to get old of it, in Leicester City centre where my office is no-one, not even W.H.Smith stocked it, so I took out a subscription and the wonderful (woefull ?) Post Office managed to get it to me on a Saturday morning.

[andy97]

You could always ask WH Smith or a local newsagent to order you a copy. I do, its not difficult.

[chunder]

I dont think the internet really dropped sales away, sales at Autosport have suffered just as much.

The probem is that it costs a lot of money to staff and run these things. Back in the day the MN staff probably numbered 10 or so writers! Now because they are struggling you perhaps have 3 or 4 and contribs. It takes a long time to sort out a weekly.

Internet has amde it easy for people to get results yes, but reports and news are not any good on the net, most of it is PR. At least at MN or Autosport you are going to get journo's getting their own quotes and angles.

They tried everything, short oval, karting, F1, rally and WRC, none of it makes a huger difference and you have to try adn make a profit hence the massive price.

The days of weekly rags are numbered boys, time to get the web up and running even better

[JohnMiller]

I like MN. It has a different-to-Autosport style, and has some good articles that are often well written.

I have it on long-term subscription though so I didn't realise it was £2.80. Crikey!

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by chunder

I dont think the internet really dropped sales away, sales at Autosport have suffered just as much.

Really? I'd imagine that the internet has harmed sales of almost all magazines.

[chunder]

I guess it's a bit like Itunes, you can still pay for things online to read. AS costs as do some of the Foris links in there, and I believe some of the bettter US sites cost a fair bit for all content.

Some people still like to buy something though, it's why magazines especially amongst women are still a big deal.

Men dont buy mags anymore sadly, not in anywhere near the same numbers!

It's why those of us trying to get work in the journalistic field are now only looking at th web.

Most papers jobs go to those in the know and those that know people and are horrendously underpaid due to demand, far too many publishers take the talent for granted, hence readership falls as quality gets flushed down the toilet.

[Gerry Taylor]

Thanks Everyone.

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

Really? I'd imagine that the internet has harmed sales of almost all magazines.

Whilst I certainly think this takes a large part of the blame, there has also been a very definite drop in quality and volume with the weeklies.

It boggles the mind how we are, nowadays, paying a lot more for lower standard, thinner publications.

To get the best Autosport articles you have to go online and pay for them. I do not understand this at all.

[Andy Clegg]

I used to buy both for more than twenty years. I stopped buying M/News when the articles in both were the same. Stopped Autosport several years later.I was only reading articles by Nigel Roebuck and Marcus Pye. Also I was just photographing the karting, and spectating anymore.
Andy