Paul Bertorelli on the state of aviation journalism

[toto]

Things seem much worse at the former Belvoir Media (now Flying) than I realized. 

I’ve always liked the Belvoir publications, and I was an Aviation Consumer and IFR subscriber for many years. I dropped those subscriptions only after the Flying acquisition, when I thought the “Ultimate Edition” was a bad sign of commercial consolidation for the publications. 

Anyway - I’ve always liked Paul B, and this article was eye-opening.

https://avbrief.com/paul-bertorelli-on-the-future-of-aviation-journalism-its-challenging/

[N201MKTurbo]

Yes, we are privileged to witness the fall of a great society.

[Marc_B]

I think you'll see a change from content to clicks, and the corresponding change will diminish education for entertainment.  The problem with that is the publications such as IFR were a concise way to increase proficiency...easier than a course or textbook, but chocked full of nuggets.  Unfortunately I don't think there will be a replacement for this...but it's still possible.  Some content on Youtube, Twitter/X, Facebook does actually convey good information.  BUT the signal to noise ratio is horrible.

I don't want AI to create content for me, but I'd love it to remove the noise and curate what I'm looking for.

[dkkim73]

Will definitely support AvBrief with attention and a subscription if it goes that way. 

[Andy95W]

1 hour ago, dkkim73 said:

Will definitely support AvBrief with attention and a subscription if it goes that way. 

I subscribed to AvBrief. I think it’s got better content and writing than AvWeb flash.  It is early days though. 

[GeeBee]

The demise of Aviation Consumer really hurts. It used to be hard hitting, just the facts good and bad. Now it's just advertising masquerading as unbiased journalism. 

[Scott Dennstaedt, PhD]

I have been a contributing editor for FLYING magazine for a little over three years now. In that time for editor-in-chief I have have seen Julie Boatman fired; she was replaced by Randy Bolinger who was subsequently fired. They just replaced him with Jessica Ambats last month. I know they are making some drastic changes over the next few issues. I've submitted a couple of articles and they have been bumped to later issues. Hard to know what is going on.    

[Rick Junkin]

I have to wonder what customer base they are targeting. Someone must still be subscribing, right? I do miss the Belvoir publications.

[N201MKTurbo]

I subscribed to Aviation Consumer in 1984. I kept every issue until a couple of years ago and finally pitched them. I stopped renewing a couple of years ago. 

[1980Mooney]

4 hours ago, Scott Dennstaedt, PhD said:

I have been a contributing editor for FLYING magazine for a little over three years now. In that time for editor-in-chief I have have seen Julie Boatman fired; she was replaced by Randy Bolinger who was subsequently fired. They just replaced him with Jessica Ambats last month. I know they are making some drastic changes over the next few issues. I've submitted a couple of articles and they have been bumped to later issues. Hard to know what is going on.    

 

3 hours ago, Rick Junkin said:

I have to wonder what customer base they are targeting. Someone must still be subscribing, right? I do miss the Belvoir publications.

More flashy pictures of "Destinations".  

Both former Aviation Safety and IFR (discontinued and "consolidated into" the Flying edition) have been dumbed down to 2 pages each comprised of 3 print columns each when you exclude the pictures. I would say that the articles are becoming more like "a mile wide and an inch deep".   Look at the latest August issue:

• Aviation Safety article - "Diverting From The Plan"  - 1/2 page is devoted to "Automation makes this a lot easier"
• IFR - "Single Engine Risks" - 3 print columns "touches on" night, mountain, IMC, weather, ATC...  Key takeaway - "altitude is your best friend (except if you are on fire...)"   And the last paragraph "Wrapping Up" is "Consider loading up the right seat with a pilot pal who can constantly scan for suitable areas for putting the aircraft down while you fly."...

Duh.

But then isn't all of aviation becoming this?  More and more data integration and automation like the latest Dynamic Procedures from Garmin and Foreflight.  It is all designed to create more "situational awareness".   True it does - but it can also make pilots more lazy and dependent upon automation.  Why wrack your brain visualizing how everything is laid out or should line up.  Why spend much time briefing for a flight any more?  These automated/integrated avionics and tablets will deliver everything you need.  Just follow the magenta line....

[midlifeflyer]

14 hours ago, 1980Mooney said:

Both former Aviation Safety and IFR (discontinued and "consolidated into" the Flying edition) have been dumbed down to 2 pages each comprised of 3 print columns each when you exclude the pictures

Not in all cases. In the case of IFR, part of what Firecrown is doing is reprinting IFR Mag articles. One of mine from 2017 was republished last year. The IFR articles in Flying the past two months are also republications. 

[Fly Boomer]

1 hour ago, midlifeflyer said:

Not in all cases. In the case of IFR, part of what Firecrown is doing is reprinting IFR Mag articles. One of mine from 2017 was republished last year. The IFR articles in Flying the past two months are also republications. 

Were you credited as author?  I see articles in some pubs that were written by Mike Busch, but he is not credited.  Instead, the byline is "staff".

[1980Mooney]

2 hours ago, midlifeflyer said:

Not in all cases. In the case of IFR, part of what Firecrown is doing is reprinting IFR Mag articles. One of mine from 2017 was republished last year. The IFR articles in Flying the past two months are also republications. 

You missed my point. Those single articles, in this case only 3 columns of print, comprise the sum total contribution of what used to be IFR. 
 

And now you tell us that they are just reprints.  Historically, reputable publications would attribute it as a reprint with the original date.  Just another case of dumbing down. 

[Echo]

Paul, as a journalist was a rare breed.  He is a master story teller.  He knows how to make fun as well as having fun.  He loves adventure and has many diverse experiences that allow him to be intelligent and interesting.  He knows bullshit when he see's it.  He alerts you to said B.S. in a fun and often self depricating way so you don't have to step in it.  Paul likes to fly slow AND fly fast.  He jumps out of perfectly good airplanes.  He knows the difference between sarcasm and being acerbic.  He gets me.  I like to think I get him.  I definitely enjoy picking up whatever he is laying down in the aviation world.  When he writes a story like the one shared it makes me less optimistic about my remaining days searching in the void.

[midlifeflyer]

4 hours ago, Fly Boomer said:

Were you credited as author?  I see articles in some pubs that were written by Mike Busch, but he is not credited.  Instead, the byline is "staff".

Yes. And Tim Vasquez was credited this month and Doug Boyd last month. So far, I have not seen one from IFR Magazine that wasn't credited to the author.

 

[midlifeflyer]

2 hours ago, 1980Mooney said:

You missed my point. Those single articles, in this case only 3 columns of print, comprise the sum total contribution of what used to be IFR. 
 

Understood. Yes. the IFR portion of Flying s not a whole magazine.

2 hours ago, 1980Mooney said:

And now you tell us that they are just reprints.  Historically, reputable publications would attribute it as a reprint with the original date.  Just another case of dumbing down. 

Perhaps interesting, I recently had a conversation with one of the current Flying editors about this. The y seemed much more upset about it than I am. Yes, it's cheesy.

If you're looking for dumbing down, AvWeb currently has a "Great Pick" for a CO detector (scroll down). The cardboard "Spot" that Aviation Safety described as almost worthless about two decades ago. 

[toto]

This was shared a while back when we were talking about the Flying Ultimate Issue …. But it has some interesting insight into the new ownership.

 

[Fly Boomer]

17 minutes ago, midlifeflyer said:

If you're looking for dumbing down, AvWeb currently has a "Great Pick" for a CO detector (scroll down). The cardboard "Spot" that Aviation Safety described as almost worthless about two decades ago. 

I worked in an industry that relied, to some extent, on ratings in "independent" publications.  We could usually get the top spot if we "donated" enough.  One year, we provided a car for the conference organizers to give away.  Got the top pick.

[1980Mooney]

20 minutes ago, Fly Boomer said:

I worked in an industry that relied, to some extent, on ratings in "independent" publications.  We could usually get the top spot if we "donated" enough.  One year, we provided a car for the conference organizers to give away.  Got the top pick.

Hmmm - sounds like how a lot of things work nowadays.   I wonder what you get when you "donate" a Boeing 747-8........

[Fly Boomer]

48 minutes ago, 1980Mooney said:

Hmmm - sounds like how a lot of things work nowadays.   I wonder what you get when you "donate" a Boeing 747-8........

Anything you want?

[Jackk]

These publishers are killing their own product.

 

 I’ve canceled more subscriptions recently, can’t think of any flying mag I still have aside from water flying, and sadly that’s more advertisements than content it seems

 

 No one is going to subscribe to read AI influencer style crap, I make it like a sentence or two and I can detect it like raw chicken and I have the same reaction 

Edited yesterday at 12:38 AM by Jackk

[flyboy0681]

22 hours ago, 1980Mooney said:

Hmmm - sounds like how a lot of things work nowadays.   I wonder what you get when you "donate" a Boeing 747-8........

Or acquire $10b worth of Intel stock.

[Jim Peace]

all of these flying magazines are written for the ultra rich now...that is why it is just one big advertisement. if you want in the weeds info on real life stuff you must be on mooneyspace or beechtalk...

 

[1980Mooney]

58 minutes ago, Jim Peace said:

all of these flying magazines are written for the ultra rich now...that is why it is just one big advertisement. if you want in the weeds info on real life stuff you must be on mooneyspace or beechtalk...

This is how the most recent post on Beechtalk describes Firecrown/Flying Mag:

”Firecrown is complete garbage. it's just affiliate marketing spam half assedly disguised as journalism.”

[Jim Peace]

even the issues discussed on COPA are for the ultra wealthy.....

Mooneyspace is where its at.....