Transmission1

Looks like PW and Spectrum Comms have fallen out.

http://www.spectrumcomms.co.uk/Listener.htm

Or the text is here -

BREAKING NEWS In the Editorial in November issue PW the Editor has stated that I am unable to submit articles for the forseeable future. This is not true! I am quite capable of submitting articles for Doing it By Design and for Technical for the Terrified BUT the Publisher for the new owner is unwilling to even discuss a requested small increase in my remuneration nor the shared copyright agreement and arrangement I had with the previous owners.

The Editor has further threatened that he will find other authors for my series and may not then be in a position to accept submissions from me. Considering the attitude taken by the Publisher and the Editor I will not be unhappy to retire as a PW author. I had not contemplated a retirement BUT having done this every month, with the exception of just two or three issues, since 2004, consuming on average in excess of 1/10 of my time, maybe it is time to stop.

- WNP -

Wow. Sounds like Tony is the victim of an aggressive cost-reduction process. I'd tell them to sling their hook if that's the way they treat a long-term author of a popular series.

Radio user have also upset Pat Carty so they have now lost the military matters part.

To be fair, the printed media market must be on it's arse these days. For both concerned, I'd post to my own blog/website and Support it with Ads and accept donations from thankful users. Not that I know how much either party are being paid, but if you (obviously) enjoy writing these things then at least you can continue on your own terms and give two fingers to the regime which ousted you...

They will find it hard to find other people to write proper copy so I love the idea that they turn away a continuing source with no replacement guaranteed. Sounds like an editor who is insecure in his role, or just doesn't understand publishing. Once he starts getting a few people missing deadlines, he realise threatening his bread and butter is stupid! Seen it plenty of times before.Too many people believe that it's and easy job!


I didn't realise radio user and practical wireless were the same organisation!

Video killed the radio star, and the internet has killed the publishing stars. I no longer have any subscriptions to magazines or newspapers, I used to have around £50 per month's worth. In 10 years time there will be no paper editions of any publications, even the Big Issue will be an RSS feed.
A linux magazine I subscribed to for many years was always an excellent read, fresh, informative and with an undercurrent of lighthearted humour, a new editor came in, the whole writing style became very rigid, many long-term contributors disappeared inexplicably, and it folded 9 months later, maybe it would have folded anyway and the new guy was brought in to try and save it, no one knows, but one rule for these people should be that if you have something that has worked for a lot of years, then make changes gradually and gently, people like familiarity, and if your favourite contributor vanishes then chances are that so will your subscription.

MrWeetabix wrote: ↑11 Dec 2017, 09:35 To be fair, the printed media market must be on it's arse these days. For both concerned, I'd post to my own blog/website and Support it with Ads and accept donations from thankful users. Not that I know how much either party are being paid, but if you (obviously) enjoy writing these things then at least you can continue on your own terms and give two fingers to the regime which ousted you...

For the few years that I wrote regularly for RU I was on £50 per 1000 words, usually getting in the region of £100 per article plus a small bung for photos. So I doubt Tony or Pat have been coining it in. Roger Hall and Andy Thomsett were great editors and very flexible and supportive. Looks like things are turning a bit sour.

I knew it wouldn't be much, god knows the subscriber numbers must be in the lower hundreds at-best, so the amount they can pay contributors won't be massive, though advertisers will supplement a good chunk of the income, rather than actual sales.

Just a sad state of affairs when well-respected contributors are squeezed out of the game for daring to ask for a small increase in what they get. As with anything in life, costs are rising, so we shouldn't expect pay to remain stagnant at the same time.

I am sure the readers will appreciate what they've lost and will either petition the editor to resolve the matter and return their columns, or act with their wallets and cancel their subscriptions.

I cancelled my subscription about 5 years ago to PW, not worth the paper it's printed on these days.

I did pick up a few copies now and again though when the new editor arrived.

The new editors leader articles have just become pro-RSGB waffle (no surprise considering his past and present connections).

He got rid of the HF Columnist who's style was probably the best I'd seen and replaced it him with one of his RSGB pals who
just rattles off stale dx newsletter stuff and brag lists.

Then it seeemed that George Dobbs soon went, and now Tony Nailer.

Seems to me that all those concerned with writing some practical / electronic content have gone.

What a bunch plonkers.

- WNP -

Whether Tony Nailer was paid well or not for his articles, but it must to be good for his business providing various kits, antennas and components. Not knocking him for that as it makes good business sense.

Just to add the reviews are so bland in PW - never read a review where the radio was loaned by a dealer -- its NEVER critically evaluated.