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The Decline and Fall of Automotive Journalism

Posted by freedomforall 1 year ago to Politics
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Excerpt:
"“Mainstream” – that is, corporate – journalism died when it was bought, as by the drug cartels (Kudos, Woody Harrelson). Car journalism fell victim to the same forces, which homogenized journalists, often in the name of superficial “diversity.” Too many men, many of whom drank and smoke and – worst of all – were white and straight. The corporations said: More women! Because they were women. Not because they could write. Not because they knew cars.

So why were they being hired to write about cars?

Well, because some of them had big . . .

I mean that literally because factually. I saw it. Not meaning the . . . but the rest of it.

One of the first “diversity” hires I witnessed hired was a woman who was put into the not-driver’s seat at USA Today, back when people still read it (this was the ’90s). She had as much business writing about cars as Liberace had writing about dating. Well, women. But she did have something. Two of them. So she was given – literally – the job and the rest of us guys watched and marveled, which was foolish of us, in the manner of watching and marveling at the sight of the tide receding from the beach, the water drawing back, far out to sea."
SOURCE URL: https://www.ericpetersautos.com/2023/02/28/the-decline-and-fall-of-automotive-journalism/


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  • Posted by VetteGuy 1 year ago
    This bring up one of my pet peeves. Considering that doing it poorly can get you killed, very few people seem to be interested in learning to drive well. It requires being involved. A manual transmission keeps you more involved, and forces you to pay attention. In the sports car club, it was frequently said (back in the day) that with a manual trans you are a DRIVER. With an automatic, you are merely a MOTORIST.
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    • Posted by CaptainKirk 1 year ago
      You know air bags have made people less safe at driving... There is something about knowing that you will likely DIE if you screw up, that helps you focus.
      I feel that way at the shooting range. My days worries do NOT enter my mind when I am touch a loaded weapon!
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    • Posted by lrshultis 1 year ago
      Once driving with manual shift is learned, there are automatic, as with other automatic activities, actions not needing conscious attention. Even starting on a hill and down shifting happen without much attention.
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  • Posted by $ katrinam41 1 year ago
    Love those stick shift oldies. I learned on a Falcon, drove Mustangs, Celica GT, Mazda 2+2, a homemade beauty (made by a former friend) called a Martini because he designed it one night over a pitcher of martinis. My Ranger was stick, so many cars I love were stick. I drive automatic now because my hubby worries that I might get a ticket. He's turned into a worry wart LOL
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  • Posted by $ Snezzy 1 year ago
    Gotta go to MIT to have the right smarts for automotive journalism. Like Tom and Ray Magliozzi, "Car Talk." Wait a minute, it seems that at MIT ("The Institute" to those who know) they both majored in "soft" science, so-called humanities.

    Another theory smashed into oncoming traffic. Oh well, ...

    Tommy's gone about 8 or 9 years now and we still miss him. At least we have Jay Leno, not afraid to turn a wrench or to set his face on fire.
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  • Posted by $ Stormi 1 year ago
    As a female, I do know what you mean. I grew up reading Dad's car magazines, then subscribed to Cars and Parts and Automobile, loved David Davis. But I hate talking to the check in gals at the dealerships, as they usually do not understand what I want, I am used to talking to mechanics. I hate the ideas of the feamile head of GM, she does not seem to be a car person. I was in a Corvette Club, and we had factory reps come and talk to us about the models and the quirks of the cars we drove. We had two females, the rest male members, and they expected us to be able to talk cars. I read a psch. approach called "Driving Passion" several years ago, which somewhat explains why cars are not what people want, people lie to be correct. They said women want safety and mileage. My first question, what is the horsepower and what are the options. The book was interesting in how people go in wanting, even several years ago, to appear politically correct! Loved reading Richard Pettys autobiography, about how racing used to be, before it was all about money. I have no use for electric vehicles, nor the fires they create. I want my engine as in our Camaro and Challenger family cars. I know the UN wants them gone, all even EV, as a control method and us in high rise urban housing, but totalitarianism is not my style. I read UN Agenda 21, I know the goals, and they will use women to achieve them. When epeople finally realize that Green New Deal is a lie and that is is UN Agenda 21 plagiarized, it will be too late. Also, be aware, too many young salemen are stupid about cars also. I knew the guys from Cars and Parts, as they were published in our town, they did a feature on my first Corvette.
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    • Posted by VetteGuy 1 year ago
      Regarding car salesmen, my experience matches yours. I don't think I have ever bought a car from a salesperson who knew as much about the car as I did. All they seem to know is financing.
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      • Posted by Dobrien 1 year ago
        Value for value. Having grown up in the auto business I can tell you the reason people pick the cars they buy is as varied as genders for the alphabet. In my experience Most peoples eyes glaze over after details and specifications are brought into the conversation or transaction. Kind eyes ,a gentle smile , , determining needs or wants and using assumptive closing techniques is going to produce a sale.
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  • Posted by mccannon01 1 year ago
    Nice article. It describes a phenomenon throughout a lot of "journalists" today. That is, writing about something they know very little about and pretending to be experts.

    I do take one exception to this article and he implies if you don't know how to drive a stick you really don't know how to drive. I say BS on that. Saying if you only can drive an automatic and not a stick means you don't know how to drive is like saying if you only use a modern calculator and not an abacus means you don't know how to do math.
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    • Posted by 1 year ago
      No, if you can't do math without mechanical or electronic aids then its more likely that you don't have
      the basics that you should have. Look at 95% of people taking orders and making change at
      fast food restaurants for an example of not being able to do math.

      Seriously, driving with a manual transmission is a world away from operating with an automatic.
      The 'driver' has a lot more input and control with a manual, and someone who has not done so
      and developed that expertise can't understand how that feels.
      That involvement of the 'driver' is what makes 'driving' 'driving instead of just 'traveling.'
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      • Posted by mccannon01 1 year ago
        I guess we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one. I've driven automatics and sticks as well as used electronic calculators and an abacus (and a slide rule for that matter) and think on the bottom line sticks and abacuses (abaci?) are a pain in the ass compared to the modern alternatives and, yes, I can do math in my head quite well. Call me "lazy" if you wish or "uncool" because I see no benefit to slapping around a stick and stomping a clutch on a car to get from A to B, nor do I need to impress anyone that I can. With an automatic there is still plenty of driver involvement and it's still driving - you just don't have the added distraction of being forced to deal with an extra lever and a pedal to accomplish something rather ordinary - and you have the added bonus of not having to fix a clutch problem in the snow, which I've done. The only stick shift I don't mind today is when I shift my Ram pickup from 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive when I'm up to my butt in snow and back again when the snow is gone.

        Bottom line: If you like fooling with a stick have at it, but I was done with them years ago.

        Edit add: Had an automatic in my '69 440 GTX. Put 4:56 in the rear end and had no trouble blowing the doors off stick shifting street competition. Had to keep both hands on the wheel, for sure! However, my older brother with the Pantera gave a good run for the money.
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      • Posted by $ Snezzy 1 year ago
        I encounter lots of kids who want to be veterinarians, and I'll ask them, "What's six times nine?" If they can't get that right, they'll never get into vet school. Some say, "I'll use a calculator." I reply, "Not for MY horse you won't."
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  • Posted by $ Thoritsu 1 year ago
    It sucked even before when the "hate American Cars" generation manifested after the 1970, and it was fashionable to consider US cars junk. I still recall 1/4 mile and 0-60 times for the 1987 Lotus Espirt Turbo, with "*"

    "with rolling start"

    Because those pathetic little 2.0 liter engines had not torque or suspensions that could hook up off the line.

    I had a 1971 Mercury Gand Marquis with a 429, 3:1 gears in a 9" with a posi. I stuck "7.0 liter" vinyl mailbox stickers on the front fender. That car was awesome! $350!
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    • Posted by VetteGuy 1 year ago
      Quarter mile and zero-to-60 times for a mid-engined sports car are pretty irrelevant. Those cars are meant for curvy roads, and there are a lot fewer curves they need to slow down for! I never had a chance to drive an Esprit, but had other underpowered mid engine cars (Porsche 914, first gen MR-2) and, in the right hands, they are a ton of fun. Mid-engine cars are just different.
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      • Posted by $ Thoritsu 1 year ago
        Oh, I understand, but why lie about their performance? Just admit they aren't for street racing, and a good US v-8 will smoke it.

        That was back in the day of pathetic bottom end torque and narrow power bands for turbo / small engine cars. Those days are over. I drive a Focus RS, with a 350 hp/350 ft-lb 2.3 engine, with a FLAT torque curve. It handles like a go-cart on rails. I have zero interest in the new 600-700 hp supercharged pony cars.
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    • Posted by mccannon01 1 year ago
      Oh my! You bring back memories!!! My younger brother had a Lotus Esprit and my older brother had a Pantera. We were leaving a restaurant parking lot one day and a Cadillac went by, the Esprit followed (with haste, lol), followed by the Pantera. The Caddie slammed on his brakes for a dog and the Lotus hit the Caddie and Pantera hit the Lotus. I hadn't got in my car yet so I saw the whole thing. To quote me: "Hooooooooly Shiiiiiiit!!!!" Nobody got hurt, but I'm sure some insurance guy had a heart attack.

      Edit add: I loved the look of those Mercs. If I recall they had a "mafia sized" trunk, too.
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      • Posted by $ Stormi 1 year ago
        I remember being in Taco Bell one day with my daughter who knows cars also, but we spotted one we had never seen and were talking about parking our Corvette beside it, the guy in front said it was his and it was a Pantera, and told us all about it. I know have added one to my die cast collection. I started life with a 57 chevy Bel Air, fast for its time, and I went off the line one day, and cop pulled me and th other guy over. I worked for a Mafia owned company which was close with the cops, so I got not ticket, but the other guy did. Moved on through several muscle cars and Vettes over the years. Got a Camaro after Smokey and the Bandit,with the Pontiac, had a Firebitd, but not that craxy about performance of it. Got racing axle on my street Camaro, and it would go faster than our Vette off the line. When I got my 2010 Camao and ordered a LT 2RS, they told me that would not work, but when I picked it up, they were standing around the car ushing over it. Love that car. I once wrote company over a Trial Pursuit question, what was Emma Peels car on the Avengers TV show. Their answer Porshe! NO, it was a Lousl Elan, and I have a photo of it ot prove it, and a die cast model.Favorite car design, 1963 Jag XKE, which I never had, but did sit in, and could not reach the pedals with seat all the way forward! Daugher now grown has a Dodge Charger, very nice, husband has a Dodge Challenger. sole the latest Corvette a few months ago, jst before our temp went to -14 F this winter.
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        • Posted by mccannon01 1 year ago
          Have to +1 the Emma Peel reference! My younger brother with the Esprit mentioned above preceded it with a Europa model. Both were nice cars. A neighbor down the street had a '63 Stingray and on the other end a neighbor had an Avanti. Both nice cars. My three brothers all loved "hot" looking and performing cars, but the closest I got was the GTX. My cousins were the same with Mach I, Shelby, Super Bee, etc. It's a miracle we all survived. It seems the most fun a kid can have today is a stick VW with a bad muffler.
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          • Posted by $ Stormi 1 year ago
            We have a whole group of retirees who get coffee at McDs, even during the shut down, on the patio. Our next door neighbor is one of the bunch, he has a Porsche Spyder, C5 Corvette, Shrlby Cobra, and a street rod. Another has Shelby Mustang. The group has cars spanning the 50s and 60s, we know what matters. Those creepy tiny little cars that whiz around with teens and sound like carpenter bees, drive me nuts! They have no feeling for cars. I even had a guy in an SUV attempt to peel out at a light, beside me, when I was in our C5 Vettte, I just laughted at his feeble attempt. My nephew has a 64 Mustang in his garage, needs work, but he will not part with it. He just bought his teen son a Mustang, newer as his car.I tutored at the local grade school volunteer for a while, and one boy could not get the alphabet using school methods. I had talked with him enought to know he loved NASCAR, (which my cat also loves to watch), and when I drew race cars and put letters on them, he got it. Teacher was not happy at my ditching the draw the letter in the sand so he could feel it approach, but he did not related to sand!
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  • Posted by GaryL 1 year ago
    If women and tatas caused the decline in auto journalism back in the 90s, what will the current advertisements cause. I see it is a great time for TV commercial actors to be gay, obese, a biracial couple or anything other than white. We even saw a commercial yesterday advertising to black woman a cream for the removal of pubic hair.
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  • Posted by GaryL 1 year ago
    Those here who are in their 60s and 70s probably learned to drive in a manual shift vehicle. Mine was a 3 speed column shift followed by a 3 speed floor shifter and then 4 and 5 speeds.
    I'll digress, although a manual shift vehicle does keep us more in tune with the act of driving I won't agree these vehicles make us necessarily better drivers. My last 4 and 5 speed stick shifts made me a road demon because they tend to be the sportier versions of vehicles and much more fun to drive. I don't for the life of me know how I escaped speeding tickets and reckless driving charges when I had such cars. I do know back then with those cars I always enjoyed having female company with all of their optional equipment.
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    • Posted by 1 year ago
      👍 " I don't for the life of me know how I escaped "
      Police back in the day were more likely to give warnings to otherwise innocent drivers.
      Police had not been militarized and according to legend were more interested in
      extracting funds from visitors, not locals. You probably also had some luck. ;^)
      I learned on a 4 on the column (Peugeot) and graduated to 4 on the floor (Plymouth,
      Jensen, Mercury) then 5 and 6 on the floor (Mazda, ...) as I became more skillful.
      I drove a lot of automatics as rentals and friends' cars. The only one that was really
      fun was a '69 Chevelle 350 convertible. Lots of GO and lacking in Stop and
      Handle.
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    • Posted by TheRealBill 1 year ago
      Oh man the old “three in the tree” I had one and loved it. I’d take a v6 manual over a v8 auto in a sports car. In fact I did just that once with my Camaro. But when it came to my Vette I could have both. :)
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      • Posted by $ Snezzy 1 year ago
        Gotta be a better driver AND an amateur mechanic with some of those old 3-tree beasts. My dad had one (was it the '46 Plymouth?) that would get you stuck into two gears at once, and you had to know how to clobber the knuckle levers with a chunk of wood to get it working again.

        Now instead the car catches on fire.
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  • Posted by $ Olduglycarl 1 year ago
    Agree, from a reader of almost all car mags to a reader of none, 30+ years now.
    I grew up on Car and model car magazines, hot rod, car craft, road and track, motor trend etc.

    The Trend, as the article describes, has lead to the ugliest, mundane and down right Uncomfortable (in spite of multi, electrically adjustable seats) cars in history.
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    • Posted by mccannon01 1 year ago
      Not only that, OUC, but there really isn't any style anymore. A Cadillac looks like Toyota that looks like Ford that looks like a Kia that looks like a Chrysler that looks like a... name it. I find myself looking at insignia to know what I'm looking at.
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  • Posted by Owlsrayne 1 year ago
    My brother and I used to work on and modify cars when we were in high school and in later years. We both had vehicles that were stick-shift and automatic. Now, in my early seventies, my wife and I drive automatics. I don't read any newspaper car reviews since we have mostly purchased used vehicles. I do research online and on YouTube. My latest purchase is a 2017 Nissan Sentra 1.8 liter engine with a CVT transmission. It has a three-mode drive selection, I have modified the intake system, and when I can put some money together the exhaust system is next for modding. The Sentra is a blast to drive when I have an appointment in Flagstaff coming back down to Sedona on Rt 89A I either use cruise control in Eco mode or coast and practice my SCCA driving skills coming down the canyon. I achieve an unbelievable 68 mpg.
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  • Posted by Lucky 1 year ago
    Agree with only some that:
    Women- it is ok for an article by a women to put forward what is the typical women's view on motoring or a particular model, if views are stereotypical still ok as humor. Women make what percent of car buying decisions- 40% ?

    10 years ago Motor magazine Australia published an article on a car from the gangster perspective. The gangster could have been legit, the car was the Chrysler 300C, big, square, big motor, high sills, usually black..
    In the news, the UK Centurion tank, Motor did a review on that, fuel consumption was one of many reasons it would not make a good daily driver, apparently.

    Yes.. too many opinions now in the motor press mention emissions. If nitrous/ sulfur oxides then yes, if carbon emissions, BS.
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    • Posted by 1 year ago
      iirc, cars in the 'west' have had virtually no polluting emissions for about 30 years.
      All the US fed gov regs on autos are unconstitutional.
      They exist to financially benefit insiders that pay off government for favors, e.g., insurance companies.
      Agreed, carbon emissions in cars and trucks (1990's and newer) are complete BS.
      Women have their own magazines if female 'writers' want to write their 'feelings' about cars.
      Women who love cars can write their opinions just like men who love cars - in the opinion letters section
      (or online.) Magazine editors should hire based on merit, not gender, sexual preference, or politics.
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  • Posted by $ Markus_Katabri 1 year ago
    I immediately think of Jalopnik. By far the most worthless automotive journalism there is. The extent of their knowledge is knowing what to push or turn to start the engine. That’s it.
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