Motor Trend Dead? (Source Interlink Bankruptcy)

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http://www.autoblog.com/tag/source+interlink+bankruptcy/

Source Interlink, the mega-publishing firm that owns Automobile, Motor Trend, Hot Rod and dozens of other enthusiast print and web titles, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Wilmington, Delaware court yesterday. According to the filing, Source Interlink has a listed debt of $1.9 billion and assets amounting to $2.4 billion, and in a statement from Greg Mays, Source's CEO said "This restructuring will materially reduce our interest expense and debt levels."

The filing comes at a time when first quarter advertising revenue in magazines has plummeted by 20% compared to last year, and the pinch began to be felt by enthusiasts late in 2008 when Source Interlink killed off Sport Compact Car and Turbo and High Tech Performance, two of the company's most respected – although recently unprofitable – titles. It's unclear how the restructuring will affect the 75 publications, 90 websites and other media outlets under the Source Interlink banner, but it's safe to assume that more titles will likely be dropped, consolidated, or otherwise restructured in the future as the company attempts to right a ship that's been sinking for the last few years.
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Karma for dropping Sport Compact Car? It's a shame to see so many titles in trouble, but I don't think many people will be crying over the death of Motor Trend... :lol:

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Wonder how much they'll consider selling those titles for... hmmm... I think owning "Turbo" Magazine would be a blast... :lol:
 
I don't know about Motortrend, but too bad their one of my favorites.

I haven't been able to find Car and Driver in a while though. Which sucks because it's a rather entertaining magazine even if they are biased.
 
Automobile is really the only magazine I read anymore, so I hope they don't go away. Motor Trend, having nearly crossed the 10-year milestone of suckage, has no effect on me.
 
odd...considering how long M/T and CnD have both been around, and taking pot-shots at each other...but if they die, that only leaves one car containing mag...and they only like Hondas :P
 
Hm. Well, I wonder what'll happen, what my subscription will be changed to, if they go under?
 
I'm a Road and Track person. I will pick up CAR every time I can and car and driver as well. So I really don't care so much about this.
 
Looks like I won't be making short walks to Borders anymore if some of these great magazines go away. Sports Compact Car magazines were the only one I bought. The rest such as CnC/Motor Trend I only read the articles I want to read. Now that SCC went under and they moved some of their staffs to Modified Mag, I started buying those now.

Recently, I haven't seen Modifed Mag on the stand for almost two months I think. Looks like to me it is all about the low price cars that sell magazines. Magazines that specifically targets Hondas and other lower price seem to be popular nowadays. Looks like the average crowd no longer want to look at those expensive Corvettes, GTRs, Vipers, NSXs, Supras any more.

"Some people have a hard time to love and look at something you will probably never have in life." Thats what my dad always say when he sees some teen look his dream car and quickly look away from it.
 
I think it has more to do with more and more people just looking at stuff online, a majority of the time you can get the same thing online for free and it doesn't take up space(how often do you actually go back to old magazines?).
 
Northstar3914
I think it has more to do with more and more people just looking at stuff online, a majority of the time you can get the same thing online for free and it doesn't take up space(how often do you actually go back to old magazines?).
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You bring up a really good point about looking at stuff online. The cool picture of your favorite modified car can be saved on your PC. The vast resources of your car's potential is free from forums.

This reminds me of the news talking abou how retail stores are closing because people are now shopping online more than ever.
 
The problem is, the quality of advice, technical knowledge and writing online is very spurious. Lucky you if some ex-magazine man or highly-skilled technician hangs out at your friendly neighborhood forum, otherwise... tough luck.

It's a shame for the print guys... at least we have some good quality magazines online already... I'm wondering, though, whether print titles will start to take their web-portals more seriously.
 
Lately I've been enjoying Old Car mags more than new ones. Your Hemmings and the like. There's stuff that you can't even find online in those.
 
I wouldn't doubt Motor Trend and Automobile could function on their own better than under that company's wing. Those two magazines are huge. I'm sure those two magazines will be fine. Hell, MT makes so much money that they throw in useless tests of concept cars all the time, and Automobile spends half their time in Europe.
 

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