SAMI woes

[Whofan]

31 minutes ago, HartDeco said:

March (re) issue hasn't been released yet, let alone April's. 

You’ right, I was getting ahead of myself!!

[lasermonkey]

I find it hard to believe anyone would still entertain buying these magazines, let alone care.

[MikeC]

12 hours ago, lasermonkey said:

I find it hard to believe anyone would still entertain buying these magazines, let alone care.

I'm just curious.

[SleeperService]

Having been involved in a successful class-action claim in very similar circumstances and with union backing it can be very worthwhile to take action. It is hard work for the lawyers which is why so many try to dissuade you from trying. But I found that my Union legal cover from work covered it, I'd bet professional associations will be similar.

Second the company directors had prior transferred assets to a new company letting the old one collapse with the same directors. The court decided that this was just a change of name and things got better very quickly.

Third the guy in the photo was owed money by them and has just settled out of court with them paying everything listed. It's on his FB page.

This recurring advertising nonsense really gets my goat as it's so unrealistic it's beyond satire and into the realm of strange government decisions. I'll tell you a quick story;

Four years ago a relative re-married and her new hubby and I had quite a long chat on the stag night (I can't drink so was responsible for his safe return), he works for an advertising agency editing and developing trade publications for exhibition, promotional use, or for distribution to trade outlets plumbing, electrical etc. They are free and quite profitable for the agency too. About 20% of the content is general information describing problems this bit of tech was designed to overcome, the rest is advertising. ALL of it is paid for by the advertisers. Model magazines like SAMi are virtually identical to these publications advertising in the traditional sense, pre-release announcement, short 'reviews' of new items that are never critical, many articles that are illustrated instruction sheets with product placement front and centre. Then finally a few pages of informative content. If the subject was electrical supplies the magazine would be free at local model shops if a little thinner and also free to download; if the magazine is priced high, especially for the downloaded version, it's all about maximising profit in the short-term. A better example is a national courier service with an appalling reputation rebranding itself to keep ahead of complaints.

As a final observation one incarnation of a publisher had a stable of several model-related publications which were hardly best sellers but the company had a four seat aircraft as a business expense. Certainly not good business practice and pushing the boundaries of 'investing in the company' somewhat.

To finish on a brighter note I'll say that the best thing you can do is take note of dodgy individuals and their activities and spend your money elsewhere like on kits, paint and decent internet access. The magazines I've described will then go away as Darwin/God does their stuff. Many publishers are moving into bookazines which offer limited advertising, good content, decent print quality and good writing, I've just brought one on the B-52 for a What-If? project and it has a huge amount of background stuff for £9 delivered. Presumably the company is making a profit.    

 

[tempestfan]

On 3/4/2022 at 4:30 PM, Selwyn said:

But the point is that they did not pay you, so they don't own them, so they don't have the right to sell on images they don't own.

 

Selwyn

Not sure if it's that easy - at least not around here. The assignment of the rights of use and exploitation are separate from the payment for it, and they will not have made the former conditional of the latter if their business model centres on non-payment... The contract would have to be rescinded (here at least) for breach of contract in order to regain the rights of use and exploitation; in this case, they'd still own a compensation for any use in the past.

 

@HartDeco, there may be one aspect of the "nameless recycling" which may bring you in a position to hurt them, but it depends on the legal situation in the UK and the wording of your contract (if you had anything in writing in the first place). In many jurisdictions (Germany being one of them), the copywriter has a basic statutory right to be named as the originator. That right however may be (and often is) waivered. If that right also exists in the UK and you did not waiver it, they'd not only be breaching the contract but also statutory law. Again, here in Germany, that would bring you in a position to demand cease and desist, and failing compliance, to apply for an injunction. I'm not a dedicated copyright lawyer, but I think you'd be entitled to claim withdrawal and destruction of the print run violating your rights. Which doesn't help much if most of it has sold out. But then anything would require you to make expenses, which probably would amount to "throwing good money after bad money" as we say around here. But you could crowdfund - I'm in with 25 € support for a starter. Because law (and commonsense) must prevail 🙂 Are you at Lingen next weekend?

[HartDeco]

40 minutes ago, tempestfan said:

Not sure if it's that easy - at least not around here. The assignment of the rights of use and exploitation are separate from the payment for it, and they will not have made the former conditional of the latter if their business model centres on non-payment... The contract would have to be rescinded (here at least) for breach of contract in order to regain the rights of use and exploitation; in this case, they'd still own a compensation for any use in the past.

 

@HartDeco, there may be one aspect of the "nameless recycling" which may bring you in a position to hurt them, but it depends on the legal situation in the UK and the wording of your contract (if you had anything in writing in the first place). In many jurisdictions (Germany being one of them), the copywriter has a basic statutory right to be named as the originator. That right however may be (and often is) waivered. If that right also exists in the UK and you did not waiver it, they'd not only be breaching the contract but also statutory law. Again, here in Germany, that would bring you in a position to demand cease and desist, and failing compliance, to apply for an injunction. I'm not a dedicated copyright lawyer, but I think you'd be entitled to claim withdrawal and destruction of the print run violating your rights. Which doesn't help much if most of it has sold out. But then anything would require you to make expenses, which probably would amount to "throwing good money after bad money" as we say around here. But you could crowdfund - I'm in with 25 € support for a starter. Because law (and commonsense) must prevail 🙂 Are you at Lingen next weekend?

It does make sense to take this to a higher level. But since the amount of money they owe me is quite small and me not being a UK citizen makes any legal action too complicated, it's better to hurt them in more subtle ways. By simply exposing their ways of dealing with their contributors and all their other dubious actions, I think they will lose much more than those 400 Pounds they owe me. 

 

I won't be able to make it to Lingen next week unfortunately.

René

[tempestfan]

17 hours ago, HartDeco said:

 

I won't be able to make it to Lingen next week unfortunately.

René

What a pity.

[Tiger331]

 

Why am I not surprised. The UK modelling press (with one or two notable exceptions) is morally and artistically bankrupt and has been for over a decade. I have lost count of the number of delayed or bounced cheques I received when I did freelance work for some of the titles until around 15 years ago. This, along with substantial losses of irreplaceable photographic material (before the advent of digital) was what persuaded me to give up on most titles. 'Lost' material often resurfaced, without credit, in subsequent publications. 

On top of this, quite a few of the publications are seemingly unable to string two words together and deliver grammatically correct English - and this from magazines that emanate from the nation that is the custodian of our language - how embarrasing. I get that some Editors are extremely good modellers and will, of course, want to contribute their own material. That said, and assuming that their primary job (i.e. the one they are actually being paid for) is that of Editor, they really ought to take more time to edit properly !. Other titles are no more than glorified monthly catalogues with a dearth of proper, editorial content. 

I have been fortunate enough to live and work overseas for well over 15 years now and have enjoyed those modelling titles that appear in newsagents in France, Germany, Italy and Scandinavia. The sheer quality and longevity of these titles bears no comparison to the majority of 'rags' that are now produced in the UK.

As I say, there are some notable exceptions which have recently been joined by another promising title, so all is not totally lost but it really is time to call out some of those that have, for far too long, ripped all of us off, but especially some of the long-suffering contributors who have tried to do the right thing. 

 

 

 

 

       

[ckw]

12 minutes ago, Tiger331 said:

The UK modelling press (with one or two notable exceptions) is morally and artistically bankrupt and has been for over a decade.

From experience, I can tell you it's not just the modelling press. Many UK titles suffered badly from the financial crash of 2008 - mainly through a loss of all important advertising income. This left them vulnerable to foreign take-overs, forced staff redundancy and impacted on the quantity/quality of the titles. I have a certain amount of sympathy for those publications struggling to survive, however it is clear that some titles dealt with their problems better than others!

 

Cheers

 

Colin

[HartDeco]

On a brighter note, it seems that SAM Publications (not to be confused with SAM Magazine!!) have risen like a Phoenix from the ashes. According to the charts in the link below, mind you on their own website, they are doing exceptionally well compared to other established magazines.

 

https://www.sampublications.com/_webedit/uploaded-files/All Files/NEW SAM-Media Guide-2022.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0RYqiLDuMu7k46OKlBU6uMbEmwErvUJ6i2nTDPMbPXicsbZ74nmK2iETc

 

René

[cmatthewbacon]

39 minutes ago, HartDeco said:

On a brighter note, it seems that SAM Publications (not to be confused with SAM Magazine!!) have risen like a Phoenix from the ashes. According to the charts in the link below, mind you on their own website, they are doing exceptionally well compared to other established magazines.

 

https://www.sampublications.com/_webedit/uploaded-files/All Files/NEW SAM-Media Guide-2022.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0RYqiLDuMu7k46OKlBU6uMbEmwErvUJ6i2nTDPMbPXicsbZ74nmK2iETc

 

René

That media pack is suspiciously short of comparison data for Airfix Model World, isn’t it?

Best,

M.

[HartDeco]

35 minutes ago, cmatthewbacon said:

That media pack is suspiciously short of comparison data for Airfix Model World, isn’t it?

Best,

M.

And no mention of AFV and Air Modeller either.

[Des]

It is very colourful . . . . . and a bit confusing.

 

Thought that MA Publications and its titles proudly declared their independence of SAM Publications some years ago and that the person named in this document was no longer involved with the 'new' company.

[John B (Sc)]

Something very odd there.

 

SAM Publications, according to Companies House, is dissolved.   The people involved are the same ones as for the other companies, and the same people as still shown as active for MA Publications, which has a striking off action 'currently suspended', accounts apparently being overdue for submission, according to the CH website

[Richard Humm]

3 hours ago, HartDeco said:

And no mention of AFV and Air Modeller either.

Whereas it shows Military Modelling with 9% of the market despite it having ceased publication about 5 years ago...

[cmatthewbacon]

42 minutes ago, Richard Humm said:

Whereas it shows Military Modelling with 9% of the market despite it having ceased publication about 5 years ago...

But it does also show MM with a decline of "-9%" in the "sales increase or decrease" chart, so I guess 9%-9% = 0% 😜

 

I won't go there, but if media packs are an implicit part of the contract between advertisers and publishers, then I'd have thought you'd want to be factually accurate in their contents...

best,

M.

[Hardtarget]

5 hours ago, HartDeco said:

On a brighter note, it seems that SAM Publications (not to be confused with SAM Magazine!!) have risen like a Phoenix from the ashes. According to the charts in the link below, mind you on their own website, they are doing exceptionally well compared to other established magazines.

 

https://www.sampublications.com/_webedit/uploaded-files/All Files/NEW SAM-Media Guide-2022.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0RYqiLDuMu7k46OKlBU6uMbEmwErvUJ6i2nTDPMbPXicsbZ74nmK2iETc

 

René

 

Looks like they not only re-print articles from previous issues and re-issue but also marketing figures as well. Id say these are from their hayday of 5+yrs ago and are not are not a true refection of their current performance or the current market.  If i was one of the competitor magazines id challenge this data as it could be deemed false advertising and fraudulent to get in sponsors.

[Linden Hill]

'Distribution' is a nebulous term and it has nothing to do with paid (or indeed non-paid) circulation. Whatever is distributed through third parties can also be sent back if it doesn't sell. Not one mention of paid circulation in the rate card, let alone ABC audited paid circulation. As previous posters have also noted, the rate card stats aren't dated so they could be 10 or more years old. 

[Tiger331]

7 hours ago, cmatthewbacon said:

That media pack is suspiciously short of comparison data for Airfix Model World, isn’t it?

Best,

M.

 

My sentiments exactly.....first thing I noticed. It looks to me as if these charts have been compiled in close coordination with TASS & Roskomnadzor.

[DamnFockes]

Honestly, you couldn't make it up ... oh wait, they just have!

[mutleyp]

Has anyone seen the latest SMMI?? To say the quality is shocking is an understatement! Definitely a massive downgrade in editing (if you can even call it that!) spelling mistakes everywhere including on the front cover 😂 goes from bad to worse for them. Can’t wait to see the quality of the Aircraft mags if they even appear!

[jezz]

30 minutes ago, mutleyp said:

Has anyone seen the latest SMMI?? To say the quality is shocking is an understatement! Definitely a massive downgrade in editing (if you can even call it that!) spelling mistakes everywhere including on the front cover 😂 goes from bad to worse for them. Can’t wait to see the quality of the Aircraft mags if they even appear!

 I have indeed thought I was back in the late 90s for a minute maybe we should club together and get a dictionary so they can correct the spelling mistakes on the cover what is a Bronko....... https://postimg.cc/gL9PbNkq

Edited March 30, 2022 by jezz

[Seahawk]

I follow this saga now only out of a slightly guilty morbid curiosity: it's a bit like rubbernecking at a car crash.  But every time I think they can't go any lower, they surprise me.  Sad to see respected titles not just lose their credibility but be reduced to laughing stocks.

[DamnFockes]

My favourite was the M1A2 in 1/72 (or was it 1/35?) by Meng (or was it Tamiya?). Honestly, it was worth buying just for the comedy value. It was full of adverts for their forthcoming aircraft books ... not sure I'll be giving them any money in anticipation of those appearing!

 

[Mr T]

Looking at the media pack, the pie chart which shows how sell SAMI etc are doing, is labelled Warner Publications. A check on their website shows no connection with any of the titles currently under discussion. I cannot remember how long ago Warner divested itself of SAMI etc. If I were them I would not be happy with the use of an out of date chart. The media pack also trumpets that SAMI was voted the best aircraft modelling mag by IPMS members in 2014. Nothing like resting on your laurels. 

Given the irregular publishing of the magazine and its limited availability, the guy behind it must know he is potentially misrepresenting the true publication data. 

Edited March 30, 2022 by Mr T