Consumer Reports, a monthly magazine, continues to thrive with a subscription-only model, even on the Web.
The New York Times
The story "Success without ads" published December 8, 2007 at 2:27 AM is no longer available on CNET News.
Content from The New York Times expires after 7 days.
December 2, 2008 9:52 PM PST
December 2, 2008 9:00 PM PST
December 2, 2008 6:40 PM PST
Add headlines from CNET News to your homepage or feedreader.
More feeds available in our RSS feed index.
Related quotes
Business Tech
IPOs a thing of the past?At AlwaysOn Venture Summit West conference, investment bankers, venture capitalists, and private equity players weigh in on the prognosis for the IPO market.
Gallery
Photos: Space station marks a decade aloftThe first pieces of the International Space Station went into orbit 10 years ago. Now a full-fledged lab facility, it continues to grow.
Security
Apple deletes Mac antivirus suggestionApple removes statement to customers urging them to use antivirus software, saying that Macs are safe "out of the box."
Beyond Binary
Microsoft-HP cashback saga continuesEarlier this week a Microsoft representative indicated that a deal offering 40 percent cash back at HP.com would be restarted following Black Friday glitches. Now that appears less certain.
Video
A toast to online wine
Digital Media
Conde Nast to shutter teen site Flip.comThe teenage girl social-networking site plans to shut down on December 16, according to an e-mail sent to users.
Video
Wi-Fi while you fly
Gaming and Culture
From Cy Young to video game fameTim Lincecum, one of the best pitchers in baseball, was chosen to be the cover athlete for 2K Sports' next baseball game. On Tuesday, he did a motion-capture session for the game.
Green Tech
Ta ta, TeslaAre the Valley-based VCs and big-wigs who back Tesla Motors really serious about asking the federal government for low-interest loans?
Gallery
Photos: Top-rated reviews of the weekHere are a few of CNET Reviews' favorite items from the past week, including Adobe suites, laptop bags, and a Panasonic flat panel TV.
Crave
HTC focuses on phone design; acquires One & Company Design, Inc.Looking to concentrate on design, smartphone manufacturer HTC acquires San Francisco-based design firm, One & Company Design, to help create its future devices.
Green Tech
Ford accelerates electric-vehicle plansIn its turnaround plan presented to Congress, Ford says it will invest billions in fuel efficiency and introduce a family of hybrid-electric and all-electric cars.
The New York Times and most major newspapers couldn't entice me to subscribe because in the first instance they're giving us news that can be found free other places. Secondly, can anyone actually lift a Sunday print edition without requiring a forklift?
Advertisements may be the life blood of many publications, but it all boils down to charging subscribers for content they want to buy at a price they can afford. I stopped subscribing to magazines when they put those cards that drop out, annoying me when I just want to get my mail.
Finally, the movie industry needs to rethink their use of the DVD. I pay to see movies, not advertisements. I'll stop renting and/or buying DVD if I see many more ads in them. I've already determined that I will NOT be considering purchasing any kind of Toyota truck. The Prius may be the most environmentally friendly car on the planet, but if you keep disturbing my pursuit of entertainment I'll be finding another car.
Merely because you don't advertise doesn't mean that your content is any good. I used to work at an electronics retailer and I met stupid people every day who didn't receive anything from the vendors and their opinions were completely wrong. There is a fallacy that the Consumer Union, the people behind Consumer Reports, perpetuate and that is that their reviews are inherently better because they don't take money from advertisers. Disproving that as I already mentioned is easy. There are tons of people who have taken nothing from advertisers who write terrible reviews. By the inverse, most reputable publications that accept advertising separate their ad divisions and publishing divisions so that the publishers feel no pressure to be kind to advertisers. I have seen bad reviews for stuff advertised in PC Gamer because the publishers realize no one would read it if the opinions in the magazine consistently gave good reviews to bad games. Just because you don't receive any funds from ads doesn't make you unbiased and doesn't make your reviews good.
I received a solicitation for Consumer Reports a few years ago and had a free subsription and I sent in a cancellation long before they started charging me. Their reviews on tech products seemed so dubious that I figured if they were bad at tech products than why should I trust them on products that I don't know a lot about?
Their reviewers don't give the readers their test methods. If Consumer Reports were writing a lab report I bet most junior college professors would give them reports an F. If you don't tell me how you did it, how can I evaluate the review? In addition, there is almost no objective information. You tend to get subjective little bubbles that don't explain anything. Furthermore, since their writers have no notable credentials why should I take their word.
When it comes to tech products Consumer Reports is often almost worthless. By the time they publish a review many of the products are discontinued and difficult to find. Since they only review tech products a few times a year it isn't a replacement for PC World or PC Magazine.
Since Consumer Reports does an awful job with tech products and they have been found guilty in court for libel for their car reviews so that leaves us with cheap stuff like bug spray and BBQ sauce(yes they do reviews on BBQ sauce.) I don't think spending money to find out what the best BBQ sauce makes any sense.
So who buys Consumer Reports? People who like spending money to avoid ads is the only market for their publication. It certainly isn't people looking for the best reviews.