How The Truth About Motorcycle Helmets Got A Journalist Fired

[DrDesmo]

Dexter Ford was a three-decades-long veteran of Motorcyclist, a motorcycle enthusiast magazine, until he was fired in September. Now, recently-revealed email exchanges indicate he was canned after a motorcycle helmet story he wrote for The New York Times angered advertisers.

http://jalopnik.com/5582380/how-the-truth-about-motorcycle-helmets-got-a-journalist-fired

Cheers,
Adam

[bmonty72]

Makes me regret my subscription to Motorcyclist.  Probably won't renew it...

[Grappa]

That kinda totally sucks.  I always pay attention to who is advertising in a magazine, it can tell you alot.  I work for a hotel that Conde Naste magazine always rates very highly, higher then I think we deserve.  Just so happens that we often have a full page advertisement in that magazine in every issue.      

Morals of the story:
1) Don't believe everything that you read.
2) Don't ever put anything in an email (or a text for that matter) that you wouldn't want others to read.  Just ask Tiger.   

[Pedro-bot]

NPR is your friend.   

[Goat_Herder]

Makes me regret my subscription to Motorcyclist.  Probably won't renew it...

Same reason I stop reading Car and Driver awhile back.  It seems that BMW would win every comparison tests, even the ridiculous ones.  Comes to find out, BMW supplies all the writers with "long-term test drive" beemers.  

[derby]

some good discussion about this:

http://forums.13x.com/showthread.php?t=259558

[MotoCreations]

unfortunately it isn't the first time -- nor will it be the last time.  Dexter Ford's articles were a mainstay of the magazine.

I've dealt with magazines over the years due to motorcycle features of my DesmoDevil.  93% of the magazines are fantastic to work with.  7% are SOB's who will only "feature for PAY".  One magazine asked me to buy $20K in advertising else they wouldn't feature my DesmoDevil.  Another refused to feature as I had to buy two years of advertising in their magazines to "qualify".  I had a third send me a bill for "feature writing and photography" expenses -- I supplied all the text for the article and the CMYK poster sized TIF photographs! (since i didn't buy advertising they would have to charge me these expenses  -- wtf?!?!)

Also via some of the magazines that if I did a productionized version of the bike and submitted for road review / testing / articles -- there was mandatory advertising purchase requirements to make happen.  Also if I wanted the cover, there would be an additional charge for that as well.

Ironically the magazines that treated me decently -- I've gladly promoted and forwarded other magazine features/articles their way.  

So no surprise if an advertiser ala a motorcycle helmet company put heavy influence onto a magazine in regard to editorial content or people involved.  Money for some is more important than actual credibility...

[Triple J]

http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2010/07/a-statement-from-arai-regardin.html

Arai says they had absolutely nothing to do with his firing, and never threatened to pull advertising, even though they disagree with his article.

[ducpainter]

So...

it all being about the money is a surprise to you guys?

[DoubleEagle]

I read an article recently in one of the leading Motorcycle Mags and the Journalist basically said that there hasn't been anything new come along in Helmet Technology in the past 40 years !

He was speaking of the basic material that Helmets are made of.

Have to see if he gets fired !

Dolph     

[derby]

I read an article recently in one of the leading Motorcycle Mags and the Journalist basically said that there hasn't been anything new come along in Helmet Technology in the past 40 years !

He was speaking of the basic material that Helmets are made of.

Have to see if he gets fired !

Dolph     

are you sure that's not the journalist we're speaking of?

[DoubleEagle]

are you sure that's not the journalist we're speaking of?

I get I think 7 different Mags and I don't remember what Mag it was.

I might have thrown it away or may be filed it.

I'll look around .

I'm thinking it was Motorcycle Consumer News ( MCN ) since they have no Advertising.

Dolph      

[rockaduc]

are you sure that's not the journalist we're speaking of?

It was in the latest issue of Sport Rider, and it wasn't Dexter.  I think it was Kent or Trevitt.

[redxblack]

Thanks for that link, Adam. It was a good read and something I will have to forward on to a friend teaching journalism next semester. It could make for good classroom discussion.

[KG4KGL]

NPR is your friend.   

Except they are so boring, I fall asleep before I hear anything of consequence.