Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128136
o me and the rest of the staff here at Cycle News, the hallowed ground of print journalism has never been any place for blatant commercial pandering. It's almost like being the last of a breed. Call us the Jedi Knights of moto-journalism, refusing T Armed with this conversation as my new reading glasses, I quickly perused my most recent copy of my pal's car book and came to the following conclusions: Informative? Yes. Entertaining? Sure. Sold out? Absolutely. the subsequent issues reveals that you could count them all on one fist. To be fair, Silkolene did herald the champ, who held up his end of the agreement by telling one and all that Silkolene is simply the finest lubricant in all the world, and why on earth to travel the dark path that broadcast journalism slid down years ago. Sure, over the years we have discussed the potential upside of, say, selling our Leaderboard page. After all, how could an advertiser violate the perceived objectivity of mere points standings in the various series that Cycle News covers? But then we see the forest for the trees, realize the potential snowball effect _ if a little here is good, then maybe a little more over there would be better _ and abandon the concept. As time goes by, I've learned that the sacred little principal of refusing to mix advertising with any form of editorial has become more and more important. This matter came to my attention once again during a recent e-mail Now, this wasn't the first time that had been made aware of the looming presence of this journalistic dark side of the force. Nah, that happened would anyone else want to use something else? Of course, that could very well change when Brand X comes along with a more lucrative endorsement contract. It's an accepted practice in motorsports. Everyone knows that. Motorsports journalism, however, is not motorsports, although the delineation appears to continue getting murkier by the day. Editors appearing in ads or endorsing products under the camouflage of "as used by"; journalists who own race teams or race for factory squads _ these things are becoming the norm rather than the exception, and that is making it increasingly more difficult to draw a clear line between what is objective reporting and what is years ago when discussing the sport with a fellow journalist who happens to be an editor at a "rival" motorcycle publication. If I remember correctly, that mag's advertising slogan was something like "All the dirt that's fit to print" or something like that, so as to suggest that if it was a motorcycle on dirt, you could find some information about it on the slick, glossy, fourcolor pages of their distinguished publication. I called him on the matter, stating that I had never seen so much as a blip about dirt track racing in his publication, so how could his corres ponden ce - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - whored-out editorwith a friend who writes for an automotive publication. We were bouncing story ideas off of one another, and I suggested that maybe Motorsports J- ournalism, however" is not motorsports, although the delineation appears to continue getting murkier by the day. ial drivel. For almost 40 years, Cycle News has endeavored to buck the trend by providing you with up-to-date news and information his readership might be interested in some sort of a piece on sprint car racing, which happens to be a company make that claim? "Dirt track doesn't count," he told on every facet of these two-wheeled contraptions that we love. Cycle News has provided race coverage of personal interest of mine that doesn't involve motorcycles. His response me. "We don't cover dirt track because it doesn't generate enough all disciplines, interviews, track, street and dirt tests of the latest new was that he could not justify it because it was a bit outside of his magazine's focus - that being street- advertising." Of course, not long after that, Sam Ermolenko became only the third models as well as exclusive insights into factory race weaponry. It has made you aware of new products and oriented hot rods. Fair enough, but having been a subscriber to his publication for years, I pointed out that I had seen more than a fe w feat u re pJ'eces on Top Fuel or Funny Car drag rac,'ng over the years so what American in almost 60 years to win the World Speedway Championship, and, wouldn't you know it, that same Publication ran a photo of Ermolenko, new players in the industry. It has done so objectively and with integrity. When you read Cycle News, you can starting with a caption that read, "We don't usually cover dirt track, but..." was the difference as long as it was a good, informative story? The reply to my query was much more candid and, frankly, kind of disturbing. In a nutshell, he explained that his magazine was oriented toward selling aftermarket parts, and if he ran editorial that provided no manner for him to do so, then that might upset the advertisers, who - I can only assume by the inference were quite accustomed to being spiffed through the integrity of the not only proving that they were hypocritical, but that they didn't even know the difference between dirt track and speedway. In the meantime, Cycle News brought you in-depth coverage of Ermolenko's triumph in Wroclaw, Poland, and followed it up with a twopage interview of the new World Champion. We were also there to report the news of his victory at the U.S. National Championship less than a month later. Good stories. And how many ads did they sell? On behalf of the entire staff and employees of CN publishing, I want to wish you a happy and healthy new year, and I hope that you will continue to look forward to each and every issue of Cycle News, where we promise to continue telling you the mag's editorial. A quick check of the advertising in story without selling you the story. eN , count on us to do our best to provide with you with timely, accurate and objective information on all of the subjects in the vast scope of motorcycling that interest you. And, more importantly, many that probably don't. We see no reason to change this for 2002. • Anaheim Supercross • Glen Helen Invitational Supercross • We Ride Colin Edwards' castrol Honda RC51 100 JANUARY 9,2002' cue I • n .. _ lIS 30 YEARS ABO.•• JAIIUARY 18, 1972 The cover of Issue #1 featured an artist's rendition of the AMA's new 30,000-squarefoot headquarters to be located in Westerville, Ohio... The AMA announced that the 1972 AMA Road Race Championships would be under FIM control and rules for Formula 750. All 750cc Expert road racers needed an FIM license to race the AMA series that year... Whitey Martino topped the Smokeless Hare Scrambles in Lucerne, California. Second place went to Amateur winner Mitch Mayes... The Lon9 Beach Motorcycle Show featured many new motorcycles, including the Ducati 90degr~ V-twin 750, the Cooper 350, and a gold-plated Jawa speedway machine owned by Ivan Mauger... Marty Tripes (Cl) topped the 250cc Expert class at Carlsbad Raceway, while TIm Hart (Mai) finished second. Hart came back to win the 500cc Expert class, however. 20 YEARS AGO..• JAIIUARY 20, 1982 Bob Hannah (Yam) graced the cover of ~CLElVEWS Issue # 1 on his way to topping the 250cc Pro ::r '~ class at round two of the CMC Golden State 1I:r,.:..,#,'. ' Series. Darrell Shultz (Hon) and Donnie Hansen (Han) finished second and third in the . ... . . talent-laden field. Johnny O'Mara (Han) topped the 125cc Pro class, with Danny Chandler (Han) and Ron Lechien (Yam) rounding out the top three, and Brad lackey (Suz) topped the 500cc Pro class ... Dwaine Walters (Itj) topped the 12th annual EI Trial de Espana after winning the ATA number-one plate and the National number four in 1971. Jack Stites (Fan) finished second, while Curt Comer (Man) finished third ... Johnny O'Mara (Han) topped Brian Myerscough (Han) in the 125cc Pro class at the CRC Christmas Grand Prix in Valencia, California ... Husqvarna's Scot Harden topped the Groundshakers' 12th annual Camel Chase in Nevada. He led by over five minutes at the finish. . 1,1 "- ?C. ~- 10 YEARS AGO... JANUARY 15, 1992 A gaggle of riders vied for the holeshot at the Florida Winter AMA MX Series. Brian Swink topped the 125cc Pro class, ahead of Ezra Lusk and TImmy Ferry, while Ferry topped the 250cc Pro class. Ricky Carm ichael topped the 85cc (12-13) class. and Kevin Windham topped the 85cc (14-15) class ... Round one of the CMC Golden State Nationals took place at a muddy Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California. Mike Healey topped Damon Huffman and Larry Brooks in the 250cc Pro class, while Roy Snellingen topped Healey and Scott Myers in the 125cc Pro class. Mike Young topped the Four-Stroke Pro class, and Greg Zitterkopf topped the 500cc Pro class ... Damon Bradshaw (Yam) won the GFI Perris Invitational Supercross, and the $5000 that went with it. Jeff Matiasevich (Kaw) and Mike Craig (Kaw) rounded out the top three. The 125cc Supercross was won by Jeremy McGrath (Han), while David Hughes (Yam) won the 125cc Beginner event.