stephenryan
New member
So yet another month where other registers are brimming with info but nothing from the 964 group. This is getting rather embarrassing... What can be done?
Porsche Post - 964 missing again
- Thread starter stephenryan
- Start date
It's been many months since there has been anything on the Register section on the 964 (five if I recall) and little in Porsche Post either. Clearly the 964 Registrar is just not doing his job - yes, I appreciate he's an unpaid volunteer but he took on the job freely. I am Chairman of another one make car club and in the past we knew the single biggest reason for people leaving the club was because the monthly magazine had nothing about their model of car to read about because their Registrar was not writing regularly. This we have attended to and each month almost every Registrar writes something about their model. I have written to the Register Director about this but haven't had a reply and frankly, I now wonder why I pay my subscription if my model doesn't receive any coverage.
Ruskiedog1
New member
Hello
I recently bought my first Porsche 964 and hence joined this membership as a way to connect with other owners especially events and local regional meetings. I agree there has also been very little engagement with the 964 community, especially when comparing to other regions I.E region 19. I find myself no longer checking this site. I have found better connections through Instagram and have been warmly welcomed by other 964 owners, including café meets and upcoming Christmas lunches and dinners. I can assure you I will certainly not be reinstating my membership and will continue to use Rennlist and Instagram as a way to connect for research and social connection.
Regards
Jason
I recently bought my first Porsche 964 and hence joined this membership as a way to connect with other owners especially events and local regional meetings. I agree there has also been very little engagement with the 964 community, especially when comparing to other regions I.E region 19. I find myself no longer checking this site. I have found better connections through Instagram and have been warmly welcomed by other 964 owners, including café meets and upcoming Christmas lunches and dinners. I can assure you I will certainly not be reinstating my membership and will continue to use Rennlist and Instagram as a way to connect for research and social connection.
Regards
Jason
I share your feelings about the absence of Registers in PP but I have been told that PCGB does not have the "Editorial Control" of the magazine like we used to have? Why not I don't know, but I have earlier this year sent an article with photos of our group driving the FIAT LIngotto rooftop track this year and some photos of cars to go in my Register section if there was no written report that month and still nothing published ? Questions need to be asked.
Robin said:
Questions have been asked, Robin, again and again.
They’re just NOT getting listened to, answered or addressed at all.
Your marvellous trip to the FIAT rooftop is a prime example of a brilliant Club event, in my opinion, which should easily beat some of the more corporate driven (pun) articles seen most frequently in PP pages.
964 ain't the only Register consistently missing PP write up. [8D]
I do think it is a bit odd that all the articles in PP seem to have been written by the same person.
It would be nice, however, to have something in the Register section. Updates on the organisation of the technical seminar, for example.
A number of the other registers, in the absence of anything else, give running reports on their own cars. Also, reference to articles in the press or threads on the Forum.
No one is expecting 1,000 words every month (or whatever the limit is), but a short recognition that "Yes, we're still here" would be appreciated.
The 964 Forum section has always been very quiet, but when something does come up, there are some very knowledgeable owners out there.
It would be nice, however, to have something in the Register section. Updates on the organisation of the technical seminar, for example.
A number of the other registers, in the absence of anything else, give running reports on their own cars. Also, reference to articles in the press or threads on the Forum.
No one is expecting 1,000 words every month (or whatever the limit is), but a short recognition that "Yes, we're still here" would be appreciated.
The 964 Forum section has always been very quiet, but when something does come up, there are some very knowledgeable owners out there.
Dekker
New member
The reason there are no articles appearing in PP is because there are sections within the board or previous boards who want to do away with registers. Part of their statergy has been restricting article sizes.
I used to spend a couple of days putting an article together only to find it ruined by editing or more frustratingly by poorly cropped or down sized photos.
More recently Richard Rees (PCGB register editor) would only accept my article if it was no more than 500 words and one photo.
My last article I submitted with one photo and less than 500 words but by the time it was in PP it was missing the photo.
Most recently I saw that the board admitted that some contributors were favoured over others and that editorial control of the mag had been given over to Archant the PP printers. How this has been allowed to happen is beyond belief and I shall endevour to get to the bottom of this.
I cannot do articles about technical aspects of cars, in depth interviews of enthusiasts cars or articles submitted by 964 owners whilst the current restrictions are in place.
I used to spend a couple of days putting an article together only to find it ruined by editing or more frustratingly by poorly cropped or down sized photos.
More recently Richard Rees (PCGB register editor) would only accept my article if it was no more than 500 words and one photo.
My last article I submitted with one photo and less than 500 words but by the time it was in PP it was missing the photo.
Most recently I saw that the board admitted that some contributors were favoured over others and that editorial control of the mag had been given over to Archant the PP printers. How this has been allowed to happen is beyond belief and I shall endevour to get to the bottom of this.
I cannot do articles about technical aspects of cars, in depth interviews of enthusiasts cars or articles submitted by 964 owners whilst the current restrictions are in place.
Write ups in the PP have been reduced to 500 words max now from a 1.000
Dekker said:
This is actually pretty shocking and I take back my previous comments. Most of the stuff in the Register section is technical and informative and I always read every register's report.
Meanwhile, the Regions section goes on for 40 pages of skittles and other non car content and whenever there is a national event, pretty much every single Region has a paragraph on their visit to it. I have been skipping through this for some time now.
Dekker
New member
CLIFFWILKINS said:
I'm very much aware of that Cliff as I stated above. below is an extract of an email I sent to the board in June this year :-
[size="+1"]Fairly recently I heard verbally and later via email that our reports were to be shrunk to 500 words and 1 photo, thoroughly useless for us as technical articles will not fit into that template.[/size]
[size="+1"]However it is obvious that this is not being applied to all contributors. If I look at the June PP, I see that the Cayenne had 5 photos in his column, Boxster 4 photos, 914 5 photos, 997 4 photos, Cotswold region 3 photos and Surrey Region 4 photos and so on.[/size]
[size="+1"]Also it's obvious, from a cursory look, that the 500 word limit hasn't been applied also.[/size]
[size="+1"]I sent one photo in this months PP which was not printed.[/size]
[size="+1"]No feedback from whoever decided this action which I find thoroughly disrespectful to say the least.[/size]
[size="+1"]In the past I've sent articles in where the photos have been reduced so that any details of what I've been discussing are illegible and others which were cropped so that the pertinent feature was removed. It's about time this was sorted out. I've also had other articles edited down by Richard Rees because I was a little over the then 1,000 word count, again with no feedback that my article was too long and that I was more than capable of doing it myself, if I'd been told.[/size]
David I am sure you are aware that write ups and pics have been reduced by the board .
But are all members aware? We have had some members say write ups are smaller now days.?
Only doing what we are told so if members are reading this thread that's the reason out of all RS hands our smaller write ups and less pics.
But are all members aware? We have had some members say write ups are smaller now days.?
Only doing what we are told so if members are reading this thread that's the reason out of all RS hands our smaller write ups and less pics.
Dekker
New member
CLIFFWILKINS said:
Yes, one of those many decisions handed down in the past without any consultation with the Officials nor the membership. The first I heard about it was word of mouth.
CLIFFWILKINS said:
No idea
CLIFFWILKINS said:
News to me.
What about the favouritism shown to some contributors which can only have come from the PCGB editors.
As the Boxster register was a beneficiary of this practice maybe you didn't notice.
The magazine does need a boost, this forum certainly does as it is the quietest of all the Porsche forums. 911UK is a pretty good forum hub for UK talk, Rennlist for US.
I run 4 threads which I keep updated on the progress of my cars, I would love to put this forward for a magazine, not everyone goes on forums these days, it's all YouTube if anything. However, when you have 20,000 magazine landing on members door steps, it is physically in someones hands and there to be engaged with at leisure, it should be enjoyable and informative. I find I flick through the magazine once and never again. The 1 or 2 articles included are good but I find it isn't enough, the magazine is the centre of over 20,000 members! There must be some really cool and interesting cars and stories within the member community to do articles on, do a readers car section for monthly features, "how to" articles, hits and tips, garage features, parts testing etc etc, it's not rocket science and a formula mainstream mags have followed for YEARS!! My progress diaries on each of my cars could easily fill the magazine for years to come with everything from detailing, to wishbone changes, brakes, head unit upgrades etc etc. It is a shame but it is just a bit behind I feel and the potential is there to make it great!!
I know a few people on another forum have cancelled their memberships because of the loss of the COA, this was a nice bonus but a feature packed magazine would easily make up for this if it could happen!
Can anything be done to boost the magazine in general and not just the small registry section?! I did actually apply to be the Cayenne registra as I noticed nothing was happening there and I am very active with mine. Apparently the register section is being reviewed..
I run 4 threads which I keep updated on the progress of my cars, I would love to put this forward for a magazine, not everyone goes on forums these days, it's all YouTube if anything. However, when you have 20,000 magazine landing on members door steps, it is physically in someones hands and there to be engaged with at leisure, it should be enjoyable and informative. I find I flick through the magazine once and never again. The 1 or 2 articles included are good but I find it isn't enough, the magazine is the centre of over 20,000 members! There must be some really cool and interesting cars and stories within the member community to do articles on, do a readers car section for monthly features, "how to" articles, hits and tips, garage features, parts testing etc etc, it's not rocket science and a formula mainstream mags have followed for YEARS!! My progress diaries on each of my cars could easily fill the magazine for years to come with everything from detailing, to wishbone changes, brakes, head unit upgrades etc etc. It is a shame but it is just a bit behind I feel and the potential is there to make it great!!
I know a few people on another forum have cancelled their memberships because of the loss of the COA, this was a nice bonus but a feature packed magazine would easily make up for this if it could happen!
Can anything be done to boost the magazine in general and not just the small registry section?! I did actually apply to be the Cayenne registra as I noticed nothing was happening there and I am very active with mine. Apparently the register section is being reviewed..
les richards
New member
As a lapsed PCGB Member I've been following this thread with interest.
It rarely took me more than five or so minutes to read through PP most months. I have no interest, for example, in tractors, how Porsche are faring with car sales or what other regions were doing - although 'bacon sarnies' seemed to be a staple.
When I first joined, Trading Post was jammed full of ads from Members covering all manner and range of Porsche items; recent copies I've seen have hardly any private ads. Is that significant or surprising, I wonder?
Likewise, when I acquired my 993 I applied to be included on the Register but never got a reply. That was in 2010.
Articles about the 993, as with the 964, seemed few and far between. Perhaps owners of older air-cooled cars (real Porsches?) are being penalised for not buying newer models!
All in all, I could see no benefits from continuing to be a Member. I now subscribe to 911.UK and Rennlist and find them so much more enjoyable, immediate and helpful; real enthusiasts with no elitism for certain models.
Like many contributors to this thread and similar posts in the past I wonder if those running PCGB have lost their way in what the Club is and should be about?
It rarely took me more than five or so minutes to read through PP most months. I have no interest, for example, in tractors, how Porsche are faring with car sales or what other regions were doing - although 'bacon sarnies' seemed to be a staple.
When I first joined, Trading Post was jammed full of ads from Members covering all manner and range of Porsche items; recent copies I've seen have hardly any private ads. Is that significant or surprising, I wonder?
Likewise, when I acquired my 993 I applied to be included on the Register but never got a reply. That was in 2010.
Articles about the 993, as with the 964, seemed few and far between. Perhaps owners of older air-cooled cars (real Porsches?) are being penalised for not buying newer models!
All in all, I could see no benefits from continuing to be a Member. I now subscribe to 911.UK and Rennlist and find them so much more enjoyable, immediate and helpful; real enthusiasts with no elitism for certain models.
Like many contributors to this thread and similar posts in the past I wonder if those running PCGB have lost their way in what the Club is and should be about?
stephenryan
New member
[font="georgia,palatino"]Wow, I didn't know I was kicking a hornets nest... I am however VERY encouraged to see that there is such a desire here for a presence in PP. [/font]
[font="georgia,palatino"]Can I suggest that David (or someone) speak to the powers that be at the Christmas event in Bicester (I'll be there) or perhaps a group of us could meet up there and try to hatch a plan to improve the situation. [/font]
[font="georgia,palatino"]So who's going to the Bicester Heritage event?? [/font]
[font="georgia,palatino"]Can I suggest that David (or someone) speak to the powers that be at the Christmas event in Bicester (I'll be there) or perhaps a group of us could meet up there and try to hatch a plan to improve the situation. [/font]
[font="georgia,palatino"]So who's going to the Bicester Heritage event?? [/font]
Dekker said:
Did you ever get a reply to the email? I know when I raised a similar issue, I didn't get a reply either.
For what it's worth those who run PCGB and by that Porsche Post, my view is that most member's only contact with the club is via PP and if that only takes a few minutes to skip through, as the content is of little or no interest and no 964 content, why bother to buy the magazine - because frankly that's all I get from PCGB.
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