MI Pro

seems a shame that the "big boys" can't support the publication. would be good if it could remain a quartlerly supplement to sos, and praps as an online publication?
btw what happens to those of us with subscriptions?

This is a real shame, Performing Musician had become a reputable publication, one of the few magazines landing on my desk that I take the time to read, in fact I'd say I looked forward to it's arrival, good balanced product revues, interesting operational articles, even the querky stuff was fun, I'll miss Pub Genius so much!

Very sad news. It was a great mag with some seriously useful and informative content.

Sad news, this...

My best to all the writers who will loose out.
Cooper, Wingate, Etheridge, Jenkins, Jones et al who worked on MM and PM were a top bunch of freelancers. And SOS had done a lot of good work on the look and feel of the title, too. Shame...

Great shame, lets hope Dave and the guys can include a seperate section in SOS for Live sound or even go back to the Quarterly Supplement??

More than anything this is an indication of the dire state of SOS finances. I can't help but thinking that there is not enough cash to go to the press and honour the commitment made to advertisers, not to mention bid farewell to the readers.
SOS is run like an amateurish gentlemen's club, and their attitude to advertisers, the way they run day-to-day operations, their inability to attract younger readers are their real problem.
Eventually they will put the blame on 'competition from internet', which is what everyone does when bad management is the only one to blame (can I mention Sound Control?) – There is so much potential in SOS, there are so many things they DO get right, but the editors and publisher won't be able to turn it around if they keep being the cause of the problem.

Mike Banks said "SOS is run like an amateurish gentlemen's club, and their attitude to advertisers, the way they run day-to-day operations, their inability to attract younger readers are their real problem."

Mike, I'll ignore the fact that your comments are potentially actionable/libellous eg. "dire state of SOS finances"

Huh? Where does this come from? I run my company without any bank loans or overdraft, there is cash in the bank, we have a growing US edition... BOTH our titles have much higher paginations than any competing US magazine, higher cover sales and subscribers than any other UK magazine in the music technology sector... we're celebrating 25 years in business and have just received a nice commemoration plaque from NAMM organisation to this effect (thanks NAMM peeps).

Your post here implies SOS is in trouble; we are not.

The decision to close PM was a commercial one made after 3 years "establishing" the format and quality of the ONLY magazine in the world that provided in-depth, hands-on real world tests of PA systems (by Mike Crofts). I bought the magazine in 2006 (when it was called "Music Mart") from Trinity Mirror newspaper group who were divesting themselves of all of their many "Mart" titles.

Yes, we are truly saddened to close a magazine the team has sweated blood over and that readers and advertisers genuinely enjoyed. The music industry is in a recession; the world economies are in recession, but unlike RBS, Lloyds and other bankers who partly caused this global mess, I did not go cap in hand to the government/public for financial assistance to keep Performing Musician alive.

Establishing and producing a good print magazine is a costly exercise, and we planned on taking the longterm view with PM because we all instinctively believe here at SOS that the live sound/performance sector deserved a quality consumer magazine (it has a great TRADE title in "Total Production"). Nobody predicted the economic recession, and we fully understand some advertisers' needs to cut back after an allegedly dire pre-Christmas sales period, but without sufficient ad support and no clear signalling of when things might get better, our belief is that there is no reason to persist in this sector. One day, we might give it another shot -- only time will tell.

Meanwhile, SOS has just had its highest ever in 25 years single month of new and renewing subscriptions income (December) thanks to a wonderful sample download promotion with Time+Space, and we've found new jobs on SOS for all the editorial staff.... hardly (to quote Mike Banks) "an indication of the dire state of SOS finances".

It's late, so I won't even start querying your opinions on how we treat advertisers. We extend very generous terms to small advertisers who are finding it difficult at the moment to pay their ad bills, as we value our longterm relationship with them - just as we always have done with readers. If your opinions hold any credence whatsoever, then how come since notifying advertisers have we spent 2 days reading emails and taking phone calls thanking us for what PM did for them and wishing us well ?

Aside from Electronic Musician (EM) magazine in the USA, which launched earlier than SOUND ON SOUND in 1985 (but was called "Polyphony" magazine at the time), SOS has seen off and is seeing off ALL competitors globally.

As the founding editor/publisher and owner of a small, independent publishing company that is still succeeding, whilst running one of the most popular single web sites dedicated to recording and music technology (see our stats here: http://www.soundon....php) -- we have no fears about "competition from the internet" by the way -- I feel immensely proud of the superb magazine we create every month and the reputation of my editors and publisher, which is second to none in this field in the world. They are certainly NOT the "cause of the problem" but most certainly the cause of its continuing success.

Ian Gilby,
Managing Director/Founding Editor

Gee Mike, you're so sympathetic to people who might be losing their livelihoods here. You know nothing about SOS finances. This is all about the recession and advertising revenue - something SOS can't control.

As I understand it PM subscribers are being allowed to transfer their unused credit to SOS, and SOS will in future have more live sound content. That's fair enough, unless you personally want to buy about 24 pages a month for a year in advance.

Having been an advertisers for a few years (with London School of Sound) and a reader for many more my impression of Sound on Sound is very positive, and I don't see where Mike gets his opinions from. In particular I feel that not enough credit is given to the Sound on Sound team for their excellent website, which sets a standard for content, usability, number of loyal visitors, that is unrivalled.

While obviously it's a shame to see PM closing, especially now that we are experiencing a resurgence of live music, I would like to see some of that content coming back to Sound on Sound. looking back at the collection we have in the school, with issues from the early '90s, the magazine reflects the shift to computer-based production, but I feel that it would benefit now from a little contamination from what used to be in Performing Musician.
One of the things we discuss with our students is how crucial for producers and electronic artists today is to leave theirs studios and bedrooms and find a way to interact with real people, so I think that it's only a matter of time for Sound on Sound readers to have questions about in-ear monitoring, wireless microphones, portable PAs, etc.

I hope that the Sound on Sound team will continue doing an excellent job of keeping us informed, inspired and entertained, and that the closure of PM can be used as an opportunity to consolidate resources so that losing the magazine doesn't necessarily mean losing the content.

If this happens we have nothing to worry about, and I look forward to many more years of reading (on paper or whatever).

It's very sad when people have to make tough business decisions like this, that some see it as an opportunity to "have a pop". I know Ian and the rest of the management team at SOS would not have taken this decision lightly. I hope that all of those affected, especially the freelance journalists that rely on these magazines, find some alternative work.

Speaking as a small advertiser in SOS and PM, I would support Ian Gilby by saying that I have always found him to be knowledgeable and gives well considered replies to comments and questions.
The musical instrument business is very small, so any business within it has to work much harder to make fixed overheads produce profit... it's more a labour of love. Therefore, any small business mistake will be very harmful. Protecting your strongest asset is really the only decision that could be made when faced with less than enough willing advertisers.
Good luck Ian... ignor the 'whingers'... go re-invent!

My condolences go out to those who have worked hard on this magazine to turn it around. I think it has became a seriously valuable asset to anyone in the sector.

I hope that in a few years the SOS team will give it another shot, and I really hope that SOS now includes more of this content.

I do have one question for Ian Gilby though.

I frequently get told by my advertising contact (and it is reiterated by you in your post) that SOS sells more than any tech magazine.

However, Computer Music has audited sales of 18,261 and Future Music 10,860. We all know that SOS is not selling 18,000 copies - so why not just get the magazine ABC'd so that we can stop the arrogance of SOS ad rates.

Sorry - it's just a gripe I have because my ad budget is limited and SOS is the mag we 'have to' advertise in because it's a great mag, but the ad rates really do not reflect what I guess the sales actually are.

IF all the publishers made the ad rates more realistic we might have more money to support all of the mags.

Do the ABC'd readers spend money? If an SOS review says a product is good and I want/can afford it...I'll buy it.

As a former advertiser (with Wharfedale) and a former competitor (with playmusic pickup) I have known this magazine from both sides of the fence.

Its a real shame to see it go. From an advertisers point of view, it was something we wanted to support even when it was finding its feet, very good content written by good (and one occasion, patient) people. Pat, Luci and Helen were always great.

From a competition point of view it felt like doing business the right way. We were in competition but there was no animosity or childish tit for tat...everyone at PM were always fun to be in competition with and fun to know at shows. This is usually easier in the good times so that the PM staff were like that in the bad times speaks volumes.

Plus, who wouldnt miss pub genius. Perhaps MI Pro should bring him back to life...I know its not a press release but thats no reason not to consider it!!

Ha ha john – most amusing – you mean like the press releases found at the front of magazines such as Performing Musician? And others...

What are you up to these days?

hahah, consider me chastened...I guess without the humble press release we would all be out of a job!

I am a bit of an all rounder nowadays...as you know, a few years at publishing companies endows you with a certain 'Jack of all trades' quality (!)

So its, graphic/web design, PR, Media buying and the old staple...freelance Media Sales

I trust all is well with you all?

I hear on the grapevine that rumours of the Pub Genius's demise are not to be taken too seriously.
He is open to offers of Stoat and Vinegar crisps, however...

Now that's a real crisp – the bloke's a genius...