Black Belt Magazine Acquired.

[Black Bear]

BBmag is no different than any other commercial media venture, like a newspaper. They make little money from actual sales. Their real income comes from advertising. So their job is not to sell magazines to readers. Their job is to sell readers' attention--hopefully favourable attention--to advertisers. YOU are not the client. You are the product.

When you understand this, you can read the magazine through the correct filter.

 

[arnisador]

Budo International

This has always been principally a way to market videos, but in the recent (August) issue the distinction between the magazine and an ad insert has totally disappeared. The text of the "articles" has things like "this is why we have produced a video series..." and such. It's amazing that they expect people to pay for such blatent promotions.

 

[MichiganTKD]

Just once, I'd like to see an issue of Black Belt where, instead of having an article about Tae Kwon Do featuring Hee Il Cho AGAIN, or hyping "Tae Kwon Do as the Ultimate Self Defense" followed by an article that leaves me wondering where they get these guys from, have a TKD article that makes me say "Wow, that looks like it could really work!"
Instead, we get sport guys demonstrating self defense, Hapkido guys giving muddled versions of TKD history, and so-called "traditionalists" decked out in blue uniforms. In other words, guys who buy the ads get the stage.
Great mixed message moment: several months ago, an article talking about various meanings of uniforms was published. One section talked about white uniforms representing purity. The accompanying photo showed Cho student Philip Ameris wearing a blue uniform practicing against somebody wearing a similar uniform.