Inside Kung Fu Mag.

[Sukerkin]

Very true all along the line there, Exile, particularly on the storage problem. I used to get EVO magazine (a very high quality, performance car, vehicle {yeah! Automotive pun attack !}) but had to stop just because there was no place for me to store them and it cost too much to throw away .

 

[Jade Tigress]

Just to throw this out there...it's not just MA mags that have this problem...

I subscribe to Guitar World Magizine. It was a subscription to GuitarOne, because they had more instructional videos and more equipment reviews, but Guitarworld bougt them out...

Anyway, there are far more ads in that magizine than there used to be...luckily, they haven't outnumbered the articles...yet. But it's become more about the sponsers over the years than it has become about the content..

Right? Now just imagine if Guitar World/GuitarOne's ads and articles were all focusing on say....drums.

 

[exile]

Right? Now just imagine if Guitar World/GuitarOne's ads and articles were all focusing on say....drums.

Perfect analogy, JT!

 

[ggg214]

I'd be interested in what you do have available in China for martial arts magazines. English or Chinese (or other) languages? Do you have any on Tai Chi/Qi Gong? Are your magazines more scholarly or are they just advertisements? What countries are they from?

ggg, I think you can see that many of us in the USA are unhappy with our martial arts magazines..... too commercial, questionable scholarship, favoritism...... So, what do you have?

Same questions for other forum members living outside the USA...

there are several MA magazines written in Chinese, one is called kung fu spirit (武&#39746. but recent news about this magazine is not so good, because it's lack of readers. i don't know why, maybe the same as MA magazines in USA.

in fact, i have not bought any KF magazines. i don't think i can get any good and helpful info. from these bussiness things. if i have time, i would better go and visit some masters who live around my places.

 

[LuckyKBoxer]

Perfect analogy, JT!

Actually no its not a perfect analogy.
Just because you want it to be does not make it so.
I think you seriously missed the point that interest in kung fu magazines has dropped incredibly, while interest in MMA has increased incredibly.
Now I will admit its a possibility the same thing has happened with guitar playing and drum playing but I seriously doubt it.
I think people want to think that the magazine is horrible, and conspiring to screw everyone over, but the fact is the magaine wants to make money and to do that they have to do whats in demand, if kung fu information was in demand they would be knocking it out.

 

[Carol]

Actually no its not a perfect analogy.
Just because you want it to be does not make it so.
I think you seriously missed the point that interest in kung fu magazines has dropped incredibly, while interest in MMA has increased incredibly.
Now I will admit its a possibility the same thing has happened with guitar playing and drum playing but I seriously doubt it.
I think people want to think that the magazine is horrible, and conspiring to screw everyone over, but the fact is the magaine wants to make money and to do that they have to do whats in demand, if kung fu information was in demand they would be knocking it out.

Perhaps a better analogy would be if DownBeat magazine started publishing ads and articles for rock and/or pop musicians (instead of Jazz).

 

[Jade Tigress]

They should change the name then. MMA is very popular right now, true. The magazine is in business to make money. People interested in Kung Fu will pick up a magazine titled Inside Kung Fu, people interested in MMA probably won't, they'll look for something titled MMA. So, they're alientating their core readers. If they want a larger audience and find gearing towards the MMA craze is the way to do it, then they should change the name to Inside MMA and be done with it.

Mind you, I haven't picked up an issue of Inside Kung Fu in a couple years. I had a subscription which I didn't renew. But if I were still subscribing and I saw this trend, I would cancel it and look to put my money to a different magazine that addresses MY interest.

The issue is not whether MMA is more popular right now, and everyone knows businesses are there to make money. The issue is that the content change is alienating people actually interested in Kung Fu, paying for a magazine titled Inside Kung Fu, and finding it to essentially be an MMA magazine.

 

[exile]

Actually no its not a perfect analogy.
Just because you want it to be does not make it so.
I think you seriously missed the point that interest in kung fu magazines has dropped incredibly, while interest in MMA has increased incredibly.
Now I will admit its a possibility the same thing has happened with guitar playing and drum playing but I seriously doubt it.
I think people want to think that the magazine is horrible, and conspiring to screw everyone over, but the fact is the magaine wants to make money and to do that they have to do whats in demand, if kung fu information was in demand they would be knocking it out.

The point in green is totally irrelevant. If you're calling something X, which is what people interested in X are looking for, and then filling the magazine with stuff about Y, then the legitimate response of someone interested in X is going to be the same regardless of the relative popularity of X and Y. See? That was what JadeTigress was getting at. Is it clear now?

The point in red is totally irrelevant as well. No one has said that magazines shouldn't be run as businesses. If they make a business decision to abandon the content that people interested in X are looking for, then people interested in X are going to abandon them. Savvy?

It's not news to anyone that they're doing this make money, LB. The discussion is about (i) the personal irritation of people who bought the magazine because of its X content and now can't find that content in the magazines on offer, and (ii) whether this kind of business model is a wise one, in view of the points already raised.

One more time: no one is unclear on why the magazines have done that. What they are is pissed off that they've done so.

See???

 

[Tames D]

Actually no its not a perfect analogy.
Just because you want it to be does not make it so.
I think you seriously missed the point that interest in kung fu magazines has dropped incredibly, while interest in MMA has increased incredibly.
Now I will admit its a possibility the same thing has happened with guitar playing and drum playing but I seriously doubt it.
I think people want to think that the magazine is horrible, and conspiring to screw everyone over, but the fact is the magaine wants to make money and to do that they have to do whats in demand, if kung fu information was in demand they would be knocking it out.

actually...it was a perfect analogy.

 

[BrandonLucas]

Look at it this way...

Guitar World is geared toward rock and metal. That much is no big secret...every once in a while, they'll do a story on someone like Derek Trucks or someone in that genre, who aren't really rock oriented, but are gifted and outstanding guitarists.

Technically speaking, the magazine shouldn't cater to any one genre of music, but instead show instruction and have articles that are relevant to all genres related to guitar playing.

To a small degree, it does, but most of the articles are for and about rock guitarists.

The problem is almost reversed for what we're talking about here. Inside Kung Fu should specialize in all things Kung Fu, but are now including articles in MMA events and the like.

The difference, though, is that MMA is technically relevant to all martial art genres. You may not like to watch UFC or any of the other MMA orgs that advertise in the magazines, but what happens if someone starts jumping up in the ranks that is a Kung Fu practioner? You better believe that the magazine is going to have a field day.

 

[LuckyKBoxer]

The point in green is totally irrelevant. If you're calling something X, which is what people interested in X are looking for, and then filling the magazine with stuff about Y, then the legitimate response of someone interested in X is going to be the same regardless of the relative popularity of X and Y. See? That was what JadeTigress was getting at. Is it clear now?

The point in red is totally irrelevant as well. No one has said that magazines shouldn't be run as businesses. If they make a business decision to abandon the content that people interested in X are looking for, then people interested in X are going to abandon them. Savvy?

It's not news to anyone that they're doing this make money, LB. The discussion is about (i) the personal irritation of people who bought the magazine because of its X content and now can't find that content in the magazines on offer, and (ii) whether this kind of business model is a wise one, in view of the points already raised.

One more time: no one is unclear on why the magazines have done that. What they are is pissed off that they've done so.

See???

You know Exile, I understood your point I just don't agree with it....see??
I see nothing wrong with what Inside Kung Fu is doing...Savvy??
I think my points were completely fine, and to expand on it, there are Kung fu people fighting in MMA..Cung Lee ring a bell? There are many other MMA fighters with Kung Fu backgrounds as well. I see absolutely nothing wrong with exposing kung fu people to MMA information, and possibly having non kung fu people pick up the magazine and be exposed to kung fu while looking up an mma article. is it clear now???
About all I am hearing is complaints about the content, some of which are coming from people who do not even read the magazine anymore, and have no idea what the content is. BTW I did not talk condescendingly to you, and I do not appreciate it in return. You are not my mother, or my teacher, and its simply annoying. I can appreciate a different point of view, and was simply debating whether it was really valid is all. Besides I am looking at the newest issue right now and it is a vast majority of kung fu information in it. Looking cover to cover there is 2 news briefs( 1 was karate related , the other TKD), 3 Advertisement(one for Kenpo, and 1 for a Sambo book, 1 for inside grappling magazine which is owned by IKF magazine) and 1 Editorial by the Gracies that really have nothing to do with kung fu.... does that sound overwhelming to you? Everything else has a direct Kung Fu tie in, or is completley Kung Fu in nature. There was a big article about MMA, but it was talking about how Little Nine Heaven's Splashing Hands has everything an MMA fighter needs to become a champion....
So let me ask you for 82 pages of Kung Fu magazine does 6 things that are less then a page in size really constitute the magazine selling out?
I think the problem here is more with the original poster writing misleading information then anything else.

 

[exile]

You know Exile, I understood your point I just don't agree with it....see??
I see nothing wrong with what Inside Kung Fu is doing...Savvy??

I savvy that you still don't get it, LB.

I think my points were completely fine, and to expand on it, there are Kung fu people fighting in MMA..Cung Lee ring a bell? There are many other MMA fighters with Kung Fu backgrounds as well. I see absolutely nothing wrong with exposing kung fu people to MMA information, and possibly having non kung fu people pick up the magazine and be exposed to kung fu while looking up an mma article. is it clear now???

There are people who are interested in Kung Fu. They don't give a rat's *** about MMA, or TKD or any other MA for that matter. They want a magazine about KF, period. Got that so far? Gooood! Let's go on to the next step.

They are writing to this thread to express their disappointment with the magazine that used to supply them with information relevant to their interest. As is their right. They aren't interested in the fact that IKF figures they can make more money catering to MMA people. They don't have stock in the magazine's parent company. Got that?

I think the problem here is more with the original poster writing misleading information then anything else.

Oddly enough, just about everyone else who's posted who's interested in KF seems to agree with the original poster. I guess they all got it wrong, eh? :shrug:

 

[LuckyKBoxer]

I savvy that you still don't get it, LB.
There are people who are interested in Kung Fu. They don't give a rat's *** about MMA, or TKD or any other MA for that matter. They want a magazine about KF, period. Got that so far? Gooood! Let's go on to the next step.
They are writing to this thread to express their disappointment with the magazine that used to supply them with information relevant to their interest. As is their right. They aren't interested in the fact that IKF figures they can make more money catering to MMA people. They don't have stock in the magazine's parent company. Got that?
Oddly enough, just about everyone else who's posted who's interested in KF seems to agree with the original poster. I guess they all got it wrong, eh? :shrug:

Whatever, you want to be rude go right ahead, it does not make you right, it just makes you rude.
Once again I can actually read and research, so first I understand what people are saying, my recommendation is they go start their own kung fu magazine. It seems to me people are more interested in pointing out things that are wrong with other peoples interests, instead of coming up with a solution and doing something about it. I also think the original poster is completely wrong about mma content in the magazine, since I have it in my hand and went through it cover to cover and listed what was there. BTW here are some more facts for you... Jean Claude Van Damme was on the cover of a 1990 issue of inside kung fu.... the man has nothing to do with Kung fu what so ever, it was for his movie Double Impact. Inside Kung fu has also been commenting on the UFC with 1993. You can go back further and there are plenty of articles throughout the years that have nothing to do with kung fu specifically, but the martial arts world, competitions, apparal, equipment, videos, books, etc. The magazine in my opinion has not changed much, is still focused primarily on kung fu, and tries to carry content on whatever else happens to be relevant in the martial arts world of today. The fact is that not one featured article in the magaine had to do with anything other then Kung Fu...... one article was MMA related, but like I said specifically how kung fu has everythign needed to be a champion...So please lets see your next rude comment, and lack of anythign concrete about whats actually in the magazine.

 

[BrandonLucas]

I don't get the animosity from all this...it's just a discussion about what is or isn't in a magazine article.

Let's try to keep the discussion on an adult level...if the points are understood but disagreed upon, then that's fine. That is your right as an individual. But keep it respectful.

 

[exile]

Whatever, you want to be rude go right ahead, it does not make you right, it just makes you rude.

What's rude, I figure, is appropriating a thread which was started by someone complaining, as is his right, about the dilution of content in what had been a favorite magazine, and wagging your finger at him with the helpful comment to, in effect, shut up and start his own magazine. People don't want to become magazine entrepreneurs; they want to pay good money to have access to sources that feed their own interests. If you want to admonish people otherwise, start your own thread on the topic, eh? Because your posts have been off-topic from the get-go.

Once again I can actually read and research, so first I understand what people are saying, my recommendation is they go start their own kung fu magazine. It seems to me people are more interested in pointing out things that are wrong with other peoples interests, instead of coming up with a solution and doing something about it.

The logic here is that people who complain because their favorite Italian restaurant has been turned into a Mongolian steakhouse should 'come up with a solution' instead of bemoaning the fact, right? They should maybe go into the restaurant business themselves, eh?—that kind of solution?

Enough people have seen enough deflection of the magazine's content from its original intent to be in agreement that that that content has been eroded. You want to disagree with them on that point, fine. Don't drag in nonsense about how it's the magazine's right to do whatever it wants, that's all. No one is contesting the point. That's what's rude, off the point and irrelevant, all at once.

 

[LuckyKBoxer]

What's rude, I figure, is appropriating a thread which was started by someone complaining, as is his right, about the dilution of content in what had been a favorite magazine, and wagging your finger at him with the helpful comment to, in effect shut up and start his own magazine. People don't want to become magazine entrepreneurs; they want to pay good money to have access to sources that feed their own interests. If you want to admonish people otherwise, start your own thread on the topic, eh? Because your posts have been off-topic from the get-go.
The logic here is that people who complain because their favorite Italian restaurant has been turned into a Mongolian steakhouse should 'come up with a solution' instead of bemoaning the fact, right? They should maybe go into the restaurant business themselves, eh?—that kind of solution?

Enough people have seen enough deflection of the magazine's content from its original intent to be in agreement that that that content has been eroded. You want to disagree with them on that point, fine. Don't drag in nonsense about how it's the magazine's right to do whatever it wants, that's all. No one is contesting the point. That's what's rude, off the point and irrelevant, all at once.

Wow you are stretching pretty far here. The fact is you got all upset long before I even mentioned that he should start his own magazine, so thats pretty much a cop out. My posts have been right on topic, directly dealing with the subject matter, you are the one who chose to attack me with sarcasm and belittling comments.

And once again your comparison is way off target, how about a person who enjoys southern Italian fare getting upset because his restaurant still focuses on southern Italian fare, but has added a few dishes from northern Italy to the menu. Maybe they need to look at the fact that the southern Italian fare, or in this case the kung fu articles are still there, and have not infact gone anywhere.

As far as the original intent of the magazine, how do you know what that is? I already posted that MMA information, and non kung fu information has even been featured in the magazine for over 18 years, thats longer then some of the people complaining have even been reading the magazine from their own comments.

 

[Flying Crane]

Inside Kungfu, and most of the other fishwraps out there have been so bad for so long that I just quit reading them years ago. On occasion I'll peruse them a bit to see what they are up to, but mostly I'm just disappointed. I usually look thru them in my local Borders Books and Music, then put them back on the rack and leave them. That works pretty well for me. Testdrive before you buy. Then don't buy.

On the very rare occasion when there is something worthwhile that I might want to keep, I'll buy the issue.

 

[exile]

Wow you are stretching pretty far here. The fact is you got all upset long before I even mentioned that he should start his own magazine, so thats pretty much a cop out.

No, LB. What I took exception to from the beginning was your off-topic posting about how it was the magazine's right to do what they wanted, a point that had nothing whatever to do with the OP. Right? The issue in the OP was not that the magazine was doing something they weren't entitled to do. It was that they were doing something that they didn't like. This latest red herring about people starting their own magazine is just more of the same.

And once again your comparison is way off target, how about a person who enjoys southern Italian fare getting upset because his restaurant still focuses on southern Italian fare, but has added a few dishes from northern Italy to the menu.

So the relationship between Kung Fu and MMA is roughly the same as that between Piedmonese and Neapolitan cuisine, is it? :lol:

As far as the original intent of the magazine, how do you know what that is? I already posted that MMA information, and non kung fu information has even been featured in the magazine for over 18 years, thats longer then some of the people complaining have even been reading the magazine from their own comments.

Then try persuading them of the fact, rather than bringing in the various off-topic irrelevancies that I've alluded to from the beginning in my comments on your posting.

 

[BrandonLucas]

Ok, so we're gonna argue over the fact that we all agree that the magizine sucks?

Yep, that makes a ton of sense.

 

[exile]

I agree, Brandon. But at least it would be somewhat on-topic, eh?

I suspect that help is on the way, or soon will be. The completely online mags Totally TKD and Jissen, for the Korean and Japanese/Okinawan developments of Karate respectively, promise to be brilliant successes. There will be other major players in other arts, corresponding to StuartA and Iain Abernethy, who will see the huge potential readership out there—for the CMAs, for the FMAs, and so on—who will, like SA and IA, be able to deliver quality which is far superior to what you find in the current crop of 'style-based' MA mags. The economics of the internet make it feasible for people to offer these magazines for free, or for a nominal cost at most. Clearly there's a big niche in the CMAs, and someone will come along to fill it, probably soon.