Next issue late?

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

Tho we have waited 6 weeks for #299 it would appear to be a right mish-mash of repeats and part articles extracted mostly from ME – there are 8 pages by the editor (under different hats) that appeared a few years ago + a workshop bench that would look more in place at a vicar’s tea party.

I assume this is because MTM staff are still furloughed ?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Nick, not just the link at the bottom of the page, the option to look at the T&Cs is there when you place order

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Frances, Neil has explained it elsewhere but I can't be bothered to look for the exact posts. Basically due to loss of Adverts (upto 6 pages) and drop in high steet sales budget for paying for new articles has been reduced so that is why old articles are being reprinted. I've even said I'd give Neil an article and that I don't want paying for it, anyone else is welcome to do the same I'm sure he will welcome it.

Still best look on the bright side as the mag could have been suspended for several months like Model Boats. Or worse totally disappeared like several other magazines that have been mentioned in this and the 299 thread.

Edited By JasonB on 03/12/2020 20:23:10

[Nick Clarke 3Participant @nickclarke3]

Posted by JasonB on 03/12/2020 20:15:45:

Nick, not just the link at the bottom of the page, the option to look at the T&Cs is there when you place order

I now know that Jason, but exactly the same terms and conditions link appears at the bottom of every page of this website so when I clicked on the one to subscribe I had no indication that this was different to the one I read when I started to use this site, and again when the issue with linking to iffy sites was raised.

Having made the assumption that the link was common across all the pages I would have clicked on the 'place order' button (but where is the 'continue' button)

Edited By Nick Clarke 3 on 03/12/2020 20:29:03

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Still awaiting delivery of my print copy of MEW 299

MichaelG.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, when I signed up to a subscription I can't remember if the; "I'm not a robot" thing was in use, but I can remember a sentence the same or a similar one that meant the same as the one shown, which is saying that you agree with the T's & C's and the p/p, whether one reads them is up to the individual and MTM will have no control over whether you have or not, regardless of any other indication that you have. There is no agreement that you accept the adverts, but you may be able to challenge that as misrepresentation in court, but it won't guarantee that you would be entitled to a replacement issue of the same one that has not been delivered to you and you would probably still have to accept the T's & C's you agreed to, but it may force them to put in a proviso with the advert.

Regards Nick.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, I do sympathize who have not received any copies and just get extra ones at the end of each subscription, it would annoy me just as much it does anyone else but that's life I guess. I did have about three ME's on the trot undelivered many years ago, but was lucky to get replacements.

Regards Nick.

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

I’m not sure re budget
#262 Dec 2017 had 74 pages (#299 has 66) with 10pages of non MTM adverts (#299 has 11 such pages) – the breakdown subs/shop sales is obviously unknown to me – but a guess would be probably 50:50 or better for Subs.

Was MEW seen as one that could still survive with a much reduced new content ?

[Gavin WhitelawParticipant @gavinwhitelaw12643]

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 03/12/2020 12:30:14:

Hmmm, I'll start by emphasising I have no connection with MyTime Media other than being trusted to tidy up iffy posts made by forum friends. So far as the magazines go I'm just an ordinary paying customer. No freebies or payments of any kind from MyTime Media or their advertisers. And I'm not asked to toe a party line on the Forum beyond the website's Terms & Conditions and Code of Conduct.

Magazines. Seems to me MyTime Media's Subscription Terms are clear about what happens when magazines go missing or the wrong one turns up. They either provide a replacement or extend the subscription, that's it.

This being the real world, no-one can guarantee delivery or that spare copies will be available. At the best of times it's inevitable that some people will be inconvenienced. And this is far from being the best of times – at the moment expect malfunctions because Covid is causing chaos. Even if you personally haven't noticed yet!

This being the season of goodwill to all men I wonder if people might reconsider their expectations? Reading Gavin's list of gripes, it's clear he subscribed without reading the Contractual Terms. ( Who bothers with small print. Me neither! )

Unfortunately contracts mean what they say, not what the parties involved imagine it should. Gavin said: 'If a magazine does not turn up then it is THEIR duty to provide one'. Fine and dandy except that's not what he and MyTime Media agreed to! Nor do MyTime Media's obligations include personal attention on Facebook or editorial interventions.

When Gavin's copy went missing MyTime Media responded as contracted. And despite Gavin's complaint about poor service being mistaken, the Editor went the extra mile and got him one. I think that's good service, not bad!

Dave

THEIR page says "Never miss an issue" – so they can't hide behind T&C !

https://me.secureorder.co.uk/mode/BAR/

[Dominic BramleyParticipant @dominicbramley60728]

Jeez – how about cutting the guys some slack here? These aren’t normal times and huge numbers of businesses are just doing what they can to survive. I’m sure everybody is doing the best they can in difficult circumstances and if a few late issues and some rerun articles is what it takes to keep the magazine going then surely it is something we can put up with for a couple of months. ME has been in print for over 100 years now – would be interesting to know if the editors in 1917 or 1942 also got this kind of grief…

Dom

[Nick Clarke 3Participant @nickclarke3]

The editor in 1917 and 1942 was the same, Percival Marshall and it was a different world then. He had absolute power over the entire magazine. There are quite a few references during the 2nd world war to ME being delivered and read under difficult circumstances, but as the publisher and the editor was the same person I am not surprised there don't appear to be any references or apologies for individual missing copies.

I like the 1940's and early 50's ME to read – they are my favourites in my (very incomplete) collection of older volumes, but for a description of what things were like, Martin Evans, not the current editor, wrote some interesting articles in ME on his early days at the magazine in issues 4184, 4186, 4190 and 4192.

 

Edited By Nick Clarke 3 on 03/12/2020 22:55:25

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Posted by Frances IoM on 03/12/2020 20:04:50:
Tho we have waited 6 weeks for #299 it would appear to be a right mish-mash of repeats and part articles extracted mostly from ME – there are 8 pages by the editor (under different hats) that appeared a few years ago + a workshop bench that would look more in place at a vicar's tea party.

I assume this is because MTM staff are still furloughed ?

I don't know exact timings but if what you say is correct and people have been waiting 6 weeks for MEW then I can't see what you are all complaining about.

Back around March Neil said that MEW was going over to a 5 week cycle which is is still running to as far as I'm aware. On the 9th November he posted on the forum that 299 would be delayed by 2 weeks.

Am I the only one that gets 7 by adding the two together

He has also said that the intention was that the mag would not be available until after the end of lockdown 2 ( no indication of how long after) and that the print version ended up going out early.

[derek hall 1Participant @derekhall1]

I agree with Jason, Neil did make it pretty clear to be honest.

I think the fact that you can order something from amazon in the evening and it arrives the next day has led many of us with unrealistic expectations…

Regards to all

Derek

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

+1 for not being so wound up.

This is the Forum for makers of models / tools, not mountains out of mole hills.

Neil gave fair warning that magazines would be late arriving.

A late / missing magazine, so a fiver lost? Inconvenient,/frustrating, but not world shattering. And others on here are prepared to help, with details if required.

A lot of us are retired, not necessarily rich, but surviving, and spared the worst of the economic events affecting the country, unlike those who have to work for a living.

And this at a time when many thousands of folk have lost their jobs, and are wondering how they will keep a roof over their heads or feed their families.

Get a sense of proportion!

Howard

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

I’ve just bought the one + only copy of ME from W H Smiths – it is interesting to compare ME + MEW – the former appears to be almost unaffected by Covis problems whereas the later has resorted to major use of previously published material with it seems little budget to pay for new material.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Hello everyone,

I'm afraid the MEW schedule is completely out of my control, the timings of the magazines are all inter-related so changing one affects others.

One reason for the delay was that lockdowns mean many people can't buy magazines at newsagents etc. this affects some titles and readers more than others but I understand the intent was to try and avoid titles being on the newstands in lockdown.

Some people did ask why we couldn't send issues out early. We are supposed to co-ordinate digital, newstand and mailed issues so they have the same publication date; for some reason the mailed issues went out a soimewhat earlier, than the digital, I don't know why but this does seem to have caused some upset for frustrated digital subscribers, for which I apologise.

The last nine months have been far from easy for magazines across the board, largely because over the counter sales have been hit hard for all printed magazines. This is especially true for magazines many of whose older readers may have been self-isolating, I know this is the case of MEW as I have been in contact with several such readers.

Anyone who keeps tabs on our titles will see that we have lost a few over the Covid crisis including Model Collector. We also lost Model Boats for the whole of June and July, a much bigger interruption than we had for MEW and ME.

It's not been an easy time for any of us, almost all aspects of preparing MEW have become more difficult, and the last issue was particularly challenging as our designer and his wife were hospitalised with Covid just as we were about to start work on the issue. Fortunately they have both recovered.

I'm not seeking sympathy – this is a very difficult time for everyone, but I do appreciate the patience and understanding of readers at what are very difficult and uncertain times for all of us.

Thank you for sticking with us, we are all doing our best, we will make mistakes from time to time, but if you contact us, we will do our best put things right.

Neil

P,S. Contact details (including mine) are linked at the bottom right of every page of this website and in every magazine, but for convenience. The only thing I ask is please contact customer support before me if you have a subscription problem, they have access to the subscription systems to solve most problems quickly.

Do you want to contact the Model Engineer and Model Engineers' Workshop team?

You can contact us by phone, mail or email about the magazines including becoming a contributor, submitting reader's letters or making queries about articles. You can also get in touch about this website, advertising or other general issues.

Click THIS LINK for full contact details.

For subscription issues please see THIS LINK.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Whilst I am keen on contracts being honoured, in this instance, for all those quoting "Breach of contract" remember there will be a clause quoting "Force Majeure", i.e. matters beyond our control.

The line from Editor's bench to your letterbox contains a variety of elements.

The magazine will have been edited, and printed, before being sent to the mailing house for circulation, through parts of a particular country's mail system.

If an individual magazine has gone missing, it could be anywhere in that supply chain.

Most probably somewhere in the latter end of the mail system. It may have fallen, unnoticed, out of the postie's bag, or even been misdelivered to the wrong address. From time time to time we get mail for a house with the same number in another road! Some times for an address across the road, and where the recipient has either given the wrong post code, or moved away.

There is many a slip etc!

Howard

[Peter Howell 1Participant @peterhowell1]

The postman has just brought ME 4653 – on time to the day.

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

I received my MEW no: 299 yesterday and I can say that I enjoy the old reprinted articles that are now appearing, is it going to be a permanent ?
Dave W

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

As we see in recent copies, articles from "Past Times" can provide inspiration, either for the next project, or ways of doing a particular job.

A friend whose lathe is currently out of circulation, will soon have a Mic Stand, made from the "leftovers" from making a part to restore it to running order.

Seemed a pity to throw away material just because it would be hard to hold on its own. (so use both ends as a chucking piece to machine, before final parting off. )

Howard

[Nick Clarke 3Participant @nickclarke3]

No ME 4163 or MEW 299 as of yet.

ME 4162 definitely not coming so I will need to buy it at full price plus £1.99 postage.

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

ME4653 arived today and MEW 299 yesterday in Hampshire.

[Nick Clarke 3Participant @nickclarke3]

Posted by Nick Clarke 3 on 05/12/2020 12:11:13:

No ME 4163 or MEW 299 as of yet.

ME 4162 definitely not coming so I will need to buy it at full price plus £1.99 postage.

Just bought 4162 from MagsUK – the total bill is £6.19 – so the two extra editions MTM have given me at subscriber price of about £2.30 each won't even cover that.

Edited By Nick Clarke 3 on 05/12/2020 12:45:12

Edited By Nick Clarke 3 on 05/12/2020 12:46:44

[Gavin WhitelawParticipant @gavinwhitelaw12643]

Still no sign of 4163 here. The attitude of MTM is appalling. They dont give a cuss for customer relations. Not the fault of the publishers but MTM are about as reliable as Hermes ! As for those who say "get off your high horse" well, some of us HAVE worked through Covid keeping Britain running, we are NOT all retired and if WE can do it surely they can replace missing magazines – it isn't rocket science.

[Robert ButlerParticipant @robertbutler92161]

Gavin, I'm sure all the Forum Members would like to extend grateful thanks to you and your colleagues for keeping the rail network operating throughout the Pandemic. Without your combined efforts I'm certain we would have experienced infrastructure failures, breakdowns, cancellations and delays. I'm sure that Forum Members using the rail network hope the momentum is maintained post Pandemic.

As a matter of interest (or not) I am 68 years of age and still work the better part of 6 days every week (and have done so for 49 years) have taken only a week off since January. I run my own business and have managed to operate successfully and remotely throughout and not found it necessary to furlough any staff.

Robert Butler

[Author]

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