Press Blackout? Really?

spokesperson for goodbuyguys.comI have regularly written about the value of ad supported trade publications for the concert production industry.  They may be supported by advertisers, but they have lots of quality editorial content, and they are free.

One of my favorites is Pro Sound News.  It is full of useful info and great pictures of some of the biggest concert tours in the world.

One section I always look at is a page called “Center Stage“.  It lists the personnel, production companies and equipment used by the ten largest concert tours in the country.

I look for our customers, companies I have worked with and personnel I might actually know.  It is also a good place to see which companies are most active and what types of equipment are most in demand.

For the second month in a row,  one of this season’s top three tours, Taylor Swift, has listed only this information.

No audio information due to press blackout

What possible reason could there be for Taylor Swift’s handlers to care who knows what kind of sound equipment is being used on tour?

We don’t know the answer to that question, but we do know the answer to a similar one.

Who else might care what sort of equipment is being used on this tour?  The equipment advertisers whose full page ads allow the magaine to be free.  If the magazine is unable to showcase manufacturers equipment being used on important tours, then those manufacturers have much less reason to buy the ads.

Micromanagement at this level screams “control freak” and there is no place for it in the trade journal publishing business.

There’s no need to include Taylor Swift in the listing of the top ten.  Instead of listing her name, just black her out as well.

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