[Editorial] HiFi spam

May 2019 editorial

HiFi spam - why we hate HiFi press releases!

Author: Lucio Cadeddu - TNT Italy
Published: May, 2019

TNT-Audio is a very unusual HiFi magazine, one of a kind actually, and not only because it's free and accepts no banners or other forms of advertising, but because we do not publish, here on the web or on our Facebook page, any kinds of press release from HiFi companies.

This particular media communication tool, the so-called press release, is nothing other than free advertising. For this reason it is highly appreciated by HiFi companies and distributors, since it allows them to deliver their “news” to a wide, well-targeted public, the readers of HiFi magazines. The dream of every spammer!

Now, let's suppose for a moment that this exchange is really free of charge. If so, it is obvious why companies and distributors like it so much. If not (and I suspect it can't always be 100% free) magazines are cheating on their readers because they pretend to make an ad appear like it was an article, a review, whatever.

In any case, free or not, it is disturbing. It disturbs me, at least, and for two reasons. As a reader/enthusiast, because I expect to read opinions from expert listeners, not the silly utterances of a smart marketing man. Many HiFi magazines, especially the online ones, are becoming a place where press releases seem more relevant than accurate listening tests. Browsing their Facebook pages, for example, out of ten “news” items, nine are press releases and one is an original article.

Now, if a magazine hasn't enough stuff to publish and, then, is forced to publish press releases to give the false impression of writing something, it must just be better to quit. “Publish or perish”, that's the cruel law! If you have nothing to write about, you shouldn't become a “middle man” between your advertisers and your readers. A magazine, in my opinion, reviews gear, or publishes other kinds of original articles, reportages, DIY projects and the like. Oh yes, it is much easier to simply press “forward” every time a press release reaches your mailbox.

The second reason why I am so upset, is because - despite the fact we've never published a press release during our >20 years of web presence - our mailboxes are constantly mail-bombed by HiFi companies, inventors, misunderstood geniuses and so on. We do not publish press releases, is that clear? To make things even worse, when we reply to these spammers offering the possibility to review their products, they rarely reply. C'mon guys, it's free! You have to pay shipping costs and that's all. Are your products as fabulous as you like to you write in your press release? Let's put them on a test! Otherwise, since we didn't ask you to inform us about your new products, at least stop sending us your spam. We're vegetarians ;-)

I hope you enjoy this “Spam song” by Monty Python...;-)