Cardesignnews is one of the Go To sources for industry information and news - for professionals, students and enthusiasts alike. Not the best one, because you (CDN) are too slow for that, on a day to day basis. That's the good part. Talk of team work and the spirit thereof would have us all believe, that the individual and his/her contribution in a design studio, is of minor and cursory relevance only. Not so.
If Cardesignnews wants to be of higher value and interest to the car design community, then please stop the relentless pandering to the people who butter you up the most. This is not the best way for you to get the 'real' inside scoop about who/what/when/where, which you surely, in the name of journalism, are after. As it is, it's mostly hit and miss, judging by your various reviews and articles.
The studio hierarchy are sometimes the least informed and clued up individuals in the food chain, although I am obviously not suggesting that they be kept out of the CDN pages. But how about interviewing actual, working designers?? Or are you too afraid of stepping on toes, to do that? Hmmmm? Worried that giving credit, where credit is due, will unsettle someone who you presume to be of higher importance and who got there first? Take for instance the rather shocking example of the recent Mazda Furai concept car. Did you deliberately fail to mention the name of Bernard Lee in your summary of the Furai? Because you appear to have gone out of the way to mention the yoohoo that you interviewed for the review article, for some reason that we will probably never know. Worldwide, the rather small car design community is actually aware (in general, yes yes) that Mr Lee provided the intellectual input that counted, for the Furai. What is Cardesignnews' agenda? Do you realise, that misleading the community about design credit, serves to discredit yourselves?
Jaymay, I would suggest that you write the whole story as you know it and post it here, along with how you know it/your connection to the story. That way you can get your version out there. To count on the "press", in ANY form, to always get the story straight is wishful thinking in reality. Even when new facts are introduced, "they" are off to new stories, new issues. Frankly they probably do the best they can under the circumstances. Nonetheless, you have done a service to everyone here by pointing out the problem. Most readers and viewers will believe whole hog what they read and never question it. I have been burned occasionally by the automotive press in the past (with respect to design credit) but I would have to admit they were doing their jobs as best they could. On one occasion I got MORE credit than I deserved. The nice thing about this forum is that you can post your thoughts too, and get the information out there, if only to a limited degree.
You, unlike myself, seem like a very reasonable person I also think that your thoughts on the press (and CDN), are fair. On the other hand, my personal opinion is, that CDN in particular hardly over saturates their pages with new and/or interesting information, on either a daily or weekly basis - perhaps their approach is, to patiently provide little nuggets of quality information, here and there and when it becomes available to them? If so, one would expect that their (mostly old) "news" reporting be reasonably well researched. The general subject matter is fairly finite and stable.
As for the Furai, let's just say that I happen to know for sure. You are, I presume, a member of the ranks of gossip hungry design professionals, who trawls the internet daily, for info. Like me. Actual interesting and accurate 'inside' info, is not exactly something that is available in abundance - this is for the most part provided by the rumour mill and tends to spread like a Malibu wildfire.
Which is how 'we' all know that Bernard Lee designed the Furai. 'We' are somehow officially represented and informed, by CDN only out there and so it is very annoying when records need to be set straight in the first place.
CDN is kind of like the fat kid on the football team, that fails to score on an empty goal. Every time.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: jaymay,
We've just posted our in-depth review of the Furai which lists more of the design team (including lead exterior designer Bernard Lee and exterior designer Carlos Salaff).
Brett, I agree. You have indeed given credit where credit is due. Good on you and shame on me, for apparently jumping the gun here....
Jaymay
quote:
Originally posted by Brett: We've just posted our in-depth review of the Furai which lists more of the design team (including lead exterior designer Bernard Lee and exterior designer Carlos Salaff).
I think our original Highlights story correctly identifies the project lead? (We cant cover the whole design team in the short Highlights reports).
I also think that your thoughts on the press (and CDN), are fair. On the other hand, my personal opinion is, that CDN in particular hardly over saturates their pages with new and/or interesting information, on either a daily or weekly basis - perhaps their approach is, to patiently provide little nuggets of quality information, here and there and when it becomes available to them? If so, one would expect that their (mostly old) "news" reporting be reasonably well researched. The general subject matter is fairly finite and stable.
