Saturday 31 July 2010

Rock the Casbah

From a commenter:
Rolling Stone Middle East being launched before the end of the year. Ex-ENG staff on board apparently. Publisher is the same as FYI - poor man's What's On. Will such a cult mag work out here?

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

From Arabian Business, 25/7:

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/593413-new-daily-sports-paper-to-launch-in-uae

Anonymous said...

Lots of editorial from the KT left to join this paper - which sounds a lot like pie in the sky for now.

How can they justify a daily newspaper on sports?

Anonymous said...

is the ex-ed of Ahlan, OK Middle East etc behind it?

Anonymous said...

"Publisher is the same as FYI"

Thought this was a typo, but a quick Google showed me that, yes, there is a magazine out here called FYI. Never seen it in all of my five years living here.

It'll be interesting to see how Rolling Stone does. They've printed some great stories over the years but I'd be surprised if we saw much of the same political and lifestyle features being done locally.

Fear and Loathing In Abu Dhabi?

Anonymous said...

Ex-ENG staff..?

So, that means that anyone who contributes to it won't get paid...

Benj said...

What's the score with ENG? Has ANYONE who left been paid? And if not (which I understand to be the case) what are they doing about it?
In the absence of any sort of NUJ, is this something we should be making a stand on in some way?

Anonymous said...

Benj - check out the Tweet thread. It looks as thought TMF and ENGMC staff are getting together!
Fight, fight, fight!

Dog Friendly Hotels said...

come on man...after so long..Rolling Stones is Rolling Stones man.hell yeah!!! whether its "FYI" or let it be anybody...what matters is its THE ROLLING STONES MAGAZINE.

Anonymous said...

Hey man, I think it's actually called Rolling Stone, the Rolling Stones are a groovy new band from London who play some really hot licks and the singer is a total gas. Maybe they have a fanzine called ROLLING STONES MAGAZINE, that sounds like a blast. Man.

Eiffel Tower Hotels said...

Its no new band anyway..The singer is Jim Morrison & he's like...you know what ...doped & all...Godly.He has been one of the greatest front man ever..

Anonymous said...

I should mention that a friend of mine left ENG media - having not been paid for three months - to join a breakaway team made up of former ENG salesmen. He hasn't been paid there either and, having had dealings with these people, I would describe them as rude bullies. They seem to not pay anyone and I know that at least two of the staff there have paid people out of their own pockets. I feel truly sorry for them, keep telling them to get out and wish there was a way to warn other people against working for these charlatans. the odd things is, they have a big name backer and could pay off their debts at a whim if they so desired. It's shameful, it really is. But they will be found out. And once my friends have left, I'll be the first to expose them, believe me.

Anonymous said...

FYi - terrible. What hope for Rolling Stone? Isn't the editor in chief that student type character who was at Campaign - Alan Grumpy/Grundig/Gaudy?

Anonymous said...

Anon@22.19: You are referring to TMF I trust?

Anonymous said...

So we have magazines edited by people called Alan (RS) and Russell (TMF)?
No wonder the media industry is collapsing (albeit outside of ITP)

Anonymous said...

09.27 - actually, I wasn't. But since then, and over a coffee morning conversation with my friend at TMF, it seems she is being treated rather similarly. Sh hasn't paid her freelancers personally (although neither has the cpmpany) so it's one step up I guess.
One of the friends I was referring to has atually lent the company owner money to pay wages, so he tells me. An employee paying staff salaries?! Really.

Anonymous said...

Alan and Russell sound like a comedy duo. But isn't Alan actually Adam?
Adam and Russell sound like saturday morning hosts.

Anonymous said...

Superb effort people. About time we had a magazine over here that's willing and able to stick two fingers up at the government and provide cutting edge reports. Well done FYI.

Anonymous said...

Will such a magazine work out here? You were referring to the fact the magazine in question is cutting edge and, therefore, likely to upset the conservative authorities. But the authorities will tolerate any mildly risque company at the moment as they're desperate to save Dubai from collapse.

No magazine that relies on newstand sales and local advertising revenue can prosper in Dubai in the internet age with or without a recession. The fact locally published magazines cost less than international versions is not sufficient incentive, especially if they are toned down for cultural reasons.

The emirate is shrinking in population numbers and wealth per head. Any new launches are foolhardy.

Just ask Andrea Slater and Russell Frame of TMF, even if their downfall was also due to their arrogance and ignorance.