Communicate, but why?

Posted: September 17th, 2006 | Author: dotblack | Filed under: Reviews, UAE | 12 Comments »

Communicate Magazine is one of my favorite monthly magazines. I can’t miss an issue if I could reach it before it is off the shelves. After four months of being a loyal reader and supporter I felt like visiting their website at www.communicate.ae, it doesn’t communicate at all! As a matter of fact it’s a dead “thing”, not even a page or a site.

It’s one of a kind but in PRINT

I can’t describe the content of the Communicate magazine, so fresh, right to the point and always has something to make you scratch your head n’ say “wow, that’s mad”. Start form the “letter from the editor” section to the end of “the dish” it’s just perfect. You can’t buy an issue and not buy the next, that bad.

Online? It’s a dead “thing”

I’m not finding a title or a name to put on the Communicate website. After reading all the rants, gossip, and discussions about the online media and e-marketing on Communicate, I can’t say anything but how shocked I am to see their own website as dead as it could be. As a web-savvy I can tell that you have not invested a dime on your online presence, I actually demand you not to write about online advertising, web, new-media, bloging, and whatever related, you can’t maintain integrity nor credibility. I really lose a little love that I’m used to giving to the articles I read on Communicate, specially the one about the false PR in the last issue titled “It’s the ice that never melts”.

Communicate, how can we e-mail you?

You’ll be shocked that the beloved magazine has only one e-mail address that you could send to. It’s 2006, I don’t know how many hours that editor’s day has, to be answering e-mails. Only one– editor@communicate.vg (the e-mail is on another domain as well).

Update: Scott MacMillan replied back: Thanks for your constructive criticism, which I agree with almost entirely. All I can say is, we’re working on it! All of it!

I’m glad Communicate is actually working on it, all I can say is I can’t wait for it to change. Note: others didn’t even blink an eye to reply back, yea, I mean ITP.

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1 Anil said at 12:05 am on September 18th, 2006:
okay this sux
2 Hello World said at 12:08 am on September 18th, 2006:
It hurt the credibility bit more than anything else. Im shocked at the number of emails provided
3 Campaign lover said at 12:11 am on September 18th, 2006:
Switch to Campaign
4 dotone said at 12:13 am on September 18th, 2006:
I already am a Campaign subscriber as well. My weekly reading doze has to have Campaign and ITWeekly.
5 Scott MacMillan said at 1:46 am on September 18th, 2006:
Hi Saleh,

First of all thanks for the words of praise for the print magazine. As for the website, well… We here at Communicate basically agree with your critique. Until now, for various reasons online just hasn’t been a big priority for us. But we recently decided to change our approach and give the website an overhaul, so your kick in the pants comes at the right time. Sorry for the brief note but I have to get back to managing my inbox. Cheers.
6 Hamad said at 2:41 am on September 18th, 2006:
comm mag is my favorite and scott’s openings are the sole excitement in the magazine. Im proud of you guys taking Saleh’s words positively and working on it. this is nice of you.
7 dotone said at 2:45 am on September 18th, 2006:
Once again I’d like to thank you Scott for the response/comment and clarifying the situation by telling us what’s to come next and what to expect. Simply, I love your interaction with the matter.
8 VIP said at 6:51 am on September 18th, 2006:
Isnt it really late to start thinking about it?
9 Dinesh said at 10:53 pm on September 21st, 2006:
Shameless plug, but scott if you need someone to help you build the site drop us a line. I have always liked the way communicate is written which is more to the point and unbiased. Keep up the good work.
10 Flower Delivery said at 10:10 am on September 29th, 2006:
Yes, Scott if you think you need a helping hand, just ask, it can’t hurt.
11 Opiate Detox said at 12:09 pm on November 3rd, 2006:
Unfortunately, not every printed magazine has an equally successful life online. Maybe your message will be heard and things will fall into place soon.
12 wicker furniture said at 5:12 am on November 24th, 2006:
I was astonished how true your critique was and when you said: “I actually demand you not to write about online advertising, web, new-media, bloging, and whatever related, you can�t maintain integrity nor credibility” at first I thought you were over reacting, but after I’ve visited their site, I realized you were right. It’s still a great magazine, too bad it has such a lousy site.