I don’t think watch media is comparable to mainstream press, by and large, and so the factors that impact the latter shouldn’t matter for the former. There are hardly any independent voices in watch media to begin with, a point underscored for me by Stephen Pulvirent’s recent Collective Horology podcast interview. What appears to me as the wasted opportunity is for any serious watch media enterprise to strive for true independence and cater only to its readers (as readers and not a captive audience to sell products to). Maybe it’s impossible, but maybe no one even seriously tried.
I don’t think watch media is comparable to mainstream press, by and large, and so the factors that impact the latter shouldn’t matter for the former. There are hardly any independent voices in watch media to begin with, a point underscored for me by Stephen Pulvirent’s recent Collective Horology podcast interview. What appears to me as the wasted opportunity is for any serious watch media enterprise to strive for true independence and cater only to its readers (as readers and not a captive audience to sell products to). Maybe it’s impossible, but maybe no one even seriously tried.
Agree with everything you’ve said, except that I feel watch media is largely comparable to other category media (SI, Pitchfork, etc)