I wrote an email to John Atkinson yesterday and there has been a dialog between me, Mr Atkinson and Mr Fremer, and we all agree that we have both stepped over the line. in this thread. I certainly have and Michael Fremer has apologized too.
At Mr Atkinson's request I'm posting his response:
The blue writing is Mr Atkinson's responses
>I have been a Stereophile subscriber for a long time, and for most of this
period I have enjoyed reading Stereophile, but I think things have changed,
and I think attitudes of you editors have changed.<
Sorry to hear that, Harald. I have been editing Stereophile for more than 22 years and I don't believe my attitude has changed in that time, I still believe that listening to one's favorite music in the highest possible quality is one of the most rewarding ways to spend time.
>When I post a thread at Audioholics forum, I do this as a private person,
when Michael Fremer adds a very rude post at Audioholics forum signed as
"Stereophile Senior Contributing Editor" he is not writing this as a private
person but in my sense he represents Stereophile officially.<
I agree, He is representing Stereophile on forums like that, even if he does not attach the tag line.
>I believe that companies that do not value theit customers and those who
actually buy the product, will be out of business. Simple fact. Do you value
your customers? Do you try to keep in touch with customers, when I look at
how some persons in your company reacts to criticism I wonder...<
Of course I value my readers. I checked out the May 2008 thread you referred to at
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43732 . Yes, I agree that Micheal Fremer's response was intemperate, but when you write that:
>This was as a response to a very critical post by me...
I have to say that your original post was also insulting and intemperate and, considering the factual inaccuracies -- what continued Musical Fidelity and Triangle reviews by Sam Tellig? what review of Monster Cable in Stereophile (mentioned by you in a subsequent posting)? -- it appeared to be little more than a rather mean-spirited troll. So while I don't condone Michael's language, I do sympathize with his vexation over the attitude that came over in your posting.
And yes, Stereophile does devote a significant proportion of its review space to budget-priced gear. See, for example, the listing at
http://www.stereophile.com/budgetcomponents/ . I do feel that many of the magazine's critics on the Audioholics forum either don't read the magazine thoroughly or at all.
>I don't ask for anything from Stereophile, I'm just seeing that probably
most active participants at Audioholics forum are seriosly shocked by Mr
Fremer's way of approaching his customers and his way of responding to
criticism.<
To be honest, I think you are being disingenuous here. Your original post was immoderate and confrontational in tone: ie, "Perhaps I'll renew my subscription just to have a monthly laugh" and "Does this man [Michael Fremer] have a problem with his ego? or another part?" Did you really not expect that Michael might be offended by your post? As I said, while I wouldn't have responded to your post in the manner Michael did -- my skin is probably thicker than his -- I do understand why he wrote the way he did.
> Does mr Fremer know that he is talking to the people that
actually provides his paycheck?<
I think this point would have greater validity if some Audioholics posters didn't admit they read the magazine free at the bookstore rather than purchasing it
Thank you for writing. And you are welcome, of course, to post this response to Audioholics if you so wish.
John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile
