Jason Barlow parts company with Car magazine
Discussion
The editor of Car, Jason Barlow, has parted company with the magazine three months after overseeing a radical relaunch of the Emap title.
The motoring monthly underwent a wide-ranging revamp with a new square format and a focus on features and photography.
Breaking news was shifted onto its website, www.carmagazine.co.uk.
But sources told MediaGuardian.co.uk that some staff were unhappy with Mr Barlow's editorship of the title.
He has presented a number of TV shows including Top Gear, Driven and, last month, a Channel 4 documentary called Who's Digging Up Our Roads?.
He also writes a motoring column for GQ and has written for the Independent, Times and Daily Telegraph.
Mark Frost, the managing director of Emap Automotive (Cars), said Mr Barlow had played a "big part in an incredible transformation of Car over the last two and a half years".
He added: "We wish Jason well as he moves to the next stage of his career in writing and TV presenting, and we must now begin the search for a worthy successor, for what must be the most coveted job in automotive journalism."
Car had sales of 78,831 in the first half of this year, down 17% on a year ago, and more than a quarter down on its circulation of 108,655 in the first half of 2004.
A former editor-at-large of BBC Top Gear magazine, Mr Barlow was appointed editor of Car in August 2004.
Talking about his magazine's relaunch in August, Barlow said he had "stripped the magazine of all the elements which a website can handle better".
"The focus of this reinvention is for the magazine to play to its strengths by delivering incisive magazine craft, fearless journalism, acerbic opinion and stunning photography."
Barlow was previously an assistant editor on Car, production editor on Loaded, and production editor on Performance Car magazine. He leaves Emap with immediate effect.
http://media.guardian.co.uk/presspubl
The motoring monthly underwent a wide-ranging revamp with a new square format and a focus on features and photography.
Breaking news was shifted onto its website, www.carmagazine.co.uk.
But sources told MediaGuardian.co.uk that some staff were unhappy with Mr Barlow's editorship of the title.
He has presented a number of TV shows including Top Gear, Driven and, last month, a Channel 4 documentary called Who's Digging Up Our Roads?.
He also writes a motoring column for GQ and has written for the Independent, Times and Daily Telegraph.
Mark Frost, the managing director of Emap Automotive (Cars), said Mr Barlow had played a "big part in an incredible transformation of Car over the last two and a half years".
He added: "We wish Jason well as he moves to the next stage of his career in writing and TV presenting, and we must now begin the search for a worthy successor, for what must be the most coveted job in automotive journalism."
Car had sales of 78,831 in the first half of this year, down 17% on a year ago, and more than a quarter down on its circulation of 108,655 in the first half of 2004.
A former editor-at-large of BBC Top Gear magazine, Mr Barlow was appointed editor of Car in August 2004.
Talking about his magazine's relaunch in August, Barlow said he had "stripped the magazine of all the elements which a website can handle better".
"The focus of this reinvention is for the magazine to play to its strengths by delivering incisive magazine craft, fearless journalism, acerbic opinion and stunning photography."
Barlow was previously an assistant editor on Car, production editor on Loaded, and production editor on Performance Car magazine. He leaves Emap with immediate effect.
http://media.guardian.co.uk/presspubl
Don`t reallly know the background to this (although the circulation figures do tell some of the story). I actually think that the relaunched CAR is very good - at the least it`s distinctive and interesting. Manifold changes like this do need to pan out over a sensible period before you can judge success..
Radiohead said:
I agree about the magazine. The relaunched format is, IMO, a big success and he was right to move breaking news and the like to the interweb.
It'll be interesting to read the fuller story which will no doubt emerge over time.
It'll be interesting to read the fuller story which will no doubt emerge over time.
Interesting first post
Are you linked in anyway?
Certainly is strange that he's leaving so soon 
On the subject of magazines, you can spend a lot of money unless you are selective. CAR magazine was on my list several years ago with LJK Setright, Barker el al and I remember reading about the Holbay engined Lotus(?) 7 SIII road test and a superb article on a Le Mans DB3S with tyres so large they touched the wheel arches when fully loaded with fuel. Sadly it went the way of many mags with euroboxes and the latest BMW compared, so I gave it up and never really found it came upto scratch again.
If you want a good mag, I suggest that you pick up Motorsport. I susbscribed about 5 years ago after lapsing a monthly purchase, and I am so impressed with the quality - both presentation, content and the feel as you open the cover. You know you are looking at something different to the usual Max Power tripe on the sales shelf. No personal connection - just a discerning reader who occasionally buys a kit car mag ( noot often ), classic motorcycle mag and reads my son's Octane subscription. Top Gear mag is also sadly going the way of the others.
Just wanting to join in and sound off.
Regards
Bryan C
If you want a good mag, I suggest that you pick up Motorsport. I susbscribed about 5 years ago after lapsing a monthly purchase, and I am so impressed with the quality - both presentation, content and the feel as you open the cover. You know you are looking at something different to the usual Max Power tripe on the sales shelf. No personal connection - just a discerning reader who occasionally buys a kit car mag ( noot often ), classic motorcycle mag and reads my son's Octane subscription. Top Gear mag is also sadly going the way of the others.
Just wanting to join in and sound off.
Regards
Bryan C
I like the new CAR magazine. A lot. Yep, it will take time for the new style to 'sink in' but the pioneering - visionary IMO - web/print combination is to be applauded. The reduced circulation would - were I buying space in it - be viewed by me as a plus because I think the magazine is now better targeted than before (quality of readership before quantity).
Ironic though that Radiohead chose to make his(?) first post on an even more significant motoring medium: PH.
Ironic though that Radiohead chose to make his(?) first post on an even more significant motoring medium: PH.
I have every copy since I started earning money (that was back in 1978) so I was there in the golden years of the early 80's.
FWIW I like the new look; like anything else magazines need to change to stay the same. I'll keep my subscription going; partly because its my 'journal of record', but also because I find it makes a good counter-point to the rather breathless prose of EVO.
SS7
FWIW I like the new look; like anything else magazines need to change to stay the same. I'll keep my subscription going; partly because its my 'journal of record', but also because I find it makes a good counter-point to the rather breathless prose of EVO.
SS7
Can't stand Top Gear mag, gave up on CAR about 2 years ago and cancelled my subscription to EVO and replaced it with a sub for Octane. As it's recommended I might give MotorSport another try. I used to take it for 20 years but dropped it when it decided to focos only on classic stuff. I like a mix but don't want to read review after review of BMWs and Euroboxes. 
Rich...
Rich...richb said:
Can't stand Top Gear mag, gave up on CAR about 2 years ago and cancelled my subscription to EVO and replaced it with a sub for Octane. As it's recommended I might give MotorSport another try. I used to take it for 20 years but dropped it when it decided to focos only on classic stuff. I like a mix but don't want to read review after review of BMWs and Euroboxes. Rich...
Rich...Agree with your thought on Octane, top class read
The old Car and Top Gear were getting dominated by adverts, some of which can no doubt be interesting, and repetitive features that didnt change from month to month. Autocar I find not a bad read but has a little bit of the same. I was thinking about subscribing to something and certainly Motor Sport seems to have come back strongly.
Why the down on Evo, is it getting too like Max Power?
Why the down on Evo, is it getting too like Max Power?
I've subscribed to them all in my time and am left with Evo. I am reading their car of the year piece at the moment - great writing, a real passion for the cars and excellent photos. I fly every week and BA have started putting multiple copies of Octane out on the magazine stand in their exec lounges so I pick mine up there every month!
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