Surf Journalism Deceased?

[Jonahbrah]

Did surf journalism become obsolete with print? Is BeachGrit's popularity a testament to the death of serious surf writing? What is going on with this generation?

 

[racer1]

You could argue that BeachGrit is more serious than Surfer or SurfersJournal. Yeah it's gossipy, but BG also write about content that those mags would never touch. I still think there's space for a Thrasher of surfing.

 

[Boneroni]

You could argue that BeachGrit is more serious than Surfer or SurfersJournal. Yeah it's gossipy, but BG also write about content that those mags would never touch. I still think there's space for a Thrasher of surfing.

Isn't that what stab is trying to be?

 

[ElOgro]

It died when Bassy got the boot.

 

[racer1]

Isn't that what stab is trying to be?

They could never be.

 

[Woke AF]

It died when Bassy got the boot.

Or was it that Bassy killed it long ago.

 

[gbg]

It died when Bassy got the boot.

Really? He got the jack boots?

 

[Kento]

You could argue that BeachGrit is more serious than Surfer or SurfersJournal. Yeah it's gossipy, but BG also write about content that those mags would never touch. I still think there's space for a Thrasher of surfing.

Or better yet, Heckler.

 

[billypilgrim]

They could never be.

Ashton is no Phelper.

 

[Goodfish]

What are you talking about? There are loads of good writers on Beach Grit! Longtom and JP Currie are consistently excellent. Jen See and Derek are always good. Chas writes a lot of fluff and stream-of-consciousness stuff on there, but his books are great reads.

Surfer and The Surfer's Journal are still decent. Stab mainly makes me cringe.

 

[bigglesworth]

Where did it all go wrong for Stab? 5 years ago or so it was decent.

 

[billypilgrim]

Their good writers left. Ashton became the editor. The comment section started being regulated. Now we have "articles" about the latest and greatest leash technology, wavepools, and soft tops, not to mention that trite chit they let those tools Rory Parker and Alistair Klinkenburg post.

 

[Sharkbiscuit]

Really? He got the jack boots?

 

[casa_mugrienta]

Isn't that what stab is trying to be?

STAB is pretty much advertorial now. Has been especially since Ashton Goggins took over. Total joke of its former self.

 

[Autoprax]

It died when Bassy got the boot.

Be good and your good.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

They could never be.

Not now at least.

At one time there was actually really good writing + hilarious irreverent writing and interviews.

It's not even the same magazine for some years now and especially since Ashton Goggans took over...the vision is so far removed from that of the creators.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

Their good writers left. Ashton became the editor. The comment section started being regulated. Now we have "articles" about the latest and greatest leash technology, wavepools, and soft tops, not to mention that trite chit they let those tools Rory Parker

It's taken an SJW direction too w/

Ashton Goggans
Rory Parker
Michael Ciaramella

Some of Michael's stuff has just been plain factually inaccurate. He also writes opinion as fact.
We all know about Rory and Ashton too.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

Ashton is no Phelper.

Got that right.

He tries way too hard. A boring guy presiding over a boring publication.

The Red Bull stuff he's doing now is fucking painful. I've tried to watch because I know the actual content is probably interesting and there's good surfing but AG is like nails on a chalkboard. Total turnoff.

 

[_____]

Really? He got the jack boots?

He made a post about getting let go. But really, how much would you pay someone to moderate a surf forum an write a few online articles these days? Ask r32 or Groundswell/Friscodisco (or tenover, haha). $0? Bassy got some prime cush online surf website work for several years before it tanked just like Bbong, Quik etc and untenable bro jobs went the way of the dodo bird.

 

[bigglesworth]

It's quite amusing that this Goggans fellow is universally reviled. I wonder if he has any idea.