Is Jalopnik losing its Jalop?

"Berang" (berang)
09/29/2015 at 14:51 • Filed to: None

Has anybody else noticed that most of the most jalop content on Jalopnik is actually sourced from other websites?

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

There are several things which combined to make Jalopnik a neat site to visit - old cars - interesting cars - accessible cars. At the best of times all three rolled into one.

Doesn’t seem to happen much lately. If its an old car its usually something hyper-collectible and out of reach, if it’s interesting it’s new, if its accessible - it’s boring. When an article comes up about some cars that are all three, interesting, old, and accessible for those who aren’t mega rich - it’s usually content from some other site.

I don’t know what gives - chasing the most clicks maybe? Or a change of vision and purpose? The audience is still there, people seemed to be very interested in older, interestinger, accessible-er vehicles. Andrew P. Collins’ International Scout project got a lot of comment from readers who wanted to see more for example. My own posts about driving Subaru 360s and old SAABs got way more recommendations than most articles on Jalopnik get, and a lot of comments too, even if they didn’t rake in the viewcounts of stories about new cars. Obviously the core audience is still interested in older, interesting, accessible cars. But we mostly see current events stories that are available everywhere else, or posts about new cars, often which if they are interesting at all, are way beyond the means of the average reader.

DISCUSSION (72)

Noah - Now with more boost. > Berang
09/29/2015 at 15:03

FP “Authors” have the easiest job in the world. They repost content from other sites and shit out short, poorly proofread articles every so often. Oppo is infinitely more “Jalop” than Jalopnik itself and it has been that way for a few years, sadly.

Party-vi > Berang
09/29/2015 at 15:06

How long have you been reading Jalopnik and Gawker? They digest other websites stories and shit them out with their own funk on it. They also share videos and post these things for revenue. This is exactly what Gawker does.

Berang > Party-vi
09/29/2015 at 15:08

Been following Jalopnik since before Jason came on board, and he’s probably the last authentic jalop author still on the site. (Not dismissing the others love for cars - but they don’t post as much Jalop content as they used to)

Party-vi > Noah - Now with more boost.
09/29/2015 at 15:10

Except for the original content that Jalopnik provides, like the Rants, Test Drives, Buyer’s Guides, Jalopnik Reviews, DeMuro articles, Fuelshark, Nice Price or Crack Pipe, C7 Corvette coverage, etc.

I wish armchair automotive writers wouldn’t shit all over Jalopnik staff all the time, but it has been that way for a few years, sadly.

Future next gen S2000 owner > Berang
09/29/2015 at 15:10

Money will do that. Trying to expand the readership base without spending money.

Also, I can’t stand the endless/irrational love fest with the Miata. Just get a room already.

Margin Of Error > Berang
09/29/2015 at 15:11

Jalopnik lost its Jalop when Murilee Martin left during the Gawker riots of 1994.

duurtlang > Berang
09/29/2015 at 15:12

Agreed. And fully so. That’s what attracted me to this site back in the day (*cough* 2009 *cough*). A combination of at least two of the following: attainable, interesting, not-new, DIY. There isn’t a lot of that any more.

I’d like to read more about Maté’s Autobianchi. I bet it’ll be more interesting than at least 90% of stuff he writes about new cars.

FP right now:

News story: Chrysler under reported deaths. Not uninteresting .

$100k car. Yawn .

DeMuro: DeMuro is usually entertaining .

Oppo crosspost. Miata, road rally, and more. Interesting .

$100k car. Yawn .

BMW Neue Klasse: Interesting .

Deals: Yawn .

Suede is garbage: Okay .

2 wheels bad. Not my cup of tea, but okay I guess .

Lists: greatest US racing team. Lists: yawn .

Crossover, and an expensive one at that: yawn .

Racing/F1: not my cup of tea .

List: top 10. Yawn . This one gets a pass though because it lists user experiences instead of ‘best 10 x ’.

Racing/F1: not my cup of tea .

Toyota Anime ad: sort of interesting as there’s such a large mismatch between captivating commercial/GIF and lackluster product.

Anyway, I could go on but I won’t. Out of the 15 articles above I clicked on 4.

Berang > Party-vi
09/29/2015 at 15:21

I think people underestimate how hard it is to write articles daily - but still. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to write about interesting cars.

I think one of the weirder things was when they did the cross-country Lada trip. Had a lot of potential, but was under-reported. On their own site. It makes no sense to me.

Party-vi > Berang
09/29/2015 at 15:24

I’m sure there are quite a few stories that are written up and never posted, failing to meets the requirements for projected ad revenue or page clicks. Everyone knows click-bait sells, so we might lose some good articles to page view generating crap. I still think the good content is there, we just have a lot more filler than before because HD videos of these interesting cars is so easy to come by now.

Mercedes Streeter > Berang
09/29/2015 at 15:24

I remember when the bulk of Jalop posts were about things the everyday car enthusiast cared about...new cars they could afford, the used market, parts, stories, yadda yadda...Jalopnik was almost exactly like Oppo, but with longer articles and a little more proofreading.

Lately Jalopnik fellates itself on articles that aren’t really the original spirit of the site...which kinda sucks.

They have also taken to hating on other cars (looking at you, Aaron Brown) for little reason other than the fact that the author doesn’t like them. That’s awful.

They may have figured out that talking about million dollar cars and car gossip gathers more clicks than car projects and the adventures of writers in their contraptions.

Remember when Orlove’d was still a funny joke?

Berang > Mercedes Streeter
09/29/2015 at 15:28

Orlove needs to write more about his beetle.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Party-vi
09/29/2015 at 15:32

You know what? You’re right. I should have phrased my original comment differently. I’m sure there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work that I don’t understand. And I think you hit the nail on the head in one of your other comments: “projected ad revenue or page clicks. Everyone knows click-bait sells.” I wish there was less click bait, but that’s unrealistic. Everyone has to make money. And at the end of the day, I’d rather sift through the reposts than see Jalopnik disappear because it stuck to its roots.

Party-vi > Noah - Now with more boost.
09/29/2015 at 15:36

I wish they would follow through on the more DIY promise, but they shifted that off to The Garage. Jalopnik exists to make money for Gawker while being automotive-based, just like Jezebel exists to make Gawker cash for what they think is female-oriented content.

Also, I apologize for coming across as an asshole, but it is tiring to see people trot out the old “I miss the old Jalopnik” trope.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Party-vi
09/29/2015 at 15:39

Agreed! The Garage is a great sub-blog. And hey no worries :) This is the internet after all lol.

Sam > Berang
09/29/2015 at 15:52

All of Gawker is just reddit, but the people posting the links use their real names.

Steve in Manhattan > Berang
09/29/2015 at 15:57

I wonder if there’s some sort of algorithm that goes through all the Gawker media sites and decides what to publish where. That would explain a lot.

Berang > Steve in Manhattan
09/29/2015 at 16:00

The editors decide what goes up, although what guides them in choosing I do not know.

Steve in Manhattan > Berang
09/29/2015 at 16:08

Yeah - I have seen posts at Jalopnik and understand why they’re there - others not so much.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Future next gen S2000 owner
09/29/2015 at 16:11

We must crucify the Miata, or kill it.

Raphael Orlove > Berang
09/29/2015 at 16:37

I haven’t been driving it too much lately. Once I try to replace the wiring and the carb on it, you’ll hear more.

Raphael Orlove > Berang
09/29/2015 at 16:41

Jason is real deal

Patrick George > Berang
09/29/2015 at 16:43

Here we go again.

I feel like there’s one of these posts every three days, even when we have more original and investigative stories than ever, a bigger staff than ever, more readers than ever, one subsite devoted entirely to DIY stuff , another entirely to motorcycles , yet another devoted to entirely to racing , and just an endless amount of really cool shit lately . And even if we grab the occasional Petrolicious or XCAR video, the entire focus of the site now is being different from everyone else and it’s reflected in our work.

It’s like, people look at the site on any given day and say “THIS ISN’T 100 PERCENT OF ONLY THE THINGS I LIKE SO IT’S SHIT AND JALOPNIK HAS LOST ITS WAY.” It’s a bit disingenuous, to say the least.

So sorry we don’t have enough Subaru 360 stories? I guess? But I think my staff is doing pretty fucking awesome lately regardless.

Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez > Noah - Now with more boost.
09/29/2015 at 16:46

Here’s the great thing about having an open forum - you can write whatever you want. Want more coverage about the cars you enjoy? Write something yourself and see how it does when thrown out in front of thousands of eyes. Then you can talk about what works and what doesn’t.

Take this from a former Oppositelock poster that rambled about stuff and somehow got the easiest job in the world.

DogonCrook > Party-vi
09/29/2015 at 16:50

How is that a trope? The content isn’t as good, that’s a judgment not a trope. They needed more money so they shifted focus and now we can’t hold the opinion that the old content was better or it’s a “trope”? Sorry but that doesn’t make any sense. It’s changed, some people don’t like it, I’m not sure how you could say that’s wrong. I mean you hit the nail on the head in your comment, it’s autogawker now. Gawker is sensationalist shit, so goes jalopnik.

Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez > Steve in Manhattan
09/29/2015 at 16:57

Yes. Writers create the draft, it gets looked over by an editor to make sure it’s not a loose translation of Mein Kampf, then it gets put on the front page for people to talk about how much better it was when no one read the site.

Party-vi > DogonCrook
09/29/2015 at 16:57

It’s an all-too-common device that people use to whine about not having enough articles they like on the front page. An trope.

Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez > Margin Of Error
09/29/2015 at 16:57

The fires...they burned so bright that night...

B/Xmrrmvr > Party-vi
09/29/2015 at 17:01

I’ve been reading Jalopnik since 2006 when Mike Spinelli was writing and Ray was around. It wasn’t as Buzzfeed-esque as it is now.

Party-vi > B/Xmrrmvr
09/29/2015 at 17:03

In 2006 Mercedes didn’t sell a FWD compact car in the US to steal Honda and Toyota sales, but here we are. Jalopnik needs money to give us that sweet, sweet Jalopness we have come to expect and love from them. To get ze money, they need ze Buzzfeed-esque content. At least the front page isn’t just a collect of listicles.

DogonCrook > Party-vi
09/29/2015 at 17:10

If it’s a one liner, but he explained his issue, your just using trope to dismiss the argument.

“If a complaint is common dismiss it because it’s trendy.” -hipster.

wiffleballtony > Berang
09/29/2015 at 17:19

I see a lot of Gawker propaganda about promoting the removal of cars, roads and personal responsibility.

Patrick George > Patrick George
09/29/2015 at 17:23

And what did I do after I wrote this? I posted one author’s love letter to his aging Scion xB , including the time Tiff Needell tracked it at Willow Springs. But yeah, we’ve lost our way.

Kinja'd!!!

Party-vi > DogonCrook
09/29/2015 at 17:25

Because it’s an argument that really needs no further discussion. Jalopnik needs money to keep being Jalopnik, so content will be expanded to include things specific to increasing ad revenue and page views. I still don’t get how people can bitch about the front page getting watered down when they’re being given all this content and entertainment at no cost. At this point we’re beating a dead horse.

DogonCrook > Party-vi
09/29/2015 at 17:44

“There are several things which combined to make Jalopnik a neat site to visit - old cars - interesting cars - accessible cars. At the best of times all three rolled into one.

I guess it is beating a dead horse because you never had any intention to listen.

Steve in Manhattan > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez
09/29/2015 at 17:58

Hey - whatever works. Like Google ads, it’s easy enough for me to scroll past stuff I might read later on Jezebel.

Steve in Manhattan > Margin Of Error
09/29/2015 at 17:59

Remember those Found-on-the-Street posts? The best.

Berang > wiffleballtony
09/29/2015 at 18:17

I’m pretty sure you’ll find that everywhere these days.

DogonCrook > Patrick George
09/29/2015 at 18:18

We’re you formulating your response the entire time you read the post? Because this comes off as incredibly defensive and isn’t really a response to what he said. The truth is the focus has shifted a bit, and that’s not necessarily bad, but obviously people feel otherwise, and that’s fine too right? Indignation at reader feedback is car and drivers shtick anyways.

Berang > Raphael Orlove
09/29/2015 at 18:19

All Baja all the time.

Berang > Party-vi
09/29/2015 at 18:23

So are you saying it is impossible to make interesting cars appealing? If anything a lot of recent content is less accessible than articles about doing it yourself, or some old, arcane auto that just happens to be awesome.

DogonCrook > wiffleballtony
09/29/2015 at 18:25

Isn’t it the best? Throw lovers of ill tuned beaters in a room with green energy activists..

Party-vi > DogonCrook
09/29/2015 at 18:30

The content from other sites is to bring in revenue. OP is complaining that Jalopnik sources the most interesting (aka profit-generating) content from other sites. This is old news.

wiffleballtony > DogonCrook
09/29/2015 at 18:32

Totally. Anyone who questions their ideology is likened to an Iranian Holocaust denier.

Berang > Patrick George
09/29/2015 at 18:35

I think you missed the point of the post. Which was not to say that there are no cool articles on Jalopnik, or to claim nobody is doing a good job. I don’t think any reasonable person would claim that. But - there’s been a lack of “interesting” vehicles profiled lately. Jason Torchinsky is a good example of one who still regularly writes about vehicles that are not interesting because they’re the best, fastest, most expensive, whatever - but are interesting because of some other quality that is not generally appreciated by the automotive press. Even if that one interesting quality is wrapped in an otherwise shitty, unappreciable, or downright detestable vehicle. And that is the sort of subject matter that put Jalopnik on the radar in the first place.

Is it wrong to want such content?

Party-vi > Berang
09/29/2015 at 18:36

It’s not impossible, but it does not make sense for Jalopnik to foot the bill for it at the moment. Look at the views Jalopnik has on their own youtube videos, and then look at the views Petrolicious and Speed Hunters have. While Jalopnik gets their shit together and hones their new videos and channels, they are supplementing the vacuum of good content by bringing in this high quality content and in doing so they can generate more pageviews/ad dollars. What would you rather watch - a Petrolicious video on the Maserati A6, or a Jalopnik video on the A6 that used an iPhone to film it?

Berang > Party-vi
09/29/2015 at 18:41

I’m not really sure that’s either here or there. But I still don’t buy that it’s impossible to make “old cars” interesting, or at least more content about little things which are awesome about cars, but never get much attention.

Party-vi > Berang
09/29/2015 at 18:44

It’s not impossible to do that at all, but a website full of automotive minutiae would get pretty old after a while (check out Doug’s old place ).

Berang > Party-vi
09/29/2015 at 18:48

It doesn’t necessarily have to be a collection of trivia, or exclusively about weird, or odd, or forgotten cars of course. Just needs to have a bit more of that stuff. I think it’s odd that there are and have been many successful TV shows about old/interesting/weird cars but for some reason it just won’t work on the web?

Party-vi > Berang
09/29/2015 at 18:52

You might have to look at the shows and where they’re from. Something Jay Leno’s Garage is a perfect example. It’s just Jay with his cars and a film crew for NBC. NBC is rich as hell and can afford to produce the show. A bunch of 20 and 30-somethings sitting in front of computers with a little operating budget can’t spend too much time making this good content without lots of money to support them. It will work on the web, but Jalopnik can’t do it yet. That’s why they started Jalopnik TV. Give it some time and you’ll start seeing less Petrolicious content and more Jalopnik content.

Berang > Party-vi
09/29/2015 at 18:54

Actually I was just wondering why when Jalopnik does have posts about interesting old cars (which had been Jalopnik’s specialty) they are often from other websites - which is why I linked to the Citroen SM and BMW articles.

Those are articles that should be original content on Jalopnik.

I don’t have a problem with current events or new car posts taking info from or linking to other sites, that’s just how the internet works - there’s no getting away from that.

Berang > Party-vi
09/29/2015 at 18:57

I still don’t know about that. I mean how hard is it to find a cool car, and tape a test drive? Getting a good presenter who can speak on and to the camera well is infinitely harder than finding a couple of cameras and a microphone to do the filming.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez
09/29/2015 at 19:23

Point taken! I need to STFU and put my money where my mouth is. FWIW Tav I’m sure you work your ass off. As someone else pointed out, my original comment was 100% “armchair auto journalism.” Yikes!

Patrick George > Berang
09/29/2015 at 19:48

I saw the point, “loss of vision” is a pretty harsh thing to say. I’d love for us to write more about weird vintage cars but they’re harder to come by — harder to find and harder to convince people to let us try. But we ARE doing it. On our coming second video season we have a series where it’s nothing but Jason driving weird insane stuff. Tune in, you’re going to love it.

Patrick George > DogonCrook
09/29/2015 at 19:49

It was incredibly defensive because it’s my job to defend my staff whenever the inevitable “lol jalop sucks” post comes around. And I’d still argue we do all the stuff we’ve always done, just more of it and better than ever.

Patrick George > Noah - Now with more boost.
09/29/2015 at 19:51

That is incredibly, remarkably unfair — and untrue. Look at any of the stories I listed in my first to Berang. Nobody in car journalism works harder than we do.

Patrick George > Noah - Now with more boost.
09/29/2015 at 19:52

You guys act like we’re reviewing Camrys all day for SEO reasons! You know that’s not the case.

Patrick George > Future next gen S2000 owner
09/29/2015 at 19:53

Believe me, we’re spending plenty of money. And how many Miatas have you driven? :)

Patrick George > Berang
09/29/2015 at 19:54

It was “under-reported” because Máté was traveling through one of the most remote places on earth and didn’t exactly have WiFi readily available when he did it. But we have a huge video documenting the whole thing coming soon. Stay tuned.

Berang > Patrick George
09/29/2015 at 19:55

Well anything Jason + weird car is gold, so I’m set.

Berang > Patrick George
09/29/2015 at 20:30

Hey now, this wasn’t anything like that post claiming Jalopnik was the “jerry seinfeld of car sites” - whatever sort of an insult that is supposed to be. The writers are fine though. The topic was about subject matter.

DogonCrook > Patrick George
09/29/2015 at 20:31

This Isn’t a lol jalop sucks post though. And you have shifted focus a bit, or call it an expansion, but it does change the flavor of the site. At any rate the perception and criticism is there, maybe you don’t agree, or you could consider it and try and cater to it, or you could ignore it as misguided, but posting “another lol jalop is shit comment” considering what he said is a bit eyebrow raising imo. Frankly if what you are saying is true, I’d still read the fp more than once in a blue moon. Not that you care, I’m sure I’m just a shit poster to you. I’d wade through the things I don’t like, fair enough. I personally happen to agree though that there are less gems than usual. But maybe I’m a fool for wanting articles on old Subaru’s and maybe you don’t give a fuck. I can live with that. But passive aggressively implying that’s ridiculous doesn’t do you any favors. I’ll go elsewhere, but it strikes me as fair to say jalop has sold out for that comment alone.

Patrick George > Berang
09/29/2015 at 20:33

Fair enough, and I appreciate the eyeballs and the input, always. I just love our team and I’m proud of the work we do every day. Sorry if my tone was bad, this is a button for me but I have nothing but respect for our readers.

Can we still get a beer in Austin sometime and talk old Saabs? I owe you drinks. And I continue to love your R&T artwork.

DogonCrook > Patrick George
09/29/2015 at 20:42

My last comment was a bit harsh, then I read this. I can’t speak for everyone but had you just posted that you are trying and listnening that would have satisfied me. The Subaru comment was a low blow, and it triggered something lol.

Berang > Patrick George
09/29/2015 at 20:46

I’m still very busy until probably part way through next month. If you’re serious though, you can always reach me by email and I would set aside some time and bring the old car out.

Patrick George > DogonCrook
09/29/2015 at 20:47

Thank you. We’re cool. We are listening and we are trying. We’re also doing a lot of good stuff I’m proud of, so please keep giving us a shot.

DogonCrook > Party-vi
09/29/2015 at 20:50

He’s complaining that’s the most interesting to him, and that wasn’t the case before. You are completely refusing to hear his argument railing against shit nobody said.

Chariotoflove > Patrick George
09/29/2015 at 21:03

Patrick, forgive me for butting into your conversation here. I have a little different perspective, not having been a Jalopnik reader for long enough to remember “the good ole days”. What I see is a site that is trying to expand its readership, and that means making more and diverse offerings to the car-lovers community. I think that is the right way to go, and I accept that it means there will be more stuff that isn’t my cup of tea along with more stuff that is. That’s okay; I have work to do in between reading articles.

What attracts me to Jalopnik and Oppo is the sense of community here, and the idea that I can sometimes say something that makes a contribution. I don’t know many commercial news sites where I can read the editor in chief responding personally to random commenters and listening to them. That’s special, and I came here to ask you to please never lose that. It’s a big part of what makes Jalopnik different. It makes me think I may be able to help improve the site in some way. Carry on!

Party-vi > DogonCrook
09/29/2015 at 21:03

Yep had my head up my ass. Good call.

Patrick George > Chariotoflove
09/29/2015 at 21:04

Very kind of you to say so. Thanks for reading us, I promise the best is yet to come.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Patrick George
09/29/2015 at 22:54

I’ve driven one. My friend’s ‘91 NA. :p

Noah - Now with more boost. > Patrick George
09/30/2015 at 02:09

Yeah, I'm a dick. Sorry :(

Margin Of Error > Steve in Manhattan
09/30/2015 at 09:00

Down on the streets (DOTS)