Model Railroading > Model Railroader Awards - The Hobby's Participation Trophy?

I was talking to a friend today about awards that are given to companies after we noticed a Facebook post telling people to vote for an award.  The discussion quickly turned to Model Railroader Magazine's awards program.  We were reviewing the winners of last year's awards and noticed there are 61 CATEGORIES each with a winner and runner up.  This totals 122 awards.  Yet companies take the voting very seriously with every company out there sharing the voting push.  What is so captivating or prestigious about this awards program when there are 122 awards given out?  Is it not MR's way of soliciting advertising from these companies?  Is MR even prestigious anymore with the massive losses in advertisers and subscribers?

John R.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/03/19 19:55 by PM1225Steam.

PM1225Steam Wrote:
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> Is it not MR's way of soliciting advertising from
> these companies?  Is MR even prestigious anymore
> with the massive losses in advertisers and subscribers?
>
> John R.

There is an old saying: "Money talks".  I would assume money is a major part of the prestige MR once had and would logically via advertising. 

However, as many are aware, the world is a changin and advertising with it.  Companies seem to be discovering after shifting to the internet that now they can get a lot of effective advertising mileage for free, in many cases, via social media, Facebook and the like, even forums.  Online magazines were, for a while, taking advantage of the shift to online advertising vs. traditional hard-copy, but are now losing their revenue stream as the companies are making the 2nd shift to the free or lower cost venues.  It seems this shift, and loss of a major revenue stream is hitting magzines like MR hard and along with it perhaps such things as the awards.  

Cheers, Jim

As a video producer I was enticed to submit some work to a contest about fifteen years ago. Video could not exceed ten minutes. There was a $25 submission fee to cover their expenses. For some reason I entered the contest and to my surprise I won. I got a certificate to frame but if I wanted a an engraved trophy with my award I had to pay $125. Soon figured this was a scam and never entered again. Wonder how many people entered. That $25 fee could really add up if hundreds entered.