WTF happened to Rolling Stone?

JPNor

Shared on Mon, 10/06/2008 - 08:32

I have been reading Rolling Stone magazine on and off for over a decade. Roughly 10 years ago, it was great and I really enjoyed reading it. Since then I lost some interest in the magazine. I canceled my subscription but I'd pick up a copy every now and then.

Several months back, I started receiving copies in the mail again. I never paid for a subscription and never got the "Happy Birthday, here's a subscription" card from anybody. Nonetheless, I'm still getting the magazine every two weeks. The quality certainly has deteriorated but there's this other thing that's really starting to annoy me.

In March, Barack Obama dominated the front page. At the time he was ahead in the primaries and everybody was talking about him. I disregarded Rolling Stone's liberal stance chalking it up to the fact that the rag is about current events, and Obama certainly was a current event.

Then I noticed a similar trend on the cover of nearly every issue in my mailbox. "Sarah Palin's history of lies"; "McCain's track record of failure"; "Why John McCain will sink this country". Those headlines aren't exact but you get the idea.

I'm not saying I agree or disagree with Rolling Stone's political agenda. Personally, I'm registered independent and haven't made my decision yet. But I'd rather make the decision on my own terms without having Rolling Stone try to make it for me. I really don't need Pro-Obama/Anti-McCain propoganda shoved down my throat.

I don't remember Rolling Stone always having been like this. Even just 10 years ago, I don't remember politics being anywhere near the cover (except when the Clinton/Lewinsky thing happened but then what magazine wasn't talking about that?).

Fuck it, I'll just buy Penthouse and Hustler.

Comments

Azuredreams's picture
Submitted by Azuredreams on Mon, 10/06/2008 - 08:40
+1 Way to think for yourself bro. If only more people would do that this election, we wouldn't be electing a president on who is isn't and or what skin tone he happened to be born with.
BalekFekete's picture
Submitted by BalekFekete on Mon, 10/06/2008 - 08:43
"Fuck it, I'll just buy Penthouse and Hustler." Now THAT is the right attitude! :) Seriously tho', I am 110% with you in the camp of deploring any type of propaganda from any avenue. I want facts, without rhetoric, to make my own decisions on. The prime place I can't stand politics is when I go to mass. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, gets me to tune out faster to a homily than when the priest starts going off on a political rant. *grr*
TDrag27's picture
Submitted by TDrag27 on Mon, 10/06/2008 - 09:30
According to my non-scientific estimates....60% of people vote according to their thoughts on abortion. 20% of people vote according to the magazine covers they see in the grocery store aisle. And 20% think for themselves. PS - My last number is probably a little high.
JPNor's picture
Submitted by JPNor on Mon, 10/06/2008 - 09:39
@Balek: Wow, I'd be even more aggravated at that than I am at Rolling Stone. At least the Obama camp is paying huge sums of money for Rolling Stone to focus so much on it. The priest is taking it upon himself to push his political viewpoints on the congregation.
Shashayla's picture
Submitted by Shashayla on Mon, 10/06/2008 - 09:44
Whatever happened to Music on Rolling Stone? Of course they've always had their left-wing views, but they usually use a singer or celebrity on the cover to tout it for them

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