Poll on Rodale's Biased Reports or Not?

[Scuba446]

Lets poll this issue - do YOU feel that Rodale's Gear Test Reports are slanted?

 

[Rick Murchison]

I've been reading Rodale's for several years now. Sometimes their reviews agree with me, in which case I judge them "unbiased" - sometimes they don't, and I judge them "biased."
Rick

 

[Diversauras]

If they were they wouldn't last long, a piece of junk is still junk no matter who sings the praises. If Rodales got identified as a teller of lies then they would have no business.

When the call is better or best there may be so gray area, but on the rest of it, I don't see how.

 

[Welshman]

There have been loads of comments that Rodales are biased because they give favourable reviews to manufacturers that advertise with them. I've never seen any evidence to support this as many manufacturers of repute do not advertise with them. Most of their adverts are from travel operators, very few are from equipment manufacturers.

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

I haven't seen any evidence of it, though I have been reading the magazine for less than a year. I bought equipment based on their recommendations, and the recommendations were supported by Divernet. If two different sources agree than it must be OK.

I have even read a review where Rodale's warned people off a particular regulator saying that these particular regs should NOT be used by anyone for any reason.

All in all though, I think Rick has it right.

"Sometimes their reviews agree with me, in which case I judge them "unbiased" - sometimes they don't, and I judge them "biased.""

Marc

 

[CincyBengalsFan]

I wish they would only pick a few items a year for there awards. It seems like they have to pick 20 or 30 items a month that are "Testers Choice!".

 

[Rick Murchison]

Welshman once bubbled...
Most of their adverts are from travel operators, very few are from equipment manufacturers.

This statement piqued my curiosity, so I grabbed a "Scuba Diving" and counted...
Type Ad . . . Number of ADS . . . Pages of Ads
Trucks . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Manufacturers . . . 20 . . . . . . . . . . 13.04
Travel . . . . . . . . 50 . . . . . . . . . . 22.4
Insurance . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . 2.54
Magazines . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Training . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.33
Other . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . 0.125
----------------------------------------------------
So, while there are more than twice as many ads for travel as for manufacturers, manufacturer's ads are larger, and, I think, more than "very few."
Rick

 

[Heath74]

Because they are in the process of reviewing our weights and weight belts for a review coming out in November. I hope that they do not only favor manufactures that advertise with them other wise we'll get a poor report.

 

[Aquamaniac]

Rick Murchison once bubbled...

This statement piqued my curiosity, so I grabbed a "Scuba Diving" and counted...
Type Ad . . . Number of ADS . . . Pages of Ads
Trucks . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Manufacturers . . . 20 . . . . . . . . . . 13.04
Travel . . . . . . . . 50 . . . . . . . . . . 22.4
Insurance . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . 2.54
Magazines . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Training . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.33
Other . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . 0.125
----------------------------------------------------
So, while there are more than twice as many ads for travel as for manufacturers, manufacturer's ads are larger, and, I think, more than "very few."
Rick

FAR too much spare time Rick!!!!!

 

[Rick Murchison]

Aquamaniac once bubbled...
FAR too much spare time Rick!!!!!

I won't mention where I made the count... let's just say the time was wasted (no pun intended... har!) anyway.
Rick