F&B no longer?

[krazyfisher]

is it true that F&B have closed forever?

[wayno60]

Fred and Barnie have closed!!!!!! whats wilma and betty going to say??

sorry who's F and B

[Chimo]

http://www.seamedia.com.au/pub/index.php

http://www.seamedia.com.au/info/about.php

Give them a ring and see.

[Moonlighter]

F&B have been put into liquidation by the tax office due to a tax bill owing from some years ago. Happened late December, unfortunately ATO wouldn't accept a workable repayment plan that had been put forward to them.

I know that Peter Webster and Ruth Cunningham are devastated and will do everything possible to resurrect something from the situation and start again. We will just have to wait and see what emerges.

It is a real disappointment, because F&B was the only mag that gave real opinion and reviews, not paid adver-mercials for boats and other products that they reviewed. You never see any criticism in other boating magazines, nor do you see any challenges go out to the wider industry on issues that need to be addressed.

You might recall that it was F&B that broke the FICHT debacle story in Australia, thus saving many people the grief of buying one of those problematic engines. Just one example.

Maybe this lost them some friends and advertisers at times, but those thin skinned people are the ones that need to have a long look at themselves, stop shooting the messenger, and lift their games!

ML

[krazyfisher]

MMM... that is a shame I have enjoyed F&B for many years...
also not happy that they sent me a renewal in December which I paid...

[Homer_Jay]

Wondering why the mag hadnt turned up in the mail for a while, although they were not always at the same time every month.

Thats Sad news.
One thing about Webster, he told it as he believed it and didnt worry about stepping on peoples toes, love him or hate him, you gotta respect anyone who stands for what they believe. I guess you could see the writing on the wall over the last few years with them loosing advertisers (the consequence of not giving a glowing report to every boat and product tested). I also noted that their long term back page advertiser Haines Sig pulled their advertising around the time when John Haines died (from memory), I think Signature had been a major supporter from day one! And that WAS the one product Webster never seem to find too many faults with. I think the imported boat stuff would have gotten them offside in a big way!
Its a shame that most media is swayed in opinion because of shareholders and advertisers.... just look at news papers!


The mag had been a bit light on for new articles and info recently (sign of the times in the industry I guess), and you could tell that Webster was depressed with the whole thing (maybe he was loosing interest in trailer boats, as his focus was more and more on cruising over recent years), so maybe less people were buying off the shelf.

I actually came across some old mags from the 70's that he was involved with recently when cleaning out the garage with some boat tests he had written, not much has changed about the man and the way he writes since! I was going to post them down to him, but not much use now, would only give the reciever something to read!

Anyway I hope he gets something going again in the future. Although it would be hard to start again in this environment.

[Noelm]

yep, I reckon it would be a hard game to crack, the newsagents are full of Fishing/Boating magazines these days, some OK, some the "same old same old" and most just a photo album of glossy pictures with some dude posing with a fish in a location most will never visit in ten lifetimes and paid advertising taking up page after page.

[BigE]

will miss the old F&B was the first mag I'd look for when in the news agents. All business is a tough gig ATM sad to fall to the tax man if that true. seems the QLD gov is pretty good at destroying business of all sizes they have made quite an art form of it.


BigE

[rat_catcher]

Hhmmmm was wondering why I had not received a mag since November. Not good! And yes I too paid up money late last year to renew my subscription. There is a notice from the Liquidator when you go to their website now.

[upstart]

I have been a long time subscriber and had just renewed too. It's a real shame.