H & H. Haven't they c****ed up with an Article?

[Maesfen]

As the title says!

Page 34 - The Young Faces of Our Future.

A nice article about young lads entering hunt service with some good photographs - BIG shame they didn't proof read properly and assign the correct pic to the right lad!

Even the pictures gave us the clues! Wynnstay hounds all Old English, Edward wearing a 'crossed foxes' tie. United mostly light coloured hounds and Charlie wearing a 'United' fleece. How many more clues do you want for goodness sake?

For your information, the big pic at start of article is our Edward, not Charlie as captioned; Charlie is captioned as Edward. Only one they got right is Christopher! What a shame for the lads that it wasn't got right in the first place.

H & H, this is just not good enough, the standard of proofing on the mag has been appalling for the last few years; not only this sort of thing but spelling in adverts too; don't you have experienced horse people that know (or should) what spelling is all about?

We deserve and expect better, after all it's not a cheap magazine now. For goodness sake get your act together else be prepared to lose some business.

 

[S_N]

*claps*

It's not just the spelling in the adverts, but a dun gelding and the pic was a bay foal. Ads in the wrong places - horses for sale in with transport, jobs in the horses for sale etc......

 

[SSM]

I am in agreement with the proofing of H&H being dire!

In the past placed a recruitment ad for a client, it appeared in property for sale!!!!!!! compensation was very limited is all I can say!!!!

Interestingly the results for Moorgreen show when they appeared - I came 2nd in the inhand CB class (correct) but someone came 3rd - unless there was an invisible horse I'm not sure who they were!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Maesfen]

Thanks, glad someone agrees with me; I'm not a lone voice in the wilderness! Have sent it to the editor too; bet they don't publish!!

Yes, all those as well. They drive me mad! OH is fed up of me swearing WTH when I'm reading it!!

In some ways it would be good to live in London and sort them out - but then again, no thanks, I'd rather go without the mag than do that again!!

 

[S_N]

[ QUOTE ]
In some ways it would be good to live in London and sort them out

[/ QUOTE ]

I actually interviewed for their classifieds team nearly 2 yrs ago now - was told I didn't have enough experience........

 

[Maesfen]

You'd think though wouldn't you that they would have proofed that article properly, it was by the past editor of the magazine and wasn't just a paragraph at the bottom of a page tucked away somewhere?
Surely they would have liked to prove that they can and have been managing well without him since he retired?

Not that I'd be convinced, it's gone seriously downhill the last few years IMO!

As regards your results, well words almost fail me although to be fair to them, they would have taken it from someone who in turn might have got it wrong - then again, they might have just c****ed up again!!

 

[Maesfen]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
In some ways it would be good to live in London and sort them out

[/ QUOTE ]

I actually interviewed for their classifieds team nearly 2 yrs ago now - was told I didn't have enough experience........

[/ QUOTE ]

I've just choked on my lemon tea!! PMSL!!

You can spell can't you, surely that would be a big improvement for a start and you know the difference between a horse and a house, that's a bonus too?!

 

[the watcher]

It isn't just the quality, but the nature of the reporting too. A friend of mine did very well in an endurance event a few months ago, beating a number of sponsored high profile riders. What do you know, the more high profile riders got the article and my friend had a passing mention at the very bottom for winning..she did ask me how she is ever going to get sponsorship without publicity for doing well and I couldn't answer that

 

[hussar]

Totally agree with The Watcher. We got a full page report following our Scottish endurance Championships in August - but they only reported on how the national teams did and completely ignored performances by individuals even if they beat the team members!

And the spelling of 'chesnut' in the ads drives me nuts (no pun intended!). Surely someone must have told them the word has a 't' in the middle - it's the same in Horse magazine.

 

[kick_On]

I bet you their deadlines are so tight it doesn't leave space to proof correctly. Copying proofing is an art and i bet you it's left up to editor or sub editor to proof instead of a copyright person???? Also i bet you that the designers who load up articles, aren't interested in subject but just want to make text fit space, so will not pick up this kind of blunder (i speak from experience)
As for writing article it's a subjective point of view.......

 

[Maesfen]

[ QUOTE ]
I bet you their deadlines are so tight it doesn't leave space to proof correctly. Copying proofing is an art and i bet you it's left up to editor or sub editor to proof instead of a copyright person???? Also i bet you that the designers who load up articles, aren't interested in subject but just want to make text fit space, so will not pick up this kind of blunder (i speak from experience)
As for writing article it's a subjective point of view.......

[/ QUOTE ]

That does not mean they shouldn't know how to spell or know which division an advert should be does it though; that should be a priority - you don't expect a mechanic to throw an engine together without any knowledge, same should be for proof readers; it's a requirement of their job and mistakes in that should not happen!
I understand about the article writing but then again you would think the editors themselves would want 'underdog' stories wouldn't you?
Sorry about all the question marks - no proof reader!!

 

[Sooty]

That is pretty slipshod, and not what you expect from an expensive national magazine. It might be an idea to email their editor, they might not get the message from here.

 

[kick_On]

But it's a case of the world dumbing down. I work in this type of industry and it's changed due to technology and making things more cost effective etc...
It would not surprise me if the 'mac operators' were doing 3 or 4 different magazine in one week!!!! (and not on fab dosh and defo not trained copy proofers)
I've noticed for a long time adverts being put wrong places and wrong photo used but it happens or should i say, they will allow a certain % to be wrong!!!
As for main article that's purely down to lack of proofing before hitting print run and the editor has to take 'the can' for that one!!
I would suggest that for article writing that they would want to know were the star are and if they didn't win why - but i agree the winner should have their achievements highlight more.
But getting back to original point i bet you someone did get a b0llucking and i bet you there will be a correction in next week magazine

 

[katelarge]

Well, I have been a journalist, magazine editor and sub editor for 12 years, and I'm afraid accidents do happen. Captioning is generally left to a sub but someone will look over the copy before it goes to repro so it should have been picked up. The errors in classified are nothing to do with editorial, they come under the ad department.

H&H is a VERY busy mag (I too interviewed there some years back), the deadlines are extremely tight, they generally work over every bank holiday, many weekends and are under a great deal of pressure. So while I think it's fair to expect a quality product, it's also fair on the staff to complain politely and accept that errors can occur. Mistakes do jump out at you, but remember all the things they get right, that we all take for granted...

 

[Maesfen]

Already have - and had a reply too! I quote:-

Hello Pat
Couldn't agree more, it is most annoying. I have spoken to Edward's parents and apologised (they said they would pass our apologies on to Edward himself), and to Charlie. I'm glad to say the parties directly involved were extremely nice about it.
N

This was from the Hunting Editor. I just have to substitute 'annoying' with 'appalling' but at least she was on the ball which was nice.

 

[Dutch]

As a journalist myself I have seen mistakes in HH occassionally ever since I first started reading it.

Would you really be prepared not to buy the magazine for an occassioanl mistake like the wrong picture for the face? Oh please, sort yourself out.

 

[Nic]

No but if they got my ad wrong I would think twice about using them again. I assumed this is what mfh was referring to?

 

[S_N]

As it's now £2.10 a WEEK - then yeah - I've certainly stopped buying it! Esp. considering the cost of actually advertising in there! I believe that there are a few users on here and I know of a at least 2 people locally who's adverts have failed to make the copy ..........

 

[katelarge]

I agre - have you ever seen the mistakes in the national papers? Pictures with "caption runs here" underneath? Cos I have! And don't even start me on The Guardian - universally known as the Grauniad by journos because the subbing is so bad!

 

[katelarge]

Well, problems with ads are not good and to be taken up with the ad team - but it's not worth berating editorial about because they are different departments...

 

[Tempi]

its the same online aswell - they always put the wrong pictures with adverts, for example a grey mare has a bay by it instead.

also the fact that they always put horses in with the lorries and lorries in the the horses.

i also sent in an advert a while ago and it never even got put in, i then cancelled the cheque and sent it again and it still didnt appear. it cant have got lost in the post twice in a row........

 

[Weezy]

I think you will find the classified pages are run by advertisment staff and nothing really to do with H&H - "Can be seen with Peter Store" made me laugh this week!

As a (ex) professional copy writer/sub/editor etc etc accidents do happen - wrong captions on pics are VERY annoying but to err IS human, to forgive is divine

 

[Maesfen]

PMSL! I'll never get to heaven then!

 

[Weezy]

I think I gave up my angel rights - especially as I am sat here swearing! Having my first sit down of the day and I have no red numbers so am trying to work out what is new and what is not and its giving me a headache!

 

[Irishcobs]

I noticed alot of spelling mistakes in the articles and adverts, but wasn't brave enough to post it on here incase Admin told me off.

 

[vicijp]

What do you all think of this I am about to send to another horsey publication? This is after 3 phone convos, 5 emails and a week of unreturned calls.
'I am still awaiting an answer regarding my query as to why my advert wasnt included in the November edition. I am trying to run a business here, if I treated my customers with the lack of respect you show yours, I would be even more skint than I am due to your cock ups.'

 

[dingle12]

it gone up again to 2.20 now, and half the time my pages are stuck together, i wish they would sort it out.

 

[HHO admin]

I think it is about time I joined in this debate. Firstly, my thanks to those who have pointed out the speed and circumstances under which we work here at H&H. However, that is no excuse for mistakes. We do our best to ensure that any errors in editorial copy are corrected, but advertising and editorial are quite separate departments and we have no control over the text in the ads.

With regard to the feature “The young faces of the future’, an error was made and as soon as it was spotted, our Hunting Editor was straight on the telephone to the families of the people concerned to forewarn them and offer our apologies. They were charming and understanding.

While we don’t actually work for three or four different magazines (although thanks for the support), we certainly don’t have banks of proof readers either and most of the staff have several areas of responsibility and sub-edit too.

However, comments like these keep us on our toes and give us the cause to look at our working practices and see where we can make improvements. Keep it up!

Jaki Bell
DEPUTY EDITOR
HORSE & HOUND

 

[kick_On]

got to ask:
gee... us a job

 

[milliepup]

I've had 3 adverts pleaced wrongly in the past 6 months or so! Last week they placed an advert for me which I knew nothing about!! It was an advert I placed a few weeks ago and they just happened to re-insert it...
It does seem to be going downhill rapidly and I really hate they way they have their advertising set up now.

Maybe I just don't like change but...........