GM, Others Pay Consumers Digest for Right to Promote Vehicles as 'Best Buys'
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But First Snide's Remarks: The Consumer Digest scam
is nothing new or unusual within the car award world. It's been a dirty
little secret for a long long time and now thanks to the WSJ story reporting
that car makers pay and continue to pay auto magazines and web sites a license
fee to promote the awards they receive from these supposedly honest reviewers and editorial
decision makers, this disgusting practice will come to an end.
The Auto Channel has always
believed that without editorial honesty, magazine and web site reviews, awards and recommendations
are less than worthless they are criminal...shame on all involved with this practice. What Do You Think? msnide@theautochannel.com
May 10, 2010; Matthew Dolan writing for the WSJ reported that for the past few months, General Motors Co., eager to promote its turnaround efforts, has been running commercials citing the quality awards its cars and trucks have won from Consumers Digest.
But a closer look at the magazine, not to be confused with Consumer Reports, shows what few outside the auto industry know: Many car makers have financial ties to the publication—and to other groups that judge vehicle quality and value.
Consumers Digest chose 15 GM cars and trucks for its 2010 "Best Buy" awards—and then the auto maker paid the magazine fees for the right to mention those awards ...