Media Monitor
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Media Monitor |
| Publisher: | Plastic Cow Productions |
| Editor(s): | Dar F & Ann Teitelbaum |
| Type: | adzine |
| Date(s): | February 1992-1997 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | multimedia |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Media Monitor is an adzine that was published by Ann Teitelbaum and Dar F.
Media Monitor was a subscription/pay adzine that published from 1992 through 1997. Like many other adzines it contained fanzine listings for multiple fandoms and all genres (slash and gen), along with wanted ads and notifications of fannish events such as conventions.
Each issue of the Media Monitor averaged between 50 and 60 pages. In 1993 the cost was $5/issue, $20/year.
Media Monitor took a 2-year hiatus in the after the publication of issue #10 in winter of 1994 and returned in summer of 1996, this time including Internet listings such as the first Due South FTP fan fiction site Hexwood, along with information about mailing lists, newsgroups and websites.
It also began offering the adzine in electronic format which helped overseas fans who had to pay extra postage.
It ceased publication in 1997 with issue #14.
Description
Description of the adzine from Plastic Cow Productions:
Media Monitor is published three times a year, in January, May, September. Hard copy format is 11" x 8.5", comb bound. (Email text version is available for overseas subscribers only.) Listings are updated each issue to ensure that the information is as current as possible.
Media Monitor is open to all fandoms (including original fiction) and everything from G- to X-rated material. Fanzines are listed alphabetically by fandom and zine title in the following categories: "premiering" (hot off the presses), "published" (older titles still available), "periodicals" (letterzines, etc., sold by subscription), and "proposed" (open to submissions). Additionally, there are "postings" (all the latest fannish spots on the internet) and "personals" (used zine sales, convention listings, merchandise, etc.) And new in 1997: "presenting" (a brief introduction to different fandoms).
Placement of unlimited print ads is free to all subscribers. Non-subscribers pay a $1/issue fee for unlimited print ads, which covers the cost of mailing editorial an
d guidelines to keep advertisers apprised of any policy changes. Email or SASE for display ad rates and subscription rates.
Ratings
From the second issue:
To assist the readers, please include a "rating" of your zine, especially if it contains adult material. In fact, since this subject matter is what is most likely to offend the unwary, you need only rate your listing if contains adult subject matter. Unless otherwise specified, we will assume the listings are G-PG.
R, X: R = adult themes, sales to adults only suggested. X = sexually explicit material, sales to adults only.
18+, 21+: Age statement required. To order sexually explicit material, buyer must include an age statement verifying they are over required age and know the content of the material they are buying.
M/F, M/M, F/F: Type of sexually explicit material present. M/F = "straight" male-with-female sex scenes included. M/F = "gay" male-with-male sex scenes included. F/F = "lesbian"female-with-female sex scenes included. (Note: as lash mark between names usually denotes a sexual relationship between those characters. Although generally used to signify homosexual liaisons ("slash"relationships), it may also be used in connection with heterosexual relationships.)
GV: Graphic violence included.
AU: Alternate universe material included. An "alternate universe" is any significant departure from the facts, events or characterizations of the series, film, or book upon which the fandom is based, i.e.: vampires, time displacement (past or future),etc.. For the sake of conformity, unless otherwise specified by the individual editor, "slash" (homoerotica) is not considered an alternate universe.
Please note, if only a portion of a zine contains any of the above material, an editor may justify it by saying "some GV, or" some M/M", etc..
Fandom's Transition To The Internet
From a 1996 issue:
There have been some changes in fandom in the almost-two years since Media Monitor ceased publication, the most notable being the increased use of the Internet. For this reason, we have added a new section to the adzine: Postings. Included here are Web sites, fiction archives and newsgroups. This increased used of the Internet has also spawned a new online version of the Media Monitor. Sent out to subscribers via electronic ('E') mail, this no-frills version of the adzine is a great money saver for overseas fans.
The "Internet" guides sections of the Media Monitor covered a wide range of topics, all with the aim of education the fan to the new communication medium. For instance the 1996 issue explained mailing lists:
Mailing Lists are a convenient way for a group of people to share their input on a given subject. Think of them as online letterzines, only with an instantaneous turnaround. Once you suscribe, you automatically begin receiving all the mail that the list members contribute. Be careful to follow the instructions for signing up for mailing lists exactly as they are explained, because many times the list is maintained by computer, which is programmed only to respond to specific wording. Be forewarned: some active mailing lists can generate up to 100 messages in a day, so consider this before subscribing to many lists at the same time.
Websites:
Websites are set up to present the reader with specific information about a certain topic. Most include links (direct connections) to other Websites offering related information. Ask your system administrator if you have web access.
Newsgroups:
Newsgroups are like online bulletin boards. You go to the site, read all the postings and respond if you want. It is suggested you read only (lurk) for the first few days so you can get an idea of the appropriate subject matter open for discussion. Some series have two or more Newsgroups: one for discussion of the series, and another for posting and discussion of fiction, for instance. Keep in mind Newsgroups are open to everyone, from minors to the production staff of the series/movie; therefore advertising your latest slash zine may not be in your best interest. Before asking any questions in a Newsgroup, you should always read their FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), so you don't inadvertently ask a question that has already been answered ten times before you posed it. If you don't see the FAQ list when your first visit the Newsgroup, post and ask where you can get a copy of it.
A 1996 Internet section ends with this warning:
A WORD OF ADVICE: THE INTERNET IS OPEN TO EVERYONE, FROM MINORS TO PRODUCTION STAFF. BE CAREFUL WHEN POSTING INFORMATION ABOUT FANNISH ENDEAVORS. ALSO, NEVER ASSUME IT'S ALL RIGHT TO POST ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU, WHETHER IT'S A STORY, ARTWORK, ZINE INFORMATION OR SOMEONE ELSE'S NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS. ALWAYS GET EXPRESS PERMISSION BEFORE YOU POST ANYONE ELSE'S MATERIAL!
In a 1997 introduction, the editors stopped sending out subscriptions via email for people who did not live overseas.
We are now limiting email subscriptions to people overseas. Aside from it being more work that we had originally intended, what with having to resend the files in several different formats instead of just ascii, we realized the email files were just to easy for folks to pass along to their friends. Now, mind you, we have no problem whatsoever with people sharing zines, but the ease at which they can do it over the internet is sobering. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause anyone, but the bottom line is that Media Monitor depends upon subscription money to be produced. No income, no zine, it's that simple.
Covers
issue #1, February 1992, front cover, 58 pages
issue #2, May 1992, 79 pages
issue #7, August 1993, front cover, 68 pages
issue #7, August 1993, back cover
front cover of issue #10, Winter 1994, 61 pages
issue #11, Summer 1996, front cover, 96 pages
issue #11, back cover
issue #12, Winter 1997, front cover, 60 pages
issue #12, back cover
issue #13, Spring 1997, front cover, 120 pages
issue #13, back cover
issue #14, Fall 1997, front cover
issue #14, back cover
Reviews
- From 1992: "Easily the flashiest of the adzines, it is the only one to feature a premiering section and a ratings scale for each fanzine. Media Monitor takes the best from Popstand and Zine Scene and adds in some new ideas, but is nowhere near as complete as Zine Scene. Media Monitor is new, so on-time schedule of issues has yet to be foreseen. (Note: we do agent this for Ann and Darlene.)" [1]
- From 1993: "I like this one. It's by the gang who brings you Frisky Business. The ads are separated onto different colored paper by whether the zine is premiering, published, or proposed, and there's categories for personals, fan-clubs, and misc. other stuff. Ads are free if you subscribe. The ads are alphabetical by fandom WITHIN each category, so you don't have to wade through the listings for an infinite number of Trek zines to find that lone S/H one." [2]
References
- ^ comment by Bill Hupe in The Trekzine Times v.2 n.2/3
- ^ from a review posted to the Virgule-L mailing list