Motorcycle Mojo magazine is Canadian
I presume the Canadian motorcycling season is shorter than it is in most parts of the U.S., but those folks do ride. And not surprisingly, they have their own magazines and other media focused on riding, such as Bikertv.ca. Since 2002 that line-up has included Motorcycle Mojo magazine, a slick, high-quality publication similar to Rider, Cycle World, and others found here in the U.S.
Now here's an interesting twist. Motorcycle Mojo is supported in part by government funding. You see, they just do things differently in Canada. They used to have the Canadian Magazine Fund, but that is being surplanted this year by the Canadian Periodical Fund. Regardless of what they call it, the Canadian government "provides financial assistance to the Canadian magazine and non-daily newspaper industries so they can continue to produce and distribute Canadian content in the face of systemic disadvantages in the marketplace."
You can imagine the outcry if the U.S. tried to bolster its publications through direct subsidies. On the one hand they'd be wailing about socialism, and on the other the demise of freedom of the press. In fact, as newspapers continue to struggle and fail, one proposal has been to create non-profit organizations to fund them in order to keep them alive. In Silverton, CO, that is exactly how the local weekly has survived.
I'm not promoting anything here, just surveying the landscape. I would definitely have concerns about the press freedom issue, and I'd be curious to know how it works in Canada. Do the publishers feel any pressure at all to self-censor if they might be inclined to publish something unflattering to the government?
Regardless, I just thought you might be interested to take a look at this magazine. They make one recent issue available in full on their website, as well as a collection of their main articles from past issues. Topics include such as Exploring Manitoulin Island, They Paved Paradise and called it Newfoundland, Stu and John's Escapade North, and much more. If you've ever given thought to heading to Canada on two wheels, this could be an excellent resource. And even if you're not headed that way, there's some good reading here.
Comments
Government subsidized print is different. I wonder if they would allow a critical article on something like helmet laws.
Canadians have told me they have three seasons to our four. They are July, August and winter. I’d be jonesin’ too.
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