MD vs. Flex
Really Setting the Record Straight
By Steve Blechman, Publisher, Editor-in-Chief
I have been reticent regarding the recent news that AMI/Weider is not allowing MD its press credentials for the 2006 Olympia Weekend. After reading Peter McGough’s article on Flex online, I think I should enter my views into the record.
Apparently, AMI CEO David Pecker was displeased with an entry in “Romano Factor” (MD Sept. 2006) describing a lunch meeting I attended along with my wife, Elyse, David Pecker and his chief marketing officer, Kevin Hyson. I was subsequently contacted by AMI events director Robin Chang via Flex Wheeler during the week of August 27th, detailing the content of an apology I was requested to write and publish as part of my editorial in the forthcoming issue of MD, in order to obtain press passes to the 2006 Mr. Olympia.
In considering those conditions, I revisited that lunch meeting and didn’t feel that John Romano misstated the facts. He may have gone a little overboard with creative license, but that’s John’s style. David Pecker is a public figure, and he makes a living jabbing at celebrities, the President and the Ayatollah; he should have thicker skin. I also didn’t think any of our comments regarding the Olympia were off base, either. Last year’s show was a disaster and that’s what we said. No different from anyone else. So, I agreed to print a retraction, but it wasn’t going to be on their terms, and I told Robin to tell David Pecker that. Here’s what I printed as my apology in my forthcoming editorial in the November issue of MD, which went to press Friday, Sept. 1:
Editor’s Page
By Steve Blechman
Talking about the Olympia, it seems as though we’ve insulted its promoter by being so critical of the Olympia and the events that surround it. They are, of course, referring to something Romano wrote. Specifically, it was his account of a lunch meeting I told him about with AMI CEO David Pecker (see “Romano Factor,” Sept. 2006).
Accordingly, it was suggested that I apologize wholeheartedly to David Pecker, stipulating that the article Romano wrote was ill founded, factually incorrect, written in an unwarranted personal tone and from a biased perspective. If any of our readers ever perceived incorrectly that MD had an agenda, which included persistent and misguided criticism of the Olympia contest, IFBB President Ben Weider and Weider Publications, I apologize. I can state unequivocally that MD never had such an agenda. Again, from things extrapolated mostly from Romano’s writings.
John Romano writes for MD under a no-censorship guarantee that he made sure was ironclad. Even though I’m the publisher, I can’t apologize for him. The only recourse I have for what has been said is to fire him. I’ll be the first to say I wish he hadn’t said some of the things he did. Perhaps his tone and poetic license were unfounded, and I can certainly understand how he could piss someone off. But I’m not going to fire him.
For the record, I went to that lunch meeting in good faith to explore AMI’s commitment to bodybuilding. Because if they weren’t committed, I had an interest in buying Flex, and maybe even Muscle & Fitness, too. I just didn’t think AMI was committed to bodybuilding. I was very disappointed with the way the meeting unfolded. I can’t apologize for Romano’s account. All I can tell you is that my wife and I were very offended.
And I don’t think that our comments about the Olympia were unfounded. Last year’s Olympia had issues and that’s what we said. No different from anyone else. I have to give props to Robin Chang, though. I have a lot of respect for him. Robin is a very hardworking and honest guy and I think if his hands aren’t tied this year, Robin will pull off a much better show. And if he does we’ll report it as such.
I’ve spoken to Romano and we’ve agreed that moving forward, we will be more careful about what we say regarding dealings that have nothing to do with the sport. I’m confident we can move ahead and leave issues such as magazine revenues, corporate sales and other machinations within the Weider organization on the sidelines, and in reporting future events he’s more than willing to swing back to center. We would like to let bygones be bygones and all move forward for the betterment of the industry.
As far as apologizing to Ben Weider, let me call your attention to page 268 and the feature John wrote about the forthcoming book by Ben and Joe Weider. John, as well as myself, have tremendous respect for Joe and Ben. Compare his review to what was said in Flex.
Not only that, but we also had more Olympia and pre-Olympia coverage than all the other bodybuilding publications put together, including Flex and M&F. I want the Olympia to be successful! It should be the bodybuilding equivalent of the Super Bowl! If the Olympia is a success it’s good for the industry. I only want what’s best for the Olympia and the industry, especially the bodybuilders.
This industry is too small to be pitted against each other. In fact, I’d like to see the top members of our industry having annual brainstorming sessions on how to grow our industry instead of working alone to keep it chopped up. Other industries hold summits to see how to grow and become better. How come we don’t do that? I speak to all the other magazine editors and publishers. But not the Weider guys, only because they won’t speak to us. I’m for everyone burying the hatchet, shaking hands and moving forward. I hope AMI/Weider agrees.
On Thursday Aug. 31, prior to the closing of the November issue, I sent a copy of my editorial to Robin Chang who forwarded it to David Pecker. On Friday, I received the “Denial” response for all MD Olympia press passes from Robin. They then followed up with an editorial Sept. 3 on Flex online written by Peter McGough.
In response to the recent post by Peter McGough, I believe much of it is factually incorrect. I would just like to say John reported things in his column as accurately as I remembered. Enough said. I would like to move on and concentrate on what’s really important and what we at MD do best— report on bodybuilding and continue to make MD the most informative, no-bull publication out there.
