Changing name of Mexico Expat Press to Lake Chapala Reporter....

This is a repeat of what I also posted on TOB.....am I the only one who thinks it's a bit presumptious of the website editor/publisher?  I feel that this is a rather bad move on the part of this particular web based magazine.  The Guadalajara Reporter...already has a section on Lake Chapala, and the potential for confusion between the two media outlets is substantial.  I have an online subscription to THE GUAD REPORTER and just find it all too similar.  Don't like that they've appropriated this name, and wonder if others have any thoughts on this at all?

I went to this Mexico Expat Press and Google redirected me to the Lake Chapala Reporter. When I googled the Lake Chapala Reporter, the first four hits involved links to the GR. So, any confusion will be in favor of the GR. By the way, the two sites look and read nothing alike. It is clear they are not the same publication. The GR allows a fair amount of reading for nonsubscribers. The LCR does not. You have to subscribe to get anything out of it. At any rate, the GR does not own the word "Reporter" or the news coming out of the Lake Chapala region. Whoever does a better job will get the readers. That is good old-fashioned competition. The GR could use some.

Lady Otter Latté wrote:I went to this Mexico Expat Press and Google redirected me to the Lake Chapala Reporter. When I googled the Lake Chapala Reporter, the first four hits involved links to the GR. So, any confusion will be in favor of the GR. By the way, the two sites look and read nothing alike. It is clear they are not the same publication. The GR allows a fair amount of reading for nonsubscribers. The LCR does not. You have to subscribe to get anything out of it. At any rate, the GR does not own the word "Reporter" or the news coming out of the Lake Chapala region. Whoever does a better job will get the readers. That is good old-fashioned competition. The GR could use some.

Lady O, can't say that I don't agree with you in theory...competition is never bad. However, I do still have a corporation, formed ten years ago, where we were jumping through many hoops, working with our lawyers and notario, and those that run the registries; it can a bit snarly legally when names are quite similar....we ended up having to change the name ultimately of the corporation. And it wasn't nearly the same as....these are.

Ah, I was wondering why this captured your interest. Knowing the problems that names can cause it is surprizing they chose to go with Reporter--unless they are linked in some way. I mean, why not call it Lake Chapala Press and keep whatever good will the old name had garnered--unless it didn´t have any? I had never heard of it before. There was nothing on their home page that made me want to pay money to read more.

Who would pay for a site that you can't read anything on. A real crap shoot if they have anything of value

This publication has always been hyper-active with it's self promotion with very little to offer.
I will be surprised if "jack3sea", doesn't re-emerge.

Oh, good call, Slainte! I had forgotten about jack3sea!
The publication did seem to be all sizzle and no steak, from what I could see without paying money.

Lady Otter Latté wrote:Oh, good call, Slainte! I had forgotten about jack3sea!
The publication did seem to be all sizzle and no steak, from what I could see without paying money.

Just a note, isn't my intention to criticize or not, this publication. I've never read it, I have no idea whether it's good or not good (and that is so subjective anyway). I do realize it is very different to the Guadalajara Reporter, from what I have heard. My only concern is the similarity in naming...after forming and still owning a corporation, SA de CV, here in Jalisco. If it is registered as such, the potential for confusion and possible conflict exists...given my personal experience with registering names etc. That's all.

Oh I know you did not criticize the publication, just voiced doubt on the wisdom of the new name selection. But, once the subject is broached, others will give their opinions. Several people here were not impressed with what they saw pf the publication and said so. On TOB we might be admonoished to stay on the topic of the name similarity but here we are allowed to meander much as people do when having coffee and chatting. It is part of what we love about this board.

Lady Otter Latté wrote:Oh I know you did not criticize the publication, just voiced doubt on the wisdom of the new name selection. But, once the subject is broached, others will give their opinions. Several people here were not impressed with what they saw pf the publication and said so. On TOB we might be admonoished to stay on the topic of the name similarity but here we are allowed to meander much as people do when having coffee and chatting. It is part of what we love about this board.

absolutely completely agree with you!!!! thanks Lady O.

To me, a case of riding on someone's else's coat-tails. We have theLake Chapala Review and the Guadalajara Reporter. Why would anyone confiscate these two exisiting local names when trying to establish a separate identity? No idea what was wrong withtheoriginal name. I must ask, how many other newspapers anywhere use "Reporter" in the name that we know of? How simplistic. How lacking in originality and wit.

And on a separate note, and no offense intended, why comment that "the GR could use some" competition? I'm glad we have an English-speaking newspaper, that brings us important Mexican and local news, every single week. Cripes, there was a time here not so long ago when this kind of criticism was unheard of around lakeside. People were just happy to get something English in print. What are we now, little America?

Sorry, I do not feel I should just be happy I have "something in English." No business is so sacred that it can not be expected to improve.

But again, are they bad? Sure, I see typos, but what else? They have a very small staff and operate on a shoestring budget. I'm amazed at the stuff they come up sometimes.

And again, no offense, but I disagree: I'm happy to have something in English here in the middle of Mexico. And we have two English magazines, too. These guys all subsist on advertising, truly, and there isn't that much to go around. Especially the last few years with the agonizingly poor state of the economy in our area.

Again, no business is sacred and above criticism.
All I said was they could use some competition. Relax. Love the GR. Never criticise it. Be grateful for it. Appreciate it. Defend it. Just do not expect everyone else to feel the same way about it as you do.
For the record, I do appreciate the English publications. But, that does not mean I hold them above reproach and never criticise them. And, I know you disagree with me.

I certainly don't disagree with your comments, not at all. I don't think we should be scrapping over those. My original question was, what's wrong with the GR? Saying they could use the competition implies that they are failing in some way. I'm just curious.

No, it does not imply they are failing. Sometimes, businesses get complacent when they have no competition. They fall into a rut. They allow little things to slip`past. They stop seeking and innovating. A little competition gets the blood flowing and the customer benefits.

So you are generalizing, right? You don't see anything particularly wrong with the paper?

HelperGuy, I am finished playing with you. It has been fun but now it is just boring.

Ah, so you really have no answer. You were just pretending to be smarter than everyone else. Good for you.

I am not smarter than EVERYONE else, but I am smarter than SOME people. I am also less smart than others. Funny how it works out that way. BTW, I never was pretending. You were reading something into what I wrote that was not there.

If you say so. You still can't, or won't, answer the very simple question.

That is correct. I won´t.

Geez, now I'm bored.

To get back to the original topic - sort of - Mexico Expat Press started life as a knock-off of Mexico Insights. Perhaps there haven't been as many subscribers as hoped, so a name change to maybe snag a few newbies who think they are getting the weekly rag?

Seems like an unusual name choice for an e-zine targeting expat retirees who may choose one of a number of other popular Mexican retirement locations.

Mexico Insights left big shoes to fill. Renaming the publication "The Lake Chapala Reporter" indicates a narrowing of the focus. If that does not work, maybe another name change to "Mexico Expat Lake Chapala Insights Reporter Press"?