Rumor about John Atkinson

[gmgraves]

Someone was telling me that John Atkinson has stepped down as Editor-In-Chief at Stereophile to be replaced by Jim Austin, a long-time Contributing Editor (interesting both have the initials JA!). Someone else told me that Atkinson is in poor health and that is the reason for him stepping-down from the day-to-day running of the magazine (He will remain as Technical Editor, I understand). I certainly hope Atkinson is OK, and I hate to seem him go. He has been instrumental in making Stereophile the fine publication it is today. Anybody able to shed more light on this?

[rickca]

I don't know anything about his health.  Jim Austin is taking over but John Atkinson is still Technical Editor and will continue to contribute measurements.

[Hugo9000]

The above is his reply to @Rt66indierock's thread about the change.

[mrvco]

March 1, 2019 -https://www.stereophile.com/content/stereophile-next-generation

[Blackmorec]

Sounds like a smart move....keep the engagement and fun bits and hand the sometimes stressful and non-audio related parts over to your successor.  Basically switching from ‘more of a job’ to ‘more of a hobby’

[Thuaveta]

On 3/9/2019 at 9:51 AM, Blackmorec said:

Basically switching from ‘more of a job’ to ‘more of a hobby’

 

Yeah, it's unfortunate he didn't step down from being editor in chief of Stereophile to finally pursue his life-long dream of being a journalist.

[TubeLover]

On 3/10/2019 at 2:37 PM, Thuaveta said:

 

Yeah, it's unfortunate he didn't step down from being editor in chief of Stereophile to finally pursue his life-long dream of being a journalist.

What a sensitive and classy way to comment on an issue associated with someones diminishing health. 

 

JC

[rando]

On the other hand, anyone who survived as editor that long very well might enjoy someone having the decency to break up this memorial with a gruff slap in the face to those offering remembrances.  Insofar as JA has let us know, he's planning to do this a good while longer. 

[crenca]

10 hours ago, TubeLover said:

What a sensitive and classy way to comment on an issue associated with someones diminishing health. 

 

JC

 

What does being a journalist have to do with his health?

[TubeLover]

14 hours ago, crenca said:

 

What does being a journalist have to do with his health?

It was a more than cheap shot. Clearly you misunderstood.

 

JC

[Thuaveta]

2 hours ago, TubeLover said:

It was a more than cheap shot. Clearly you misunderstood.

 

JC

 

You're assuming two things: one is that I know more about Atkinson's health than what Stereophile has said about it, which I don't. The second is that phonies presenting themselves as journalists isn't very deeply offensive to me, which it is.

 

I've also lost enough friends to have learnt not to listen to eulogies before their time has come, because I know how painful and insulting premature memorialising is. So while I sincerely wish that Atkinson'll live a long, healthy life, I also hope that now that he has the time to do so, he'll finally see the light and tell the unvarnished story of the audio industry, which is exactly what I said.

I also hope that his successor will have the decency to use his distinguished credentials to bring more Science into the publication. My instinct would be to hope he'd start by doing a series on what Nobel prizes should be awarded should his advertisers' and reviewers' claims be accurate, but I don't have his background, and I'm certain he knows better.

[crenca]

10 hours ago, TubeLover said:

It was a more than cheap shot. Clearly you misunderstood.

 

JC

 

What Thuaveta said 😉

[Samuel T Cogley]

I don't know guys.  Any thread that has a title that begins with the words "Rumor about...", especially when it concerns someone's personal details, probably shouldn't be posted in the first place.

 

Just my $0.02

[Rt66indierock]

15 minutes ago, Samuel T Cogley said:

I don't know guys.  Any thread that has a title that begins with the words "Rumor about...", especially when it concerns someone's personal details, probably shouldn't be posted in the first place.

 

Just my $0.02

 

I think until I have proof otherwise that age 70 1/2 and RMD's are a simpler answer. 

[crenca]

Besides, we are all dying ain't we?  If it is tomorrow, or 20 years from now we are all dead in the end.  

[Samuel T Cogley]

5 minutes ago, Rt66indierock said:

 

I think until I have proof otherwise that age 70 1/2 and RMD's are a simpler answer. 

 

I have no idea what this means. 

[Rt66indierock]

Just now, Samuel T Cogley said:

 

I have no idea what this means. 

 

John is at an age where you have to start withdrawing money from pension plans. 

[Samuel T Cogley]

4 minutes ago, Rt66indierock said:

 

John is at an age where you have to start withdrawing money from pension plans. 

 

I just think it's creepy to talk about people's personal details like that.

[crenca]

2 minutes ago, Samuel T Cogley said:

 

I just think it's creepy to talk about people's personal details like that.

 

Well, I think he is just countering one likely/common/plausible explanation to the rumor of ill health.  Your point about rumors be rumors is still true.

 

Regardless, JA legacy is what it is...

[Rt66indierock]

34 minutes ago, Samuel T Cogley said:

 

I just think it's creepy to talk about people's personal details like that.

 

It is the law in the United States. He has been pretty open about turning 70 and 70 1/2.  I occasionally teach classes to CPA's and attorneys on this part of retirement planning. 

[the_bat]

13 hours ago, Thuaveta said:

I also hope that his successor will have the decency to use his distinguished credentials to bring more Science into the publication. My instinct would be to hope he'd start by doing a series on what Nobel prizes should be awarded should his advertisers' and reviewers' claims be accurate, but I don't have his background, and I'm certain he knows better.

 

That would pretty well guarantee that he (or she) didn't get to edit a second issue.

[Rt66indierock]

14 hours ago, Thuaveta said:

 

You're assuming two things: one is that I know more about Atkinson's health than what Stereophile has said about it, which I don't. The second is that phonies presenting themselves as journalists isn't very deeply offensive to me, which it is.

 

I've also lost enough friends to have learnt not to listen to eulogies before their time has come, because I know how painful and insulting premature memorialising is. So while I sincerely wish that Atkinson'll live a long, healthy life, I also hope that now that he has the time to do so, he'll finally see the light and tell the unvarnished story of the audio industry, which is exactly what I said.

I also hope that his successor will have the decency to use his distinguished credentials to bring more Science into the publication. My instinct would be to hope he'd start by doing a series on what Nobel prizes should be awarded should his advertisers' and reviewers' claims be accurate, but I don't have his background, and I'm certain he knows better.

 

Jim Austin is on his third Audio Asylum account. But don't worry I saved all the good stuff.