Ep 71 - Bryce Evans | The Future of Print Media and It’s Place in the Automotive Industry

About this episode

If you're like me and aren't good at marketing, don't do it on your own. Let the experts handle it. Touch HERE for more on Turnkey Marketing.Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction - and then SO MUCH MORE TIME. Learn more about Detect Auto and book a free demo now!For years I thought I could handle the hiring process on my own. But, after far too many bad hires, it was clear I needed help. Promotive came through for me with a rock star hire in just a few days and I couldn't be happier. Swallow your pride and bring in Promotive for that open position you have at your shop today. You can thank me later. Learn more HERE AI for Shop Owners: Open the Hood of the Future is happening June 12-13 at Carfix in Raleigh, NC. Use AI to your advantage! Register HEREBryce Evans is the founder and editor-in-chief of Auto Service Leader. Today, Bryce and Mike talk about the future of automotive media, the role of independent journalism, and how Auto Service Leader's innovative magazine is reshaping the information gap for shop owners. Their model puts content ahead of advertising, giving readers practical information they can actually use. They also cover the current state of journalism, the challenges of maintaining editorial integrity in today’s click-driven media landscape, and what independent shop owners can do to navigate an industry rapidly changing due to private equity and consolidation.See Auto Service Leader's work HERETimestamps: 00:00 Can True Investigative Journalism Survive Today’s Media Landscape?01:05 Auto Service Leader’s Magazine Model – No Ads, Just Content03:27 Building a Consistent Brand & Publication Experience05:00 How Shops & Partners Get Featured in Auto Service Leader06:19 Bryce Evans’ B2B Publishing Background & Ratchet Wrench Insights08:46 Filling the Information Gap: What Shop Owners Really Need09:53 Auto Service Leader’s Searchable Resource Hub Explained11:09 What’s Next for Auto Service Leader in 2026?13:12 Bryce Evans’ Journey: Journalism, Moving Into Automotive17:09 Lessons from Newsrooms & What Changed His Career Path20:58 Why Community and Peer Groups Matter for Shop Owners22:15 Is Print Media Dead? Newspapers vs New Media23:27 “Everyone’s Got a Podcast” – Modern Media Challenges25:17 Media’s Role in Political Division & Clickbait26:19 Absolutism and the Importance of Nuance in the Auto Industry29:44 The Art of Interviewing: Insights for Great Journalism33:25 Dealing With Agenda-Driven Coverage as a Business Owner36:57 Is Print Here to Stay? Why High-End Magazines Matter38:09 Navigating Hot Button Topics: Relational vs. Transactional Selling41:32 How Auto Service Leader Handles Problematic Sources42:32 Private Equity & Consolidation’s Impact on the Automotive Industry