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

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Bryce 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 HERE

Timestamps:
00:00 Can True Investigative Journalism Survive Today’s Media Landscape?
01:05 Auto Service Leader’s Magazine Model – No Ads, Just Content
03:27 Building a Consistent Brand & Publication Experience
05:00 How Shops & Partners Get Featured in Auto Service Leader
06:19 Bryce Evans’ B2B Publishing Background & Ratchet Wrench Insights
08:46 Filling the Information Gap: What Shop Owners Really Need
09:53 Auto Service Leader’s Searchable Resource Hub Explained
11:09 What’s Next for Auto Service Leader in 2026?
13:12 Bryce Evans’ Journey: Journalism, Moving Into Automotive
17:09 Lessons from Newsrooms & What Changed His Career Path
20:58 Why Community and Peer Groups Matter for Shop Owners
22:15 Is Print Media Dead? Newspapers vs New Media
23:27 “Everyone’s Got a Podcast” – Modern Media Challenges
25:17 Media’s Role in Political Division & Clickbait
26:19 Absolutism and the Importance of Nuance in the Auto Industry
29:44 The Art of Interviewing: Insights for Great Journalism
33:25 Dealing With Agenda-Driven Coverage as a Business Owner
36:57 Is Print Here to Stay? Why High-End Magazines Matter
38:09 Navigating Hot Button Topics: Relational vs. Transactional Selling
41:32 How Auto Service Leader Handles Problematic Sources
42:32 Private Equity & Consolidation’s Impact on the Automotive Industry