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DEAD CELEBRITIES SPECIAL - COMPUTER TRADE WEEKLY
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Those of you who are not from the UK might well not have seen this trade
paper/magazine. It was circulated on a weekly basis to all computer dealers in
the UK and across some parts of Europe in later years. However, as I remember
it more from a UK point of view, it was with a slight feeling of sadness that I
logged onto their website to be greeted with a message that CTW itself was no
more.
CTW was a strange magazine, in all respects. Virtually in charge of the leisure
and gaming marketplaces since it arrived, various industry spokespeople were
usually represented giving their views on the topics of the day relating to
computer gaming.
It was in these hallowed pages that the decision was made by one or two large
software companies to stop developing games for the ST and later the Amiga. The
same pages before were also pretty much responsible for the death of the 8-bit
scene as a market. I guess this might well have happened anyway given
developments over the years. CTW were also left 'on the hop' a few times, with
their promotion of hardware that didn't make it onto the shelves for whatever
reason.
Take, for instance, Konix's now fabled console, which, while it never got into
stores as far I personally saw, it was backed up to the hilt by the biggie
software houses, despite the fact that it failed as a format. Other examples of
this were with the high promotion of the Amiga CDTV and CD32, both machines
which, while getting into the high street, failed to make their mark fully. The
Phillips CDi ? - well, less said about that the better.
Out of all the articles that were in the issues of CTW that I saw, one stands
out as being particularly memorable. During the furore of the trial of the kids
who murdered James Bulger, the infamous British tabloids started waging a war
against all stuff that kids in particular were interested in. Computer games
was an obvious target, second only to Chucky, the killer 'Child's Play' doll in
some cases. The article itself was about the backlash and how independent
stores could survive despite that. Unfortunately, due to the recession at the
time in the economy, they were disappearing anyhow :(
I managed personally to see a few copies of CTW, either reading it at Dowling
Computers' (R.I.P) store in Bedford, or by getting it via Del Stables in
Blackpool, who used to get it when he ran his games store in the town. Yes, the
same Del Stables who wrote the famous 'Behind the Counter' article ! On that
note, I'm pleased to say that he is still alive and well, though retired now. I
hope to see him sometime fairly soon.
So, bye-bye CTW ........ You will not be missed that greatly, but even so, you
were a good read when you were obtainable :)
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Felice.
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