It doesn't have to be "bad." All writers in "our" magazines are pulling their punches unless it's straight-forward bucolic and descriptive. They know what happens to writers who kick against the traces. How many times have members rightly commented about the endless infomercials?
King, there's a vast difference between what Imus and Zumbo did (both having placed feet squarely in their respective mouths) and writing "infomercials". Guys that read gun reviews and say, "Gee, the writers never say anything bad about the guns they review!" must not be reading the same reviews I am, or else they have problems with reading comprehension. I'm going to do a piece on Turkish doubles in the near future. I have one of the new S&W's to play around with. Nice enough gun from what I've seen so far--but the trigger pulls measure 9 1/2#. That WILL be included in the article.
