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So Shock, Hachette Filapacchi's effort to create a publication that speaks to readers who find words and punctuation too intrusive, continues to struggle for a place in the nation's newsracks. AdAge reports that Tower Records has joined the growing list of outlets that have yanked it from the shelves, although in this case the removal comes because of the ongoing conflict with photographer Michael Yon (as opposed to Rite Aid's rationale, which was that the magazine is crap.) Hachette is understandably aggrieved at the campaign against its publication. President/CEO Jack Kliger says, "There's no question that... efforts to convince retailers that it is consumers who are upset at the issue have succeeded in some cases, even though that's not what the fact is... [T]hese are not complaints being made by Shock readers — these are complaints being made by Michael Yon's followers. There's a big difference."

Without being seen to take sides, we're going to have accept Kliger's argument. You'd know if the complaints were coming from actual Shock readers: They'd be the ones written in crayon on lined paper.

Hachette Defends 'Shock' as Retailers Pull Premiere Issue [AdAge]