PW Torch vs. Observer Subscription

Subscribe to both, download loads from their archives, then cancel the one you like least at the end of the month. I think the Observer is far better. If you hate MMA and just want wrestling content, maybe you might prefer the Torch.

The Observer by far. I don't know why anyone would pay for the torch.

Of the two, I'd lean the Observer/F4W because of their history but I would personally recommend giving PWInsider a look. It's I think $3 cheaper, has hours of audio content a week and newsletters going back to the mid 90s or so.

I don't know about WNW.

I had never heard of "Wrestling News World" until it was mentioned here. I've also never heard of the guys who run it. Copy and paste news site for sure.

Observer.

OMG, I downloaded all the B&V shows back in January, and I'm nowhere close to finished listening to all of them. I still have like 5 years of audio left.

HOWWWSSS IT GOING EVERYBODY!?! Ya, I much prefer the Observer/F4W~!

It's been a few months since I've been subscribed, but I plan to renew my sub in two weeks when I get a decent pay cheque and have more time to read the newsletters. I plan to go back and listen to a lot of the audio shows that I've missed lately.

Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez are great, as is Vinny and Granny when they have her on. Plus the bi-weekly shows with Lance Storm are really interesting, and I often even enjoy listening to "capital T" Todd Martin.

The only thing I wish they would do differently is to keep the MMA and wrestling content separate. It would allow people the choice to pick and choose what they listen to. Instead, I often feel forced to sit through MMA talk, which I have zero interest in, or I have to fast forward and try to stop it right when they get back into WWE or TNA talk. But that's just a small complaint.

Oh, and the other great perk with the Observer is the board... there are some real characters over there.

This reminds me of that one time the Torch were misguided enough to have an open comment box on the tail of every article. I've never seen a more consistent and venomous string of bile than in there, mostly directed at Keller, but no one was safe. Pretty sizable disdain for the product, mostly sourced at their near-inability to give WWE any credit. Almost reminds me of Powerslam magazine.

I like Prowrestling.net's product, but Chris Shore is the most depressing figure of a reviewer, so very down on everything, and it feels as though he tunes into every broadcast actively looking for negatives, which is a no-no for any critic in any artform. It's a shame, as Jason Powell is a very reasonable, somewhat credible leader of the product.

Basically, yes, going by feedback, I've heard far less rotten things about the Observer than the two mentioned. If you're going for one, that'd probably be where I'd go.

Just out of curiousity, do you have access to the archives if you just subscribe for, say, a month, and how far back do the archives go? I'm interested in hearing more about the 2001-2003 era in particular.

That was a great recommendation, awesome episode to listen to. Are there any other ones you guys think are must listens?