“I could see the writing on the wall when there were no bloody ads in the magazine … I mean I wonder how long New Idea can survive. Kerry Packer would be spinning in his grave if he could see what was happening to his beloved Australian Women’s Weekly … it’s been gutted, as have all the magazines,” Nene told PS.
“But I had my day in the sun in magazines, I am just so terribly sad for all those photographers, journalists, creatives who have lost their jobs. And I’m sad for a once-great industry that was lots of fun to be in, that it is now on its last legs. I was in it when we were flying, really flying. Today people don’t even believe what is published in them any more, it’s a great shame.”
It just mean newsagents will have to import US and UK editions of the magazines listed (except NW) which will cost more.
It doesn’t make sense to close three health-related titles at once. Mercury should have kept one of them, or merged all three.
Mercury Capital has sold the New Zealand titles North and South and Metro to independent publishers, which will resume publication “as soon as possible”.
North & South has been sold to independent publishers Konstantin Richter and Verena Friederike Hasel, with Metro is going to Simon Chesterman.
I’m sure someone in Australia would be interested in reviving some of the titles that were axed here today. Especially the health titles. I’m sure there’s life still in those once we’re past coronavirus.
who is left to take them on? Pacific Magazines and Bauer were about the only large scale magazine publishers left. And now they are the same company.
Some of those overseas titles would have hefty licencing fees too I imagine. Could be prohibitive for any of the smaller, niche publishers that might still be around?
TBH, I’m surprised NW has even lasted this long. It always seemed to me to be a bit superfluous with so many other celebrity magazines around. But I have never really been in its target market so perhaps I’m just ignorant
