The resurgence of New Zealand's magazine scene

Monday, 17 August 2020

New Zealand’s magazine scene is shaking off the body blow suffered earlier this year, with an array of titles launching over the coming months.

Bauer announced in March that it was bringing its New Zealand operations to an abrupt end, meaning the loss of 230 jobs and the end of many of the country’s magazine titles.

But since then, the sector has rebuilt itself to something more like its former health. Former Bauer staffers launched Capsule, and former editor-in-chief of Fashion Quarterly and Simply You magazines Zoe Walker Ahwa along with PR specialist Rebecca Wadey revealed a new online fashion, beauty and lifestyle website, Ensemble this week.

Now Sido Kitchin, editorial director of a number of women’s magazines at Bauer, is launching three monthly magazines, Scout, Thrive and Haven and fortnightly magazine Woman.

Kitchin said she was approached by Stanley St advertising agency boss Greg Partington to set up the magazines under his publishing company, School Road Publishing, last month.

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Sido Kitchin was editorial director of a number of women’s magazines owned by German-owned Bauer Media, before its exit from the New Zealand market in April.

Kitchin said while this year had been “rocky” for the magazine industry, lifestyle magazines were thriving and the outpouring of support from Bauer Media readers after its exit encouraged her to launch her own titles.

“Magazines are selling exceptionally well. And that’s because of a mix of a lack of competition after so many magazines closed, and because you don’t know what you have until it’s gone,” Kitchin said.

“I like to think that women have fallen back in love with magazines. It’s a positive time to launch magazines.”

Scout was a travel magazine to be edited by Sarah-Kate Lynch, Thrive a wellness magazine with Wendyl Nissen as editor, Haven had a focus on home and living with Vanessa Marshall as editor and Kitchin would take the helm of Woman, a magazine about what’s driving New Zealand women.

Kitchin said she was looking to hire a team of about 20, including a number of former Bauer Media staff.

L-R Wendyl Nissen, Vanessa Marshall, Sido Kitchin, Sarah-Kate Lynch.

All four magazines would be sold on newsstands, and through subscriptions, Kitchin said.

She said it was challenging and exciting to build a magazine brand from scratch that was reflective of “today’s women”.

“At Bauer, while it was a very privileged position, I was a guardian of the brands and magazines that had been publishing for a very long time. You would evolve them, but not radically change them because readers loved them so much.

“I’ve got a unique understanding of what women want from their magazine. I’m using all that knowledge to start anew.

“Just over these past five months or so, there would be so many stories of New Zealand women that haven’t been told.”

Kitchin said, while she was still setting up for the launch, she was looking forward to getting started on the content for her magazines.

“It’s an opportunity to wipe the slate clean, think about how our world’s changed and what New Zealand women really care about right now. That really excites me.”

In July, Mercury Capital, the new owner of Bauer Media’s titles in New Zealand, announced it would resume publishing some titles immediately.

Former Bauer Australia-New Zealand chief executive Paul Dykzeul, was joining the board as a consultant to the publishing business.

RESURGENCE OF MAGAZINES

It’s not all over for Bauer’s titles, either.

In July, Mercury Capital, the new owner of Bauer Media’s titles in New Zealand, announced it would resume publishing some titles and had sold others.

The New Zealand portfolio will consist of flagship titles Woman’s Day, New Zealand Woman’s Weekly, and The Australian Women’s Weekly NZ, along with Your Home & Garden, current affairs weekly NZ Listener and Air New Zealand’s Kia Ora.

Metro magazine was acquired by independent publisher Simon Chesterman in July. North & South was sold to independent publishers Konstantin Richter and Verena Friederike Hasel.

Kitchin said revival of the Bauer Media magazines was important for the overall magazine landscape.

“I’ve worked on some of those magazines for 15 years, so I know them very well. The editors of the magazines are very good friends. I wish them well.”

According to Roy Morgan research, between June 2018 and June 2019, readership of the New Zealand Listener dropped by 1.1 per cent to 231,000 readers compared to the same time the previous year.

Other popular magazines under the media organisation such as NZ Woman's Day, Australian Women's Weekly NZ and NZ Woman's Weekly also saw declining readership compared to the previous year. But Metro magazine had an increase in readership of 0.1 per cent to a readership of 57,000.

The Spinoff founder and managing editor Duncan Greive said while the magazine industry was challenging, the relaunch of titles by local owners would be supported by readers.

“The goodwill that exists towards an independent start-up with history and contacts in the area, that is no longer attached to a giant German conglomerate, is just a lot bigger,” Greive said.

“Paradoxically the collapse of Bauer made the case that if you love media you have to pay for it, otherwise it just goes away.”