Metro (magazine, NZ)
Encyclopedia
Metro is a glossy monthly lifestyle magazine published in New Zealand
by ACP Media. It has a strong focus on the city of Auckland
, with reportage of issues and society. The magazine was first published independently by Warwick Roger and Bruce Palmer.
The timing of Metros launch coincided with the rapid expansion of the New Zealand economy that occurred from 1984, following the election of the Fourth Labour Government, who implemented widespread neoliberal deregulation and economic reform. The increased access to imported luxury goods made Metro magazine an attractive media environment for advertisers.
Metro magazine's success led to the launch of a sister title North & South, edited by Robyn Langwell. This publication took a wider look at New Zealand regional stories. Langwell was editor of North & South until June 2007. A third title, women's interest magazine More, was launched before the stable was bought by ACP Media, an Australian publishing consortium.
Both Metro and North & South have won awards for publishing and journalism and "Metro", in particular, has been well known for its standard of photography and design under art directors William Chen and Jenny Nicholls. This tradition is still strong, with Metro winning Best Art Director (Charlie McKay) at the 2010 Qantas Media Awards.
Metros fortunes have varied since Warwick Roger gave up the editor's chair. The appointment of Bill Ralston
saw dramatic shifts in the magazine's editorial focus away from the rigor of Roger's style to a more flamboyant, celebrity style format. Sales were disappointing and a period of decline followed.
The magazine was relaunched as a large format glossy title while led by Nicola Legat, a long-time contributing journalist. The changes were intended to reverse the decline of sales and readership. At its peak Metro sold 40,000 copies but this had fallen to less than 20,000. During this period the society scandal column Felicity Ferret was dropped from Metro's pages. The Ferret briefly returned to the pages of Metro in 2009.
In 2005 Legat left the magazine to join publishing company Random House
. She was replaced by Lauren Quaintance, a former North & South writer, who oversaw a 5 per cent increase in circulation. However, Quaintance left in June 2007 to return to the Sydney Morning Herald and the long-serving deputy Bevan Rapson was appointed acting editor.
A makeover in 2009 saw Metro changed to a smaller size, and the incorporation of Citymix magazine within its pages.
In mid-2010, Rapson was replaced as editor by Simon Wilson, a Metro senior writer and former editor of Cuisine (Cuisine (magazine)
) and Consumer, the magazine published by the Consumers' Institute of New Zealand
. In 2010, Wilson oversaw a 25 per cent increase in Metros readership, according to Nielsen Media Research
.
Metro won a number of 2010 Qantas Media Awards:
Metro does not have a website, although it has recently launced an iPad app.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
by ACP Media. It has a strong focus on the city of Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, with reportage of issues and society. The magazine was first published independently by Warwick Roger and Bruce Palmer.
The timing of Metros launch coincided with the rapid expansion of the New Zealand economy that occurred from 1984, following the election of the Fourth Labour Government, who implemented widespread neoliberal deregulation and economic reform. The increased access to imported luxury goods made Metro magazine an attractive media environment for advertisers.
Metro magazine's success led to the launch of a sister title North & South, edited by Robyn Langwell. This publication took a wider look at New Zealand regional stories. Langwell was editor of North & South until June 2007. A third title, women's interest magazine More, was launched before the stable was bought by ACP Media, an Australian publishing consortium.
Both Metro and North & South have won awards for publishing and journalism and "Metro", in particular, has been well known for its standard of photography and design under art directors William Chen and Jenny Nicholls. This tradition is still strong, with Metro winning Best Art Director (Charlie McKay) at the 2010 Qantas Media Awards.
Metros fortunes have varied since Warwick Roger gave up the editor's chair. The appointment of Bill Ralston
Bill Ralston
Bill Ralston is a New Zealand journalist, broadcaster, and media personality, active in television, radio and print. He has worked as a political correspondent, fronted the television arts show Backch@t, and was the head of news and current affairs at TVNZ from 2003 to 2007...
saw dramatic shifts in the magazine's editorial focus away from the rigor of Roger's style to a more flamboyant, celebrity style format. Sales were disappointing and a period of decline followed.
The magazine was relaunched as a large format glossy title while led by Nicola Legat, a long-time contributing journalist. The changes were intended to reverse the decline of sales and readership. At its peak Metro sold 40,000 copies but this had fallen to less than 20,000. During this period the society scandal column Felicity Ferret was dropped from Metro's pages. The Ferret briefly returned to the pages of Metro in 2009.
In 2005 Legat left the magazine to join publishing company Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
. She was replaced by Lauren Quaintance, a former North & South writer, who oversaw a 5 per cent increase in circulation. However, Quaintance left in June 2007 to return to the Sydney Morning Herald and the long-serving deputy Bevan Rapson was appointed acting editor.
A makeover in 2009 saw Metro changed to a smaller size, and the incorporation of Citymix magazine within its pages.
In mid-2010, Rapson was replaced as editor by Simon Wilson, a Metro senior writer and former editor of Cuisine (Cuisine (magazine)
Cuisine (magazine)
Cuisine is a bi-monthly food and wine magazine published in New Zealand. It began publication in 1986, and has also existed in website form since December 2000.The magazine features recipes, restaurant reviews, wine reviews and travel features...
) and Consumer, the magazine published by the Consumers' Institute of New Zealand
Consumers' Institute of New Zealand
- The history of Consumer :The Consumers’ Council was established in 1959 ‘to protect and promote the interest of consumers of goods and services’. In 1963 the name Consumers Institute was adopted and in 1967 it became a separate government funded entity...
. In 2010, Wilson oversaw a 25 per cent increase in Metros readership, according to Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
.
Metro won a number of 2010 Qantas Media Awards:
- Best Magazine Feature Writer Simon Wilson,
- Best Magazine Designer Charlie McKay,
- Senior Magazine Feature Writer (Politics) Simon Wilson,
- Senior Magazine Feature Writer (Arts & Entertainment) Simon Wilson.
Metro does not have a website, although it has recently launced an iPad app.
External links
- Metro information page at ACP Media
- http://www.acpmedia.co.nz/ACPMagazines/Metro/tabid/124/Default.aspx
- ttp://www.canonmediaawards.co.nz/,/ref>