What you could be reading over the long weekend with Mediaweek editor James Manning.
Elle magazine’s order-your-own cover
In its latest publishing innovation that was revealed earlier this week, Bauer Media’s has launched the first ever print-on-demand cover for the May 2018 issue of Elle, with five collector’s edition covers available for pre-order now.
For the first time in Australia, a series of covers have been produced showcasing five young female stars of 2018. The #ElleRiseUp edition reflects Bauer Media’s Female Futures company purpose by celebrating talented women who are standouts in their fields of TV, music, film, sport and fashion.
Those women are singer/songwriter Amy Shark, AFLW player Darcy Vescio, model Victoria Lee and actresses Katherine Langford and Danielle Macdonald.
When Mediaweek asked Elle editor Justine Cullen about which cover might be the most popular, she replied: “I just don’t know. If we could work that out we would be better than any magazine editors anywhere. There are lots of factors to consider from the size of social followings to each person’s success in their chosen field.”
Elle usually needs 12 strong covers a year – with five different May covers it have increased its workload dramatically. Cullen noted they always have a list of different Elle cover possibilities for every edition, but they never get to dummy up all the possibilities before they make a choice.
Bauer’s online subscription portal Magshop is handling sales of the different covers and they are available from now until April 10. The editions cost $8.50 including delivery.
In the meantime Cullen told Mediaweek to look out for the April edition of the magazine, which is on sale Monday April 2, with a cover star yet to be revealed!
Gourmet Traveller website revamp
Mediaweek also carried the announcement of the new-look Gourmet Traveller website this week. We road-tested the new website and found plenty of welcome diversions and food, wine and travel information.
Content added in the past few days included a new wave of bright, lower-alcohol red wines, Guillaume Brahimi’s guide to every aspect of hosting your very own French dinner party, and ideas for long-weekend getaways, which make sense for people in the next month or two if they want to avoid the Easter holiday crowds.
There is also a “How I travel” profile of artist Patricia Piccinini, who reveals some of her suitcase essentials: “I always travel with a good cooking knife, my favourite green tea and a tea strainer. If you have a decent knife you can work around whatever crappy pots and pans you end up with, and if you have a strainer you can make decent tea in anything.”
Although there is plenty to entertain online, it’s still only a supplement to the great content the magazine provides. The Easter Gourmet Traveller edition is out now with a chocolate cake on the cover, a feature on river cruising in Russia and something very dear to our heart, a story about a quest to find the world’s best hot chocolate. We’d be happy just to track down the best in Sydney.
Who’s Beautiful People edition
Remember when the special Who Easter double issue Most Beautiful People edition was a big deal and the publisher even threw a big party to reveal some of the stars and the cover? (Maybe Pacific still has a party but we are no longer invited?)
Guess what – there still is a Beautiful People issue and it is out now with Rebecca Gibney on the cover sans makeup.
This year new editor Emma Nolan has delivered 100+ beautiful people and writes about footballer Sam Kerr in her editor’s letter.
Rebecca Gibney gets four pages inside the issue with photos by Peter Brew-Bevan and an interview with Tiffany Dunk.
There is another big feature, also coincidentally featuring Channel Seven stars, with five pages on Home and Away’s James Stewart and Sarah Roberts.
The Nine Network gets a look in though with two pages on The Voice coaches.
The issue also features the regular Who sections including their review pages and at 108 pages the double issue is great value at $4.99.
Also reading this Easter:
The Australian Women’s Weekly
Juliet Rieden spends time with Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull and Jenny Cooney interviews with Nicole Kidman.
Money
Editor Effie Zahos over-delivers every issue with more financial advice than you’ll probably ever need from a team of super-qualified specialists that still includes the brand’s chairman and chief commentator Paul Clitheroe. Former editor Pam Walkley’s real estate column and features are also well worth a read.