INVESTIGATE magazine about to launch in Australia

NZ Publisher of INVESTIGATE Launches Full Australian Edition
For immediate release
1 November 2004

After years of watching Australian publishers consolidate their press holdings in New Zealand, a kiwi independent publisher is doing the reverse: taking the fight directly to Australia.

Investigate magazine, published by HATM Magazines Ltd out of Auckland, is launching a fully-Australian edition of the publication in just a few weeks, with a confirmed print run of 100,000 copies

The move comes hard on the heels of consistent readership growth in New Zealand and increasing requests from offshore business interests for an international edition.

"Informal discussions on a possible international edition of Investigate began two years ago," HATM Magazines CEO Heidi Wishart said today. "Formal planning began last December, and the Australian edition is the first step towards a series of further strategic goals for the company.

"One of the things we wanted to avoid was foisting a New Zealand magazine on Australians. We wanted the Australian edition to be a genuine, locally-produced publication with full Australian content," she said.

The Australian edition will be published by Investigate Publishing Pty Ltd, a Victorian-registered company.

There will be advantages for readers of the New Zealand edition as well.

"The synergies and economies from this mean we can pool resources to cover major breaking stories anywhere in the world. In the past, Investigate has had New Zealand staff on the ground in Palestine, Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and New York on 9/11. From here on in, you'll be seeing a lot more first hand reportage on major international issues that affect us."

Under the new arrangement, Investigate's NZ editor Ian Wishart becomes Group Managing Editor, while former White House correspondent and Associate Editor at US News & World Report, James Morrow, comes in as Editor of the Australian edition.

The son of veteran US Time magazine essayist Lance Morrow, James Morrow shifted to Australia three years ago to marry his Sydney-based girlfriend, and has since become a leading writer for The Australian newspaper.

"James' decision to take up the reins at Investigate Australia was a real coup," said Heidi Wishart. "He has a wealth of experience not only from his travels with President Clinton as the national magazine pool reporter on Air Force One, but also from extensive reporting and writing work for magazines like Marie Claire, Men's Health, National Review Online, MSNBC, Reason and his close work with US magazine consultants Roger Black & Associates overhauling and upgrading the 500,000 circulation Success magazine.

"He is also exceedingly well-plugged-in to the Australian scene, as evidenced by the stellar team of journalists and columnists he's assembled," she said.

Another international joining the team is Advertising Sales Director Jamie Benjamin Kaye. Jamie cut his teeth in the offices of British magazine publishers DHP and PPL, before branching out to work on a number of major magazine accounts in London and New York - more recently the launch of Toni & Guy's lifestyle magazine in the US.

Like James Morrow, Jamie Kaye emigrated to Australia for personal reasons - marrying a New Zealander.

Further details and a media pack are available from editorial@investigatemagazine.com.

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