Word magazine cover unveiled

By Ruth Addicott

David Hepworth and Mark Ellen have unveiled the cover of their new music and entertainment magazine, Word.

The first issue is due out on 6 February with a cover price of £3.50. It features interviews with Nick Cave, John Peel, Eminem, EastEnders scriptwriter Andrew Collins and magazine tycoon and Dennis Publishing boss Felix Dennis.

Ellen, who co-launched some of Emap’s biggest titles with Hepworth – including Q, Mojo, J-17 and Smash! Hits – said Word was pulled together in just six weeks. Former Q art editor Keith Drummond and ex-Q and Mojo editor Paul Du Noyer are also involved. “If you have a very small company like this, then you’re obviously in control of everything,” Ellen said. “At Emap it got increasingly difficult to organise meetings. It would take several days and several PAs to book a room on the fourth floor and for all the marketing people to arrive, whereas all the marketing decisions here are made by the same people who do the advertising and editorial – it’s just us,” he told Press Gazette.

Word will sit alongside Q and Mojo on the news-stands, although it will also have an emphasis on films, books and other entertainment.

“I understand the people at Emap are going round in circles tearing their hair out about the threat of Development Hell, which is all very flattering, but I think when they see it, they’ll realise it’s not in direct competition and doesn’t even look like any other magazine,” Ellen said.