View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
February 16, 2006updated 22 Nov 2022 6:15pm

Aussie Zoo is ‘not just tits and arse’

By Press Gazette

By Colin Crummy

Emap has launched the Australian edition of Zoo, Zoo Weekly, this week, promising "a broader magazine that’s not just tits and arse".

Zoo Weekly editor Paul Merrill, who has been in Sydney preparing for the launch since last October, said the main difference with the Australian version was that it "wouldn’t rely on just girls".

"Aussie males are pretty full on, but are a bit uncomfortable with reading a magazine that’s all tits and arse on a train with their girlfriend," he said.

"We have deliberately held back there and made the magazine a bit more rounded."

Emap has invested £6m (A$15m) in the weekly men’s title — aimed at 18- to 34-year-olds with its mix of girls, gadgets, news and sport — A$0.25m of which went into research to discover the Australian male’s interests.

Readers can expect a greater variety of sport included in the magazine than its UK edition, said Merrill, but the formula would stay the same and was about "tapping into what men are talking about with their mates".

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Emap printed half a million free copies of the first issue of Zoo Weekly, the second international edition of the title, following Zoosiete’s launch in Spain last year.

Barry McIlheney, editor-in-chief of all Zoo’s international editions, joined Merrill in launching the magazine in Sydney.

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network