This week on The Publisher Podcast we speak to Katie Vanneck Smith, CEO at Hearst UK. Katie's career spans The Times, The Wall Street Journal and the Telegraph, as well as co-founding Tortoise. In...
Publishing ideas to steal: local celebrities, podcasts, and low-cost alternatives
Media Voices co-host Peter Houston sends out a weekly newsletter called The Magazine Diaries. Each edition shares the best magazine publishing ideas he comes across for you to steal, adapt or...
Editor and Founder of Paranting Magazine Sophia Waterfield on creating a new type of lifestyle magazine
In this episode we hear from Sophia Waterfield, editor and founder of Paranting Magazine. It’s a magazine for parents, but for parents that don’t have time for some of the aspirational BS that...
Transcript: The start-ups saving local news in the U.S.
Esthe Thorpe
Esther Thorpe: Hello and welcome to this special episode of Media Voices. I’m Esther Thorpe, and this episode I’ll be speaking to some...
Transcript: Paul McNamee, UK Editor, The Big Issue
Peter Houston
Peter Houston: How was your induction into the Scottish PPA's hall of fame?
Paul McNamee: It was a big surprise. It was a very...
How servitization is helping build a sustainable business model at Writer’s Digest
Despite challenging print sales, Writer's Digest has built a strong online community, with almost half its revenue now coming from online education. Mary Hogarth...
The New Republic’s Literary Editor Laura Marsh on storytelling through print and podcasts
On this week's episode we hear from The New Republic's Literary Editor Laura Marsh. She tells us about what makes working in an audio format especially rewarding, discovering famous literary...
Transcript: Terri White, Former Editor-in-Chief, EMPIRE Magazine
Peter Houston
Peter Houston: Thanks for actually talking to us, now that you're famous and have been on Loose Women. As far as I know, you're the first...
Former EMPIRE Editor in Chief Terri White on why she left the best job in magazines
In this special episode of Media Voices, former Editor in Chief of EMPIRE Terri White takes us through the changes she made during her time at the magazine, from opening up the brand to a wider...
Transcript: Sophie Cross, Editor & Publisher, Freelancer Magazine
Interviewer: Peter Houston
Peter Houston: What was your career like before you became an independent magazine publisher?
Sophie Cross: I...
Editor and publisher of Freelancer Sophie Cross on the joys of launching an indie mag
In this week's episode we hear from Sophie Cross, the founder and editor of Freelancer magazine. She tells Peter about her penchant for writing business plans, the freelance community that...
Transcript: Chris Duncan, CEO, Bauer
Interviewer: Esther Kezia Thorpe
Esther Kezia Thorpe: What was it like joining and having to steer the company just as lockdown hit?
Chris...
Transcript: Chris Maillard, Editor-in-Chief, Decanter
Interviewer: Peter Houston
Peter Houston: So tell me about your illustrious career in magazines.
Chris Maillard: Yes, my illustrious career in...
Transcript: Erin McCarthy, Editor in Chief, Mental Floss
Interviewer: Peter Houston
Peter Houston: So what is Mental Floss?
Erin McCarthy: Mental Floss is an online destination for curious people at...
Mental Floss Editor in Chief Erin McCarthy on the title’s 20-year mission to make readers smarter
This week Mental Floss Editor in Chief Erin McCarthy tells us about how it's celebrating its 20th anniversary, how the magazine started in a university dorm room, its mission to help people feel...
Transcript: Gina Tonic, Co-Founder, The Fat Zine
Interviewer: Peter Houston
Peter Houston: How did the Fat Zine come about?
Gina Tonic: So the Fat Zine was my pet idea, maybe a few years ago,...
WSJ Editor of Live Journalism Kim Last on virtual events as a live magazine
This week, we hear from The Wall Street Journal's Editor of Live Journalism and Special Content Kim Last. She talks about the role of live journalism at the publication, how they adapted when the...
Transcript: Hannah Robathan, Co-Founder, Shado
Interviewer: Peter Houston
Peter Houston: Why did you start Shado?
Hannah Robathan: We started Shado in 2019 out of...
Transcript: Paul Cheal, CEO, Big Issue
Interviewer: Peter Houston
Peter Houston: How did you start out in media?
Paul Cheal: My story in media started after I came out of university....
Transcript: Hannah Taylor, Founder, Delicate Rebéllion
Interviewer: Peter Houston
Peter Houston: What made you want to start Delicate Rebéllion?
Hannah Taylor: For me, it goes...
Transcript: Dr Samir Husni, Founder and Director of the Magazine Innovation Center
Interviewer: Peter Houston
Dr Samir Husni: Simply put, I am the man who loves magazines. I fell in love with magazines when I was 11 years old,...
Mr. Magazine Samir Husni on why magazines are new media
This week Dr Samir Husni, founder and director of the Magazine Innovation Center at the University of Mississippi’s School of Journalism and New Media, tells us why magazines are the ultimate...
Covid-19 has boosted reader revenues and reminded us why they matter
Already trending upwards for many publishers, reader revenue growth has been spurred on by lockdown audiences desperate for news and with lots of time on their hands. Peter Houston rounds...
There may be silver linings, but print’s long-term future still looks distinctly cloudy
Certain corners of the print market have had a better pandemic than anyone would have predicted, but for every story of screen-weary readers picking up a print subscription, there’s at...
Prima Editor Jo Checkley on meeting increased demand for print magazines
Hearst UK recently announced that women's lifestyle magazine Prima would increase its print edition from 12 to 13 issues a year, following a 68% surge in subscriptions this year.
This week, we...
The Week Junior Editor in Chief Anna Bassi on why a print magazine for kids is growing strongly
This week, we hear from Anna Bassi, Editor in Chief of The Week Junior. They’ve had a milestone couple of months, recently releasing their 250th issue and increasing circulation during lockdown...
MEL magazine Editor in Chief Josh Schollmeyer on changing the conversation around men’s magazines
This episode Josh Schollmeyer, co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief of online men’s magazine MEL, takes us through working at the legacy print behemoth Playboy, why that convinced him men’s...
Anorak Magazine’s Cathy Olmedillas on making magazines collectible
On this 150th episode of Media Voices, Cathy Olmedillas, founder of independent children’s magazines Anorak and Dot, explains how she learned about the collectability of magazines from her time...
Vanity Fair & Tatler Publishing Director Kate Slesinger on increasing circulation
This week, Kate Slesinger, the Publishing Director of luxury Condé Nast titles Vanity Fair and Tatler talks to us about what's behind a rise in print circulation. She also discusses how both...
gal-dem Head of Editorial Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff on their evolution into a fully-funded publication
This week, gal-dem's Head of Editorial Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff talks about the publication's evolution into a fully-fledged and funded publishing business, why they decided to have a print...