Tearaway lives on

Tearaway lives on

A nostalgic New Zealand magazine with contemporary relevance is having new life breathed into it. Academy Publishing has acquired the voice of New Zealand youth, Tearaway magazine and is working to instill new energy into the iconic magazine already renowned and respected for its engaging and demographically relevant material.

Having acquired the magazine in August 2010, Academy Publishing recognises the potential of Tearaway as a youth magazine featuring freelance contributions and is working to ensure it will be bigger, better and bolder than before. “We are focused on restoring Tearaway to its former glory,” Academy Publishing general manager Rebecca Harris says. “It is a good fit for our own and contract publications and with our new Awareness Today magazine which focuses on a healthy body, healthy mind and healthy planet, we are now covering the majority of demographics.”

Following Academy Publishing's acquisition of the magazine, some existing Tearaway members and contributors have been retained to ensure continuity within editorial management and style is maintained. Longstanding editorial contributor, Rain Francis is fulfilling the role of editor and the magazine will continue to benefit from the cumulative knowledge and expertise she has gained during her involvement with Tearaway.

“The feedback we have received from associates of Tearaway has been very positive in regard to Rain and her ongoing connection with the publication. Along with Tearaway itself, Rain has a lot of supporters,” Harris says of the vocal support offered to the magazine. The sentiment of this support has been effectively summed up by Techlink writer Jess Brunette who comments, “I’m glad Tearaway is still going to be around. It’s a New Zealand institution after all.”

On the agenda for the future of Tearaway are a number of fundamental changes that will ensure the magazine continues to fulfil its role as a mouthpiece for youth expression and a vehicle for promoting youth issues and topics not limited to eduction and resources, music, entertainment, sports and sustainability within New Zealand.

Among the proposed changes, Academy Publishing will increase the distribution of Tearaway from 10,000 to 20,000 copies nationwide and the magazine will return to tabloid size. The company will also be aiming to reinstate distribution of Tearaway via retail outlets.

With the next magazine set to hit the streets September 10, 2010, Academy Publishing will observe and maintain Tearaway's monthly publishing schedule until the end of 2010. In 2011, the company will implement a new distribution strategy which will maximise readership among Tearaway's 94,000 supporters aged 10 and older. “Next year there will be two issues a term instead of monthly publications. This schedule will be better aligned with the school terms,” Harris explains.

An accessible resource for education in the classroom and beyond, the proven formula of Tearaway that has contributed to its longevity and commercial appeal will soon be introduced into the magazine's online counterpart, Tearaway Digital. “The online version of Tearaway which supports the print product still needs more work,” Harris says. “We acknowledge that and we will be addressing the website as the next step.

“As a project supporter of the Outlook for Someday, The Sustainability Film Challenge for Young New Zealanders and as a sponsor of the Innovation Award at the Recognyz Youth Awards 2010, we are really excited about continuing and enhancing the relationship Tearaway has with the youth of New Zealand.”

For further information visit www.tearaway.net.nz

ENDS

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