Introducing Australasian magazines: New perspectives on writing and publishing

Abstract

To introduce this special issue of TEXT, we begin with an activity: "Here is an experiment to try; it comes in two parts. First, pick a newsagent, any newsagent. Look around. On some kind of stand in the foreground you will see a dozen or so newspapers. Look around again. On a different stand, or stands, you will see dozens, scores or possible hundreds of magazines, depending on the size of shop you have selected. Now, take yourself to a library, preferably one with an academic connection. Fire up the online search and look for books about newspapers, then look for books about magazines. The search results are likely to be in inverse proportion to the result of the newsagent survey. Hundreds of books about newspapers, perhaps a couple of dozen about magazines; if you are in a good library" (Holmes 2008: viii). So begins Tim Holmes' introductory chapter to 'Mapping the magazine' (2008). Holmes, from the University of Cardiff, writes from a UK perspective but his experiment has wider relevance. It translates easily to an Australasian context, although the "couple of dozen" books on magazines is likely to be far fewer if the library search is confined to books on Australasian magazines.