Catalano unveils The Weekly Review, the title to rival Fairfax’s Melbourne Weekly
Former property editor and marketing director of Fairfax’s The Age, Antony Catalano, has unveiled April 28 as the launch date for his new weekly magazine which is set to rival his former employer’s The Melbourne Weekly.
Catalano’s The Weekly Review is being backed by over 20 real estate agencies in Melbourne which have previously been big advertisers in the Fairfax title.
Fairfax’s Melbourne Weekly is expected to take a big hit in real estate advertising revenue following the defection of the agencies to Catalano’s new venture.
The Weekly Review will be a free 200-plus page glossy lifestyle magazine which the publisher said will be supported by “Melbourne’s most comprehensive display of gloss real estate advertising”.
It will have a weekly print distribution of 200,000 across affluent Melbourne suburbs.
It will also be available online and on mobiles. The digital edition will aim to extend readership to those who live outside the print distribution area.
Published by Metro Media Publishing, the firm was founded this year by Catalano in partnership with real estate agencies which include: Fletchers, TBM, Hocking Stuart, Bennison Mackinnon, RT Edgar, Woodards, JR Buxton, Gary Peer & Associates, Jellis Craig, Kay & Burton, Marshall White, Abercrombys, Hodges, Noel Jones, Christopher Russell, Williams Batters and McLaren.
Catalano said: “Given the positive response and forward bookings from high-end agency clients there is clearly a need in the market for a quality free glossy.
“The Weekly Review will provide the latest access to real estate information as it happens with online data and has the advantage of an electronic distribution through the qualified leads provided through estate agent databases. The expanded reach through database distributed of the electronic version will extend reach to more than 300,000 people weekly.”
The magazine’s content will cover food, wine, travel, entertainment, fashion, art and culture, motoring, outdoors, design, and Melbourne-based celebrities.
The publisher has hired Trent Casson, fromerly from Austereo, to the role of sales and marketing director.
The Weekly Review has also signed content-sharing partnership with the industry-owned portal realestateview.com.au to allow readers to access auctions information. The title has also combined with the REIV to provide online auction results on Saturday night and tailored individual auction results via the mobile phone.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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“The magazine’s content will cover food, wine, travel, entertainment, fashion, art and culture, motoring, outdoors, design, and Melbourne-based celebrities.”
No mention of news. Sounds safe and uncontroversial. And 200 pages a week? Even if it’s 75 per cent ads there’s bound to be a lot of editorial pages to fill.
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I want a copy. Should do well. Someone at Fairfax is crying right now.
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Crikey has some of the editorial hires here: http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/.....te-exodus/
“award-winning Age health reporter and I, Mick Gatto novelist Tom Noble, Corrie Perkin, Peter Wilmoth, Kendall Hill and Leanne Tolra all set to play major roles on the news desk. Former Fairfax production staff including Eileen Berry and art director Sue Richardson have also jumped ship.”
Oh, and Steve Price to write a column.
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Thanks for that link, Bill. Crikey have been leading the way on covering this one – that’s another good piece.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
At this stage, Antony Catalano’s efforts should be a case study for smart business – he built up a great operation in Fairfax, but also built his own rep and brand and sphere of influence, then saw an opportunity – or maybe even just made his own opportunity – grabbed it with both fists and left The Age sobbing on the street corner. Good work, AC!
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The surprising adjunct to this story is that Fairfax sent a letter to their advertisers asking them their intent in the future with their publication and then went further and asked them of their commercial arrangements with the above new publication. If I’d received such a letter I’d tell them it’s none of their business. See me face to face Fairfax, ask me about whether I’ve been happy with the results/service I’ve received. Ask me how I can be helped in the future. DON’T ask me about commercial arrangements with your opposition, it angles toward arrogance when you do.
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I work for homesource which is a company based out of Sydney. We are a company that is launching a new product. I have been trying to contact Anthony Catalano but i can not seem to find anyone who can provide a number/email or a contact where i can leave a message for him. If you could provide me contact details for Anthony would be greatly appreciated or somewhere i can leave a message.
Thank you
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Sounds like a good idea. Im interested in advertising in it
Can somebody out there please sent me a copy to
101/2 Collins St Melbourne Vic 3000
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Congratulations on issue one of the Weekly Review. I had no idea about this publication and was VERY pleasantly surprised. Received my copy early on Monday. (Other publication not reliable delivery) Great lay out and interesting articles. Fantastic early on line Auction and sales results. Good luck. Well done!
James Phillips North Balwyn.
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I live in East Kew – is this a distribution area
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I live in Kew East. I saw the magazine at a friend’s house in Kew. Am very interested in the property market in Kew/East Kew. Hope we can get it.
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