Macworld Australia to close after more than 30 years
The Australian edition of Macworld will close down effective immediately after 33 years.
Macworld Australia – which was dedicated to Apple products and software – was published by Melbourne-based Niche Media and first launched in 1985, making it the longest-running Apple magazine outside of the US.
Macworld Australia has been running for 33 years
An online edition includes Apple-related international and local news, blogs, help guides and reviews. The website is supported by an e-newsletter which is distributed twice weekly and a monthly print and digital magazine.
In 2014, Macworld reported reach to over 9,000 online subscribers, and 18,750 copies of its print edition. It estimated a potential audience of 60,0000.
The closure comes almost a year after editor Anthony Caruana flagged the title was struggling, citing “advertising support” was leading to delays in schedule.
In a note this evening, Caruana, who joined Macworld in 2004, wrote: “Over the last 14 years, I’ve been able to write about the things that I love the most when it comes to technology – the tools that connect people and make our lives more interesting.
The note, sent to readers this evening
“It’s been a great ride. But, like all things, it’s come to an end. Consumer technology magazines across the world continue to struggle for revenue. Much of Macworld Australia’s audience is, what some may call, quite mature and while many of you are fans of print magazines, the economics of delivering a regular print issue are simply too hard,” he said.
“Rather than lament, I’d prefer to be positive. It’s been a great privilege to write for you all. I have greatly enjoyed receiving your many emails each week. There are times when the sheer number makes it impossible for me to reply personally to every one, but I do read them – even the ones that point out when I make a spelling error! I’ve had the opportunity to try out the latest tech in the world and, without fear or favour, been honest when relaying my experiences.”
Caruana said he will continue writing for Lifehacker Australia as well as PC and Tech Authority and finder.com.au. He thanked Niche Media and the team for keeping Macworld running as long as possible.
“But, most of all, I want to thank you – the readers,” he added.
“Our focus has always been on delivering content that matters to you and I think we’ve done a pretty good job in the three-plus decades since the magazine first started back in 1985. And while the names of the magazine, editors at the helm and contributors have changed, serving you has been a constant.”
Niche Media’s other titles include MezzaNine, Inside, Australian Design Review and Marketing.
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Sad to google and find this confirmation. Anthony’s email actually didn’t explicitly declare closure (although it was pretty clearly implied) so thanks for confirming, Zoe!
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I know Anthony Caruana, and do wish him very well in his continued career ?
As Bob Dylan would say… The Times they are A-Changin’
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One of the strangest announcements I have ever seen.
There is nothing about it on the MacWorld Australia website or the Niche website.
???
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Firstly, through working in the digital sales side of this magazine at niche during the glory days I could see a lot of passion and love there even though I chose to leave after only 3 months in 2013.
I have to say this publically and I’m happy to put my name to it. The management there just didn’t get it. I had a vision for the assets at niche. Macworld could have abeen a great tech website, syndicating feeds to tech hubs of major publishers or Google news. Being print magazine focused for a topic on consumer tech based around Apple products where the readership mainly loves tech makes absolutely zero sense.
Hard copies of magazines do legitimise some forms of niche interests which the readers of these do love which keep them in print. But no mainstream topic is going to survive in print unfortunately when the internet is basically a human right now.
Anthony I wish you all the best.
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I have recently been curious about the fate of the Macworld Australia magazine. I have just now googled Macworld Australia, only to find that the Australian version of the magazine is now, sadly, defunct. I am, however, not that surprised. Interestingly, the closure of the Australian edition of Macworld has been blamed on “advertising support.”
In one (or more) previous editions of the Macworld Australia magazine that I used to receive, there were admissions made (by the journalists/writers) that some of their magazine’s content was, on occasions, lifted (copied) straight from their website. This could be seen as an effort to simply fill the pages of the magazine.
This may suggest a level of lazy journalism. It would seem, at times, that they were unable to conceive an idea, or ideas, for an original Macworld magazine story, or stories. And if I was an advertiser, this would, indeed, make me rather hesitate to advertise within, or be seen to be linked to, Macworld Australia.
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Lifting content from a website for print is nothing new – it’s a strategy that was adopted by both Macworld US and Macworld UK for some years. When the strategy became digital first, in fact. Before then, when the web was in its infancy, the strategy was print first then putting the content on the web.
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