News Corp’s former chief food writer launches eastern suburbs magazine, Local East
Former chief food writer and critic at News Corp, Elizabeth Meryment, has launched a monthly magazine for the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney.
‘Local East’ is a free title focused on food, travel, homes and locals, and is printed in high gloss. The initial print run, which ran on Friday August 3, was 50,000 copies.
The magazine will run monthly
The magazine, produced by media company Local Publishing in association with Meryment’s content agency Edible Ink Media & Content, will be home delivered through the Eastern Suburbs while the remaining will be dropped into cafes, libraries, council chambers and real estate agencies everywhere from Sydney city to Watsons Bay.
August’s 52-page edition includes writers such as Leila McKinnon, Neil Breen, Derek Rielly and Fiona Gillies, as well as a 12-page insert from Hello Fresh.
Commenting on the launch, Meryment said while she had never imagined returning to print, a number of top-end businesses seemed enthused about the idea.
“Advertisers feel very strongly that this is a population they wish to engage with and that this is a medium they feel can deliver the messages they want to transmit. They like the look, feel, size and reach of the product and are prepared to give it a go,” Meryment said.
“I want people to look forward to the magazine turning up on their doorstep every month for all the great reading and information they can get out of it,” she said.
“It’s a magazine that should reflect who and what the east is and talk about the issues people here want to talk about. I want it to grow to become a part of the fabric of the neighbourhood.”
Meryment said a website, local-mag.com.au, and social media channels will launch next month. Her agency Edible Ink, which already works with businesses including The Entertainment Quarter, The Bucket List and the SCG Trust, will provide content services for local businesses wishing to advertise in Local East.
“A lot of businesses find they are far behind when it comes to having the right content to promote themselves,” Meryment said.
“It’s not easy to find the right people to make editorial-quality content. Once these businesses have a quantity of quality content, they find their ability to get their messages out to the media, and therefore, their market, is considerably easier.”
