PNG Magazine experiences

My PNG Magazine experiences

By Patrick Matbob

 When I thought of starting the Papua New Guinea Magazine (formerly Friday Magazine) at the Post-Courier back in 1996, I began as a one man publication.

After I left the Magazine in February 2000 it was still a one man publication. My experiences on the Magazine were mostly alone as a journalist. There were no other editorial staff, no writers, editors or photographers as is the case with other publications.

The PNG Magazine came into existence because I had this dream to give our nation a full colour gloss magazine that was well designed, laid out, edited and written by Papua New Guineans to prove that our people can produce quality publications.

I wanted the magazine to be distributed free by using the resources of Post-Courier, ensuring it reached as many people as possible. 

I was fortunate that the Post-Courier management supported me to achieve this dream because they could see its advantages.

Though a monthly publication, it was based on the concept of the Australian newspaper magazines which are published weekly basically to boost the newspaper circulation.

The Magazine was an additional money earner for Post-Courier by giving an alternative product to advertisers; was a promotional publication aimed at enhancing Post-Courier’s circulation and market image; provided a colourful, long-life product through which quality feature stories could be published; and was a different publication to a newspaper through which Post-Courier journalists, artists and other production staff could apply their talents in design, layout and feature writing. 

Since the magazine’s launch much of the aims had been achieved. Each month, a minimum 40-page magazine earns more than K40,000 in advertising and the popularity of the magazine increased from the daily letters and comments received from the consumers.

Each working day since it began, I had been editor, writer, designer and planner of the Magazine. Initially, I had help from a friend who was the founder and editor of the South Pacific Magazine, Mike Coutts, in compiling stories for the issues. However, when his contract ended, I had to do much of the work myself.

My experience and contacts proved valuable for sourcing quality stories for each issue. I worked alone but managed to secure stories for each of the sections of the magazine.

The Post-Courier archives proved invaluable in giving me the historical pictures, stories and anecdotes which appeared regularly.

I made sure the magazine paid well (K100 per story, K20 per picture, K250 for cover picture) in order to attract contributors. There were many contributions but only about five per cent of the material was acceptable for publication.

Finding a cover picture each month was also a difficult task because the magazine did not have the services of a professional photographer. Therefore, I made it a rule that the cover pictures did not need to relate to any story inside but can be a stand-alone just to give me more options. The fact that the magazine was monthly, supposed to give me more time, but because of production schedules from pre-press to inserts, I often worked harder to make the publication successful.

The most satisfying experience of working on the magazine was when people contacted me either by phone or through letters to say they enjoyed or were touched by a story we ran.

A most moving experience was when a ship captain whose story I ran, called me to say thank you. While expressing his appreciation, he was overcome by emotion. I was really touched.

That experience alone has made all that late nights, headaches, worries and difficulties in putting out each issue well worth the effort!