New Zealand Listener

{{Short description|New Zealand magazine}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2015}} {{Infobox magazine | title = New Zealand Listener | image_file = NZ Listener magazine logo.png | image_size = | editor = Kirsty Cameron | frequency = Weekly | category = Current events | company = Are Media<ref name="StopPress 2020" /> | circulation = 45,262 (April 2017 – March 2018) | founded = {{start date and age|df=y|1939|06}} | finalnumber = | country = New Zealand | based = Auckland | website = {{URL|https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-listener/|NZ Listener}} | issn = 0110-5787}}

The '''''New Zealand Listener''''' is a weekly magazine that covers the political, cultural and literary life of New Zealand by featuring a variety of topics, including current events, politics, social issues, health, technology, arts, food, culture and entertainment. The Bauer Media Group closed ''The Listener'' in April 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand. In June 2020, Mercury Capital acquired the magazine as part of its purchase of Bauer Media's former Australia and New Zealand assets, which were rebranded as Are Media.<ref name="Mumbrella 2020">{{cite news |last1=Blackiston |first1=Hannah |title=Bauer Media rebrands as Are Media |url=https://mumbrella.com.au/bauer-media-rebrands-as-are-media-representing-its-key-foundations-of-audience-reach-and-engagement-644366 |access-date=30 September 2020 |work=Mumbrella |date=28 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929090401/https://mumbrella.com.au/bauer-media-rebrands-as-are-media-representing-its-key-foundations-of-audience-reach-and-engagement-644366 |archive-date=29 September 2020}}</ref><ref name="StopPress 2020">{{cite news |title=Rebrand and Relaunch: Australasia's Bauer Media now titled Are Media |url=https://stoppress.co.nz/news/rebrand-and-relaunch-australias-bauer-media-now-titled-are-media/ |access-date=30 September 2020 |work=StopPress |date=28 September 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930075909/https://stoppress.co.nz/news/rebrand-and-relaunch-australias-bauer-media-now-titled-are-media/|archive-date=30 September 2020}}</ref>

==History==

''The Listener'' was first published in June 1939 as a weekly broadcasting guide for radio listeners, and the first issue was distributed free to 380,000 households.<ref>{{cite journal|date=1 July 1939|title=The "New Zealand Listener." – New Radio Magazine.|url=http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Gov14_04Rail-t1-body-d20-d2.html|journal=The New Zealand Railways Magazine|volume=14|issue=4|access-date=3 December 2016}}</ref> First edited by Oliver Duff<ref name=":0">{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/4d22/1|title=Duff, Oliver – Biography|encyclopedia=Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand|year=2011|access-date=30 June 2011|archive-date=23 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023051208/http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/4d22/1|url-status=dead}}</ref> then from June 1949 M. H. Holcroft, it originally had a monopoly on the publication of upcoming television and radio programmes.<ref name="nzhistory">{{cite web |url= https://nzhistory.govt.nz/timeline/30/6 |title=Today in History First issue of NZ Listener published |work=NZ History |year=2011|access-date=30 June 2011}}</ref> In the 1980s it lost that monopoly, but despite the increase in competition since that time, it was still one of the top selling magazines in the country. It was privatised in 1990 and was published by Bauer Media Group until the magazine's closure in early 2020.

Pamela Stirling was the editor since 2004,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/journalism/news/article.cfm?c_id=63&objectid=10504752&pnum=0|title=Listener at centre of climate storm|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=18 April 2008|author=John Drinnan|access-date=14 June 2010}}</ref> and by 2018 readership was 197,000 with a circulation of 45,262.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bauermediaadvertising.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Listener-Media-Kit-2019.pdf|title=Listener Media Kit|access-date=27 July 2019|archive-date=27 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727023100/https://www.bauermediaadvertising.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Listener-Media-Kit-2019.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

From 2004 to 2009, the ''Listener'' produced an annual ''New Zealand Listener'' Power List of the 50 most powerful people in New Zealand. It also published the Best 100 Books, Best 50 Kids Books, and Best Cookbooks, every November/December.

Notable writers to have had their work published in the Listener include James K. Baxter, Janet Frame and Maurice Shadbolt.<ref name="nzhistory"/>

=== Closure and restart, 2020 ===

On 2 April 2020, the Bauer Media Group announced the closing of many of its New Zealand and Australian publications, including ''The Listener'', due to the continued loss of advertising revenue, hastened by the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Edmunds |first1=Susan |last2=Nadkarni |first2=Anuja |last3=Cookes |first3=Henry |title=Govt 'could have given half-a-million' to help Bauer but publisher didn't want it, Faafoi says|url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/120754944/publisher-of-metro-womans-day-closes-in-nz-amid-coronavirus-woes |access-date=2 April 2020 |work=Stuff |date=2 April 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200402004757/https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/120754944/publisher-of-metro-womans-day-closes-in-nz-amid-coronavirus-woes|archive-date=2 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Covid 19 coronavirus: Bauer Media closing – publisher of the Listener, Woman's Day, North & South |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12321789 |access-date=2 April 2020 |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=2 April 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200402005532/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12321789 |archive-date=2 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Covid-19: Major magazine publisher Bauer Media closing down |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/413226/covid-19-major-magazine-publisher-bauer-media-closing-down |access-date=2 April 2020 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=2 April 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200402005652/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/413226/covid-19-major-magazine-publisher-bauer-media-closing-down |archive-date=2 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Publisher of NZ Listener, Woman's Weekly, North & South to shut down |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/media/02-04-2020/publisher-of-nz-listener-womans-weekly-north-south-to-shut-down/ |access-date=2 April 2020 |work=The Spinoff |date=2 April 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200402012031/https://thespinoff.co.nz/media/02-04-2020/publisher-of-nz-listener-womans-weekly-north-south-to-shut-down/ |archive-date=2 April 2020}}</ref> Prior to that, the weekly current affairs printed magazine was billed as "New Zealand's best-selling current affairs magazine with a per capita circulation higher than ''Time'', the ''New Yorker'' and ''Spectator''".<ref>{{cite web |title=New Zealand Listener |url=https://www.bauermedia.co.nz/brands/new-zealand-listener/ |website=Bauer Media Group |access-date=2 April 2020 |archive-date=19 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200419193417/https://www.bauermedia.co.nz/brands/new-zealand-listener/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=New Zealand Listener Magazine Subscription |url=https://www.magshop.co.nz/listener |website=Magshop |access-date=2 April 2020}}</ref>

On 17 June 2020, Australian investment company Mercury Capital purchased ''The Listener'' as part of its acquisition of Bauer Media's Australia and New Zealand assets.<ref name="RNZ 17 June 2020">{{cite news |title=Bauer Media NZ bought by Australian investment company |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/419186/bauer-media-nz-bought-by-australian-investment-company |access-date=18 June 2020 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=17 June 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618055702/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/419186/bauer-media-nz-bought-by-australian-investment-company |archive-date=18 June 2020}}</ref><ref name="Stuff 17 June 2020">{{cite news |last1=Edmunds |first1=Susan |title=Bauer magazines sold to private equity firm |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/300036475/bauer-magazines-sold-to-private-equity-firm |access-date=18 June 2020 |work=Stuff |date=17 June 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618055742/https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/300036475/bauer-magazines-sold-to-private-equity-firm |archive-date=18 June 2020}}</ref> On 17 July, Mercury Capital announced that it would resume publishing ''The Listener'' and other former Bauer publications.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Edmunds|first1=Susan|title=The Listener and other Bauer mags return – some may be gone for good |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/300059656/the-listener-and-other-bauer-mags-return--some-may-be-gone-for-good |work=Stuff |access-date=17 July 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200717083047/https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/300059656/the-listener-and-other-bauer-mags-return--some-may-be-gone-for-good|archive-date=17 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Bauer resumes publishing of The Listener and NZ Woman's Weekly after Mercury Capital takes over |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12348873 |access-date=17 July 2020 |work=New Zealand Herald |date=17 July 2020}}</ref> In late September 2020, Mercury Capital rebranded Bauer Media as Are Media, which took over publication of ''The Listener''.<ref name="Mumbrella 2020" /><ref name="StopPress 2020" /> Publication of ''The Listener'' resumed with the issue of 10 October 2020.

On 30 June 2023, Are Media partnered with New Zealand media company NZME to launch a digital subscription version of ''The Listener'' called "Listener.co.nz." The website is hosted on ''The New Zealand Herald''{{'s}} website and also features digital exclusive content.<ref>{{cite web |title=NZME teams up with Are Media to launch Listener.co.nz |url=https://www.nzme.co.nz/news/nzme-teams-up-with-are-media-to-launch-listener-co-nz/ |publisher=NZME |access-date=14 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230805053633/https://www.nzme.co.nz/news/nzme-teams-up-with-are-media-to-launch-listener-co-nz/ |archive-date=5 August 2023 |date=30 June 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 2025 digitised issues of the Listener from 1939–1959<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Zealand Listener |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/new-zealand-listener0 |website=Papers Past |publisher=National Library of New Zealand |access-date=15 June 2025}}</ref> were made available on Papers Past.

== Editors ==

* Oliver Duff (1939–1949)<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Holcroft|first=Monte|date=1 July 1989|title=As I Remember It|journal=New Zealand Listener}}</ref> *M. H. Holcroft (1949–1967; 1972–1973)<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Hamilton|first=Stephen|date=2008|title=Montague Harry Holcroft, 1902 – 1993|url=https://ojs.victoria.ac.nz/kotare/article/download/671/482/|journal=Kōtare|volume=2|issn=1174-6955}}</ref> *Alexander MacLeod (1967–1972)<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://asiapacificreport.nz/2020/05/09/a-listener-flashback-the-sacking-of-an-editor/|title=A Listener flashback: The sacking of an editor|date=9 May 2020|first=Jeremy|last=Rees|publisher=Asia Pacific Report}}</ref> *Ian Cross (1973–1977)<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Citation|title=O'Connor, Rev. Canon (Brian) Michael (Mcdougal), (born 20 June 1942), Dean of Auckland, New Zealand, 1997–2000|date=2007-12-01|work=Who's Who|publisher=Oxford University Press|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.28719}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2019/11/05/895392?slug=finlay-macdonald-on-ian-cross-1925-2019|title=A farewell to Ian Cross|date=2019-11-05|website=Newsroom|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-11-05|archive-date=31 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231053131/https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2019/11/05/895392?slug=finlay-macdonald-on-ian-cross-1925-2019|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/402409/journalist-and-author-ian-cross-dies-aged-93|title=Journalist and author Ian Cross dies aged 93|date=2019-11-03|website=RNZ |language=en-nz|access-date=2019-11-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.noted.co.nz/currently/currently-profiles/ian-cross-former-listener-editor-1925-2019|title=Ian Cross, celebrated Listener editor, 1925–2019|last=Noted|website=www.noted.co.nz|language=en|access-date=2019-11-18|archive-date=29 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529015221/https://www.noted.co.nz/currently/currently-profiles/ian-cross-former-listener-editor-1925-2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> *Tony Reid (1977–1980)<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.noted.co.nz/currently/currently-profiles/tony-reid-1943-2020|title=Tony Reid: 1943–2020|last=Noted|website=www.noted.co.nz|language=en|access-date=2020-02-22|archive-date=26 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926171501/https://www.noted.co.nz/currently/currently-profiles/tony-reid-1943-2020|url-status=dead}}</ref> *Peter Stewart (1980–1983; 1987–1989)<ref name=":2" /> *David Beatson (1984–1989)<ref name=":2" /> *Geoff Baylis (1989–1993; Editor-in-chief, CEO)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/learning/colleges/college-business/school-of-communication-journalism-and-marketing/study/postgrad/master-of-journalism-and-postgraduate-diploma-in-journalism/champion-of-press-freedom-honoured.cfm|title=Champion of press freedom honoured – Massey University|last=Zealand|first=Massey University, New|website=www.massey.ac.nz|language=en|access-date=2019-07-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.noted.co.nz/archive/listener-nz-2006/news-man/|title=News man|last=Black|first=Joanne|date=2 June 2006|website=The Listener|language=en|access-date=2020-04-02|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804003235/https://www.noted.co.nz/archive/listener-nz-2006/news-man/|archivedate=4 August 2019}}</ref> *Terry Snow (1991–1995) *Jenny Wheeler (1995–1997)<ref>{{Cite journal|last=de Lore|first=Clare|date=10 March 2019|title=Jenny Wheeler: the first woman to be appointed Listener editor|url=https://www.noted.co.nz/currently/profiles/jenny-wheeler-first-woman-appointed-listener-editor/|journal=New Zealand Listener|archive-date=23 March 2019|access-date=30 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323172616/https://www.noted.co.nz/currently/profiles/jenny-wheeler-first-woman-appointed-listener-editor/|url-status=dead}}</ref> *Paul Little (1997–1998) *Finlay Macdonald (1998–2003)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/presenters/finlay-macdonald|title=Finlay Macdonald, RNZ National Presenter|website=RNZ |language=en-nz|access-date=2019-07-26}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> * Pamela Stirling (2004–2021) * Karyn Scherer (2021–2023) * Kirsty Cameron (2023–current)

== Regular writers/journalists == * Diana Wichtel *Donna Chisholm * Bill Ralston * Nicky Pellegrino *Sally Blundell *Paul Thomas (writer) *Jane Clifton *Russell Baillie, Books & Culture Editor<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.noted.co.nz/authors/russell-baillie | title=Russell Baillie | publisher=Noted | access-date=October 8, 2019 | archive-date=9 June 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609151224/https://www.noted.co.nz/authors/russell-baillie | url-status=dead }}</ref> *Fiona Rae * Michael Cooper * Clare de Lore * Peter Griffin *Marc Wilson, psychology columnist<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.victoria.ac.nz/psyc/about/staff/marc-wilson | title=Marc Wilson, School of Psychology | publisher=Victoria University of Wellington | access-date=October 8, 2019}}</ref> *Paul Thomas, sports columnist<ref>{{cite web | url=https://paulthomaswriter.co.nz/about/ | title=About – Paul Thomas – NZ Writer Author Novelist | publisher=Paul Thomas | access-date=October 8, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.noted.co.nz/authors/paul-thomas | title=Paul Thomas | publisher=Noted | access-date=October 8, 2019 | archive-date=23 September 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923030914/https://www.noted.co.nz/authors/paul-thomas | url-status=dead }}</ref> *Jennifer Bowden *Greg Dixon *Michele Hewitson *Mark Broatch * Rose McIver *Andrew Anthony *Sam Neill *Louise Chunn *Cathrin Schaer *Bernard Lagan *Charlotte Grimshaw

== Regular cartoonists/illustrators/photographers== *Chris Slane (cartoonist) *Anthony Ellison (cartoonist) *Andrew Tristram (cartoonist) *Jane Ussher (photographer) *Ken Downie (photographer) *Simon Young (photographer) *Hagen Hopkins (photographer)

==References==

==External links== *{{Official website|https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-listener/}}

Category:1939 establishments in New Zealand Category:2020 disestablishments in New Zealand Category:Are Media Category:Literary magazines published in New Zealand Category:Magazines established in 1939 Category:Magazines disestablished in 2020 Category:Mass media in Auckland Category:News magazines published in New Zealand Category:Weekly magazines published in New Zealand