{{Short description|New Zealand magazine}} {{For|the government agency |New Zealand Geographic Board}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox magazine | title = New Zealand Geographic | image_file = NZGeographic_Jan-Feb_2022_cover.jpg | image_alt = Cover of January–February 2022 issue of New Zealand Geographic showing two baby owls | image_caption = January–February 2022 issue | editor = Catherine Woulfe | frequency = Every two months | publisher = Kowhai Media Ltd | category = [[Geography]], [[culture]], [[Cultural heritage|heritage]], [[society]], [[Natural environment|environment]], [[exploration]], [[Conservation movement|conservation]] | company = | firstdate = January 1989 | country = New Zealand | based = [[Auckland]] | website = {{URL|https://www.nzgeo.com/}} | issn = 0113-9967 | oclc = 813218011 }} '''''New Zealand Geographic''''' is a bi-monthly [[magazine]] founded in 1989 and published by Kōwhai Media of [[Auckland]], New Zealand. In the format popularised by ''[[National Geographic]],'' it focuses on the biodiversity, geography, and culture of New Zealand, Antarctica, and nearby Pacific Islands. The magazine showcases documentary and editorial photography, and each year runs a national Photographer of the Year competition.
==History== ''New Zealand Geographic'' was founded in 1988 by Kennedy Warne and John Woods, and the first issue was Jan-Feb 1989.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arnold |first=Naomi |date=2016-07-11 |title=Podcast: The Get #7 – Kennedy Warne on writing stories for National Geographic |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/podcasts/11-07-2016/podcast-the-get-7-kennedy-warne-on-writing-stories-for-national-geographic |access-date=2022-02-28 |website=The Spinoff}}</ref> Warne, who served as editor for 15 years, had a Master's degree in marine biology, which informed the magazine's early focus on conservation and natural history.<ref name="ron">{{cite journal |author=Johnston |first=Ron |date=Autumn 2009 |title=On geography, Geography and geographical magazines |journal=Geography |volume=94 |issue=3 |pages=207–214 |doi=10.1080/00167487.2009.12094271 |jstor=41555383}}</ref> He was followed in 2004 by Warren Judd as editor.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us {{!}} New Zealand Geographic |url=https://www.nzgeo.com/about-us/ |access-date=2022-02-28 |language=en-NZ}}</ref>
In the July–August 2008 issue, the editor announced the formation of a New Zealand Geographic Society, renamed in the next issue to the New Zealand Geographic Trust, with all subscribers counted as members. It announced its first research award in the November–December 2008 issue.<ref name="ron"/>
Warren Judd was followed as editor by James Frankham, who co-founded Kōwhai Media Ltd in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 October 2014 |title=New Zealand Geographic |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/labourday/audio/20154525/new-zealand-geographic |access-date=2022-02-28 |website=[[RNZ]] |language=en-nz}}</ref>
In 2014, the magazine marked 25 years in print by digitising its entire back catalogue and making it available free to subscribers. It was also licensed by the Ministry of Education and supplied free to teachers, students, and many public libraries. Those institutional subscriptions were soon supplying 20% of the magazine's revenue.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Venuto |first=Damien |date=2016-04-19 |title=Matching eyeballs to videos: New Zealand Geographic and NHNZ team up to launch online streaming service |url=https://stoppress.co.nz/news/matching-eyeballs-videos-new-zealand-geographic-and-nhnz-team-launch-online-streaming-service/ |access-date=2022-02-28 |website=StopPress |language=en}}</ref> In 2016, a metered paywall was introduced for non-subscribers, with five items available free a month.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2016-04-20 |title=Natural history out of the vaults and onto the net |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/201797838/natural-history-out-of-the-vaults-and-onto-the-net |access-date=2022-02-28 |website=[[RNZ]] |language=en-nz}}</ref> As well as the magazine's story and photography archive, the website included 160 hours of natural history documentaries from [[NHNZ]], the former Natural History Unit of [[TVNZ]].<ref name=":1"/>
In 2016, the magazine has 10,500 paying subscribers, in addition to institutional subscriptions.<ref name=":4"/> It had a small staff, consisting of an editor/publisher, developer, and web archivist, with magazine content supplied by freelancers.<ref name=":4"/> In 2017, Frankham was succeeded as editor by Rebekah White.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Stoppess |date=2018-09-07 |title=Webstar Magazine Media Awards 2018: NZ Geographic takes home Supreme Magazine of the Year and Bauer's Nicky Dewe wins Supreme Editor of the Year |url=https://stoppress.co.nz/news/webstar-magazine-media-awards-2018-kowhai-media-takes-home-supreme-magazine-year-nz-geographic-and-bauers-nicky-dewe-wins-supreme-editor/ |access-date=2022-02-28 |website=StopPress |language=en}}</ref> White joined Kōwhai in 2014 after two years as assistant editor of ''Good'' magazine, and was editor of Kōwhai publication ''Pro Photographer'' before taking over at ''New Zealand Geographic''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-02-28 |title=Changes at Kowhai: Pro Photographer folds, Frankham steps down as NZ Geographic editor |url=https://stoppress.co.nz/news/rebekah-white-takes-over-editor-nz-geographic/ |access-date=2022-02-28 |website=stoppress.co.nz |language=en-US}}</ref> In September 2022, White took a sabbatical to study at [[Columbia University]] on a [[Fulbright scholarship]], and was replaced by Catherine Woulfe.<ref>{{Cite web |last=White |first=Rebekah |date=Sep–Oct 2022 |title=How we tell stories |url=https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/how-we-tell-stories/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=New Zealand Geographic |language=en-NZ}}</ref>
== Profile == ''New Zealand Geographic'', like other "national" geographic magazines in English-speaking countries, follows the model of ''[[National Geographic]]''<nowiki/>'s mixture of factual stories, documentary photography, and maps. The magazine's first issue, 1989, proclaimed "''New Zealand Geographic'' will examine the important geographic themes of our times," and included a welcome by geographer [[Kenneth Cumberland]], but the magazine is not connected to academic [[geography]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Johnston |first=Ron |date=2009 |title=Popular geographies and geographical imaginations: contemporary English-language geographical magazines |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10708-009-9293-6 |journal=GeoJournal |language=en |volume=74 |issue=4 |pages=347–362 |doi= 10.1007/s10708-009-9293-6|bibcode=2009GeoJo..74..347J |s2cid=144453330 |issn=|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Unlike some other geographical magazines like ''[[Australian Geographic]]'' and ''[[Canadian Geographic]]'', it is not published by a national Geographical Society – the [[New Zealand Geographical Society]] has its own journal, ''New Zealand Geographer'' – but by Kōwhai Media, an independent [[Auckland]] publisher; it also has no connection with ''National Geographic''.<ref name=":2"/>
''New Zealand Geographic'' is issued every two months.<ref name="ron" /> A representative issue, in 2007, was 112 pages with little advertising, comprising 5–6 articles (70 per cent of the pages), an editorial, letters, several pages of news, a two-page "Weather" article, and on average four book reviews. Over half the pages were photographs.<ref name=":2"/> One significant theme in the magazine is wildlife conservation and environmental management, covered in its early years in association with the New Zealand [[Department of Conservation (New Zealand)|Department of Conservation]]. The magazine's focus is New Zealand and the Pacific, and articles can be on technology, industry, history, biology, geology, astronomy, culture, and exploration; there are occasional biographies of significant individuals, usually explorers, scientists, or artists. Locations covered beyond the Pacific are those with local relevance,<ref name=":2" /> such as New Zealanders at war, New Zealand peacekeepers or volunteers abroad, or New Zealand explorers. Increasingly the coverage of the magazine has shifted from natural history to social issues such as [[methamphetamine]] usage and the [[Christchurch mosque shootings]].<ref name=":1"/><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Richter |first1=Anke |last2=Evans |first2=Kate |date=May–June 2019 |title=Brothers and sisters |url=https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/brothers-and-sisters/ |access-date=2022-02-28 |website=New Zealand Geographic |language=en-NZ}}</ref>
== Photographer of the Year Award == [[File:NZ PM Jacinda Ardern - Kirk HargreavesCCC.jpg|thumb|Kirk Hargreaves' photograph of Prime Minister [[Jacinda Ardern]] visiting the Muslim community at the Phillipstown Community Centre the day after the [[Christchurch mosque shootings]]; winner of the 2019 Photographer of the Year award]] ''New Zealand Geographic'' features high-quality photography, and attracts wildlife, landscape, and social commentary photographers. Since 2006, the magazine has run a Photographer of the Year competition for news and editorial photography, open to amateurs and professionals, with categories that include wildlife, landscape, photo-story, built environment, and society.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2021-12-16 |title=Stuff photographer scoops New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year award |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/127296878/stuff-photographer-scoops-new-zealand-geographic-photographer-of-the-year-award |access-date=2022-02-28 |website=Stuff |language=en}}</ref> In 2016, there were over 3000 entries, including a new aerial photography category for drone, helicopter, and plane footage; the Photographer of the Year was [[Nelson, New Zealand|Nelson]] freelance photographer Tim Cuff, for a helicopter shot of flooding in [[Tākaka]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-09-05 |title=Nelson photographer Tim Cuff up for New Zealand Geographic photographer of the year award |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/83919495/nelson-photographer-tim-cuff-up-for-new-zealand-geographic-photographer-of-the-year-award |access-date=2022-02-28 |website=Stuff |language=en}}</ref> The 2019 Society category was won by [[Christchurch]] photographer Kirk Hargreaves, with a photograph of [[Jacinda Ardern]] a day after the Christchurch mosque shootings.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-24 |title=Wellington photographer takes out New Zealand Geographic photographer of the year award |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/arts/116898277/wellington-photographer-takes-out-new-zealand-geographic-photographer-of-the-year-award |access-date=2022-02-28 |website=Stuff |language=en}}</ref> In 2021, there were over 6000 entries – a record – and the winner was ''[[The Nelson Mail|Nelson Mail]]'' photojournalist Braden Fastier.<ref name=":3"/>
== Awards ==
* 1994: inaugural Communications Media Award for 'excellence in journalism'.<ref name="ron" /> * [[2017 Canon Media Awards]]: Magazine of the Year * 2018: Best Magazine – Current Affairs and Business, Supreme Webstar Magazine of the Year<ref name=":0" /> * [[2018 Voyager Media Awards]]: Magazine of the Year * [[2019 Voyager Media Awards]]: Magazine of the Year * [[2020 Voyager Media Awards]]: Magazine of the Year (shared with ''[[Metro (magazine)|Metro]]'')<ref>{{Cite web |title=2020 Winners |url=https://npa.co.nz/voyager-media-awards/2020-winners/ |access-date=2022-02-28 |website=NPA {{!}} News Publishers' Association |language=en-NZ}}</ref> * 2022 Webstar Magazine Media Awards: Supreme Magazine, Best Journalist (Consumer Special Interest, Current Affairs, Business and Trade), Best Photographer<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-20 |title=All the winners from the Webstar Magazine Media Awards 2022 |url=https://stoppress.co.nz/news/all-the-winners-from-the-webstar-magazine-media-awards-2022/ |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=StopPress |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website|https://www.nzgeo.com/}}
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[[Category:1989 establishments in New Zealand]] [[Category:Bi-monthly magazines]] [[Category:Geographic magazines]] [[Category:Magazines established in 1989]] [[Category:Magazines published in New Zealand]] [[Category:Mass media in Auckland]] [[Category:Wildlife magazines]]