Mr. Magazine

Editor’s Note: Last week I was speaking, interviewing and moderating at different types of conferences and seminars across three European countries. I started with the Czech Republic where I spoke at a Toray’s meeting, then Slovakia where I visited the Student Media Center of the Pan European University in Bratislava, a daily newspaper, a major magazine media house and last but not least, traveled to Cannes, France to speak and moderate the Forum day at the 59th Distripress Congress. In the next few blogs, I will be reporting from all three countries with interviews, views and observations from the global media world.

While many women’s magazines are being reported by some as hearing a death knell when they roll off the presses; the U.K.’s 103-year-old Woman’s Weekly continues to press forward with confidence, inspiration and an eye on the next 103 years.

In the second report from across the pond, I spoke with Diane Kenwood, editor in chief of Woman’s Weekly magazine. Ms. Kenwood had just finished her presentation at the Forum Day at the 59th Distripress Congress in Cannes, France. Her passion and confidence when she spoke about the magazine is evident in the Mr. Magazine™ video above…

So read along as you enjoy the brief, but inspiring, Mr. Magazine™ interview with Diane Kenwood, Editor-in-Chief, Woman’s Weekly, U.K…

But first the sound-bites…

On whether she feels Woman’s Weekly is on the endangered list: It’s so not true. It’s absolutely not true; we’re incredibly fortunate.

On whether or not she’s afraid of the future: No, I’m not scared of the future. I’m really excited about the future. I think it has its challenges; it’s hard, but I think challenging and hard makes you more creative.

On whether she ever envisions a time when Woman’s Weekly will not be in print: Never! And certainly not during my time as editor, no. I genuinely can’t see a time when the magazine won’t be an absolutely critical part of the whole brand offering of Woman’s Weekly.

And now the lightly edited transcript of the Mr. Magazine™ interview with Diane Kenwood, Editor-in-Chief, Woman’s Weekly, U.K.

Samir Husni: A lot of folks in the United States and other countries say that general interest women’s magazines are dying; how about Woman’s Weekly?

Diane Kenwood: It’s so not true. It’s absolutely not true; we’re incredibly fortunate. And the thing about lifestyle magazines is the breadth of their content means you can constantly inspire, entertain and surprise people across any number of different content areas.

I think the magazines that are in real trouble in the U.K. are the celebrity magazines, because they’re all too similar and there isn’t enough celebrity news to go around. Also, TV titles because there are so many of them and they have to conglomerate their magazine titles.

But in the lifestyle market, I think the opportunities are enormous. And Women’s Weekly remains today as it has been from the day it was first published, the bestselling magazine in the lifestyle market.

Samir Husni; Is there anything that makes you afraid of the future?

Diane Kenwood: No, I’m not scared of the future. I’m really excited about the future. I think it has its challenges; it’s hard, but I think challenging and hard makes you more creative, more inventive and because we’re all in the same boat, everybody is being more creative, so there’s more opportunities for kinds of partnerships and joining together of ideas and making them happen and delivering them, that never really existed before. I’m tremendously invigorated by the future.

Samir Husni: My last question; do you ever see Woman’s Weekly not in print?

Diane Kenwood: Never! And certainly not during my time as editor, no. I genuinely can’t see a time when the magazine won’t be an absolutely critical part of the whole brand offering of Woman’s Weekly. We’ve been around for 103 years; we’re definitely going to be around for another 103.

Samir Husni: Thank you.