Sarah Walker steps down at OK! Middle East

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After more than a year in the Editor’s chair at celebrity weekly, OK! Middle East, Sarah Walker has announced she will leave her position at the end of this month. The title, which relaunched last September and now falls under the ITP Publishing umbrella, was awarded the highest honour at this years’ OK! International Conference. Sarah is excited to hand over the reins at such a time of celebration.

“I feel now is the perfect time to pass the baton, and I’m hugely excited to be moving my talents – and annoyingly boundless creative energy – into heading up the PR department at Think,” says Sarah. “As a long-term Editor and writer in the region, I feel my absolute niche for this role is the extensive first-hand experience and natural respect for the Middle East media I now have. I’ve been in their chair and therefore I’m the perfect middle woman to guide clients and give members of the press exactly – and uniquely – what they need.”

After six years in UAE-based celebrity weeklies, the London-born journalist will now move into the role of PR Director at Think – the events, marketing and PR company run by Greg Dufton and Tim Derry.

“I’m ecstatic at the success that OK! Middle East has enjoyed and the level it has reached in the market at this vital one-year stage,” adds Sarah. “Putting my stamp on the publication, being recognised as the leading title in the OK! international family and working with such a strong team to create the high-end product it is today, remains the highest achievement of my career to date.”

A replacement has not yet been announced.

 

Alexandra O’Brien joins Grazia Middle East

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Alexandra O’Brien has joined Grazia Middle East as Lifestyle Editor. Alexandra will be looking after travel, interiors, entertainment, food and some news/health pages. Her regular pages include: Hotlist, Travel, Interiors, Parties and Scene.

Alexandra has previously worked at Madison magazine, NW and TV Week in Australia, and most recently Net-A-Porter online magazine and LuxDeco online magazine in London.

“I’m so excited to work on Grazia Middle East,” says Alexandra. “It is my perfect combo of celeb news, fashion and my personal passion, all things lifestyle!”

Fadwa Salah bids farewell to Nawa3em.com

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Fadwa Salah, Nawa3em.com’s Associate Editor, has announced her departure from 2 Pure publishing. During her 18-month stint at the online Arabic magazine title, Salah played a big role in offering encouragement to both local and international talents, giving a special push to the fashion designers in the region. She plans to return to Egypt to seek new opportunities.

“I really enjoyed my time at Nawa3em.com and I will surely miss everyone,” says Salah. “I’m looking forward to spending some time in Egypt as I think it will give me the chance to explore new opportunities and find out what my next big step will be”.

Salah’s replacement has yet to be announced.

We Are Here

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Team TMN catch up with independent magazine publisher, Conor Purcell, who has ripped up the rulebook, thrown his pocket-friendly travel guide aside and is offering a fresh new take on travel reportage. Here he takes us on a tour behind the cover of We Are Here…

Tell us a little about yourself…

I am 34, and have been in Dubai since 2005. When I first arrived, there were no cars or roads; just camels and date farms, and if we wanted a drink, we had to sail to Oman. The development in the past few years has been incredible – I now have air conditioning and a couch with cushions. I grew up in Dublin and after studying journalism in college, worked in magazines, newspapers and websites in South Korea, Hong Kong and Dubai. I have also worked as a bee keeper, on a banana plantation, and once taught kindergarten. I am slightly obsessed with graphic design, books and travel, so We Are Here provides the perfect outlet for these hobbies.

Ok then, moving on! Explain the concept behind We Are Here magazine?

The magazine goes to a different city or district each issue – it’s a deeper look at a place from multiple angles, so it includes fiction, satire, poetry, long-form journalism, reportage and photography. It’s deliberately lo-fi; a long-form postcard from a city.

How did the idea come about?

I have always enjoyed travel and travel literature, but when I looked at travel magazines, they always seemed to be quite throwaway – and when compared to some fashion or art titles, there seemed to be no innovation or consideration about the design or the covers, and I thought it would be interesting to produce something that dug a little deeper.

How did you decide upon design and what influenced this decision?

I wanted to keep the design simple, mainly due to the fact that I am not a trained designer, and I wanted a template that I could design on my laptop – so there is no illustrations or complicated design, and only two fonts are used throughout. I believe that simplicity results in good design, and although this will evolve in each issue, the basic template will remain the same.

You recently published your second issue. What are the pros and cons of launching an independent title in the UAE?

It is definitely easier to do this in Dubai now, than it was a few years ago. In terms of content, there are lots of stories here that don’t get covered in the mainstream media, and so the city is very surprising in that respect. There are also lots of talented writers and photographers that want to tell stories. The biggest issue is with red tape – it takes a long time to get anything published, and there are lots of barriers and licensing issues. In the UK, you can just send the magazine PDFs to a printer, pay them, and it gets printed. It’s also a lot cheaper to print in the UK.

The market for independent titles here is small, but that makes it easier to distribute and market. Social media take up is big here, so you can promote a title relatively easy and connect with the creative community, which is growing very fast. Ultimately each publisher needs to look at the costs and time and work out whether it is better to print abroad and import the title here or to print here.

What is coming next from We Are Here?

We Are Here Kathmandu will be published in October. We have just got distribution throughout the UK and Europe, and it will be on sale in a number of stores in Asia, as well as throughout the GCC.

How can PRs get involved?

The magazine does not focus on products at all, so I think opportunities for PRs are limited. We do focus on people and places, so if a PR has something interesting to share, I am more than happy to hear about it.

Are there any advertising opportunities?

Yes, we have been lucky to work with brands such as Puma, The Address Hotel and Media One Hotel in previous issues. In most cases we designed the ad to match the editorial design. We want the advertising to complement the editorial, not interrupt it, and make sure it’s part of the experience. I think the magazine would be a good fit for galleries, cutting-edge clothes brands and, obviously, mobile phone brands – as we can take all the photographs on their device. Also we are one of the few local magazines to be distributed internationally, and to get media coverage everywhere from the Independent newspaper in the UK to Esquire magazine in the US.

What can we expect to see if the future?

After the Kathmandu issue, we are going to focus on an area in Bangkok for the fourth issue – that will be released in February. After that, there are a few options, but I am not 100 per cent sure of the destination for the fifth issue. Possibly somewhere in Africa or the Balkans.

We Are Here is available for purchase from: http://magpile.com/we-are-here/

For editorial or advertising enquiries, contact: conor@wndrmedia.com

Visit Conor’s blog, http://cjpurcell.com, or follow him on twitter @cjpurcell

Perfecting the pecking order of the pit

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Farooq Salik is a Senior Photographer at Motivate Publishing. Here he tells The Media Network why pin placement is key to successful event coverage.

How is it that professional photographers working across high-profile media titles can find themselves demoted to second grade citizens of the photography pit?

“Media dimensions have changed over the past five years. While change is often a good thing, it often requires the re-writing of certain rulebooks to ensure order is kept, and failure to do so can result in a build up of tensions.

This is something that can be seen in the world of photography and photojournalism in the Middle East. Prior to the online media revolution, print photographers and videographers were the main media outlets on the red carpet vying to get that coveted picture or video grab. That in itself has always been a bone of contention – with many PRs and event organisers failing to offer dedicated areas for each medium – but we’ll revisit that point later.

The last five years has seen a new generation of photographer take their place along the red carpet… the blogger. Now, on a personal level, I have nothing against bloggers – I admire their passion and dedication to share their thoughts and opinions with the world. When it comes to work however, there needs to be boundaries and a certain understanding from PRs, event organisers and bloggers themselves.

With increasing frequency, I am assigned to cover events for a number of our media titles (some of the biggest selling titles in the region), yet I find myself in the photographer’s pit, further down the pecking order than bloggers who are taking pictures on their smart phones or everyday digital cameras. How is it that professional photographers working across high-profile media titles can find themselves demoted to second grade citizens of the photography pit?

With print magazines holding editorial space for certain events, it is essential that there is a pecking order in place to ensure prime positioning is secured for the titles. Put simply, bad images equals bad coverage – not to mention very unhappy Editors who find themselves with last minute pages to fill, after discovering the event images unsuitable hours before going to press.

Internationally, it is almost always the case that newspapers and agencies take priority along with high-profile weeklies and monthlies – the more important and influential your title, the more prominent position assigned. International events also ensure that the video pit and photographer pit are separate… it goes without saying that the two don’t work together. With the latest SLR cameras now equip to take high-quality video footage, it’s more important than ever before for large-scale event organisers to ensure they ask the purpose of the press pass – video or photography.

If bloggers wish to share our pit, they need to learn the code of conduct. Just as all professional photographers do, get your picture and step back. A little common courtesy goes a long way.

Should interns be trusted with content creation?

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A recent news report by American TV station, KTVU, in which a news reader read out the purported names of the pilots responsible for a San Francisco plane crash (“Sum Ting Wong,” “Wi Tu Lo,” “Ho Lee Fuk” and “Bang Ding Ow”) was attributed to the work of a summer intern gone rogue. But who does the buck stop with? With so much at stake, should interns be trusted with content creation?

“YES” says Jola Chudy, Group Editor at Pinpoint Media Group

jolasmall“For me, being an intern proved more fruitful than all my time at university”

I always remember Robbie Williams’ 30th birthday with a smile. Sadly not because I was a guest at his celebrity-studded birthday bash, but because it was also a milestone for me, as well for the British singer, then at the zenith of his career. I was barely starting mine: a six-month student placement at the BBC in London. And my first experience of ‘flying solo’ in the workplace involved designing a logo and some title lines to accompany a programme marking that monumental occasion in pop music. I was left to it for a few days to come up with the goods. A cursory glance by the boss, and off they went to be aired later that week.

An incident such as the KTVU report raises more questions about the fact-checking protocols of a regional news network than it does about the capabilities of a clearly insane intern. It certainly shouldn’t result in all interns being relegated back to tea-making.

For me, being an intern proved more fruitful than all my time at university. In a busy workplace, the intern plays a dual role, and while I soaked up everything I could from those around me, I also helped, in my own way, to alleviate their own workloads, writing little bits and pieces that eventually made their way to press (almost entirely rewritten, with gritted teeth, by the editorial team). Subsequent internships saw me similarly left to my own devices, under one watchful eye of a department head.

I don’t remember being nannied at every stage. If you treat people like they’re idiots, they’ll invariably fulfil that expectation, but if you behave as if you expect greatness – well, you may just end up being surprised. In my role today, I’ve mentored interns who have been directly responsible for content creation such as reviews, fashion write-ups and interviews. Some of them have dropped real clangers into their work. That’s ok. It’s my job as an editor to be the final check before anything goes public, to weed out the stuff that’ll get my magazines shut down and the team carted off to Bur Dubai police station (or worse, result in an irate PR manager calling me up for a ‘chat’).

Interns need guidance, watching, but above all practice in the real world, which means being given the space to make mistakes and learn from them.There’s only so far that watching on the sidelines will get you.

I would like to know what the editor of the network was doing while those innapropriate words were making their way through to the broadcasting stage – because it clearly wasn’t mentoring or editing an intern.

“NO” says Rima Armstrong, Senior Account Manager at Ketchum Raad

Rimaketchum“It’s almost exploitative to expect interns to create content that only requires a quick spelling and grammar check”

There’s definitely a lot to be said for diversifying an intern’s job description, beyond making cups of tea and filing. Developing talent should be at the heart of any employer’s directive, however it should be just that – development.

Whilst an intern’s input should be valued, handing over a task to them that they’re not yet experienced enough to do can lead to unfortunate consequences, as we saw with Fox affiliate, KTVU. It’s not even necessarily about the task at hand, but understanding the consequences of what may happen if anyone deems the content be offensive.

Mentoring interns to ensure they’re getting the basics right is imperative to building the foundations for a future star employee, and to protecting your business. It may well be that they find it tedious, but they’ll thank you for it in the end. Existing employees should be encouraged to share knowledge with interns and show them the ropes, not dump workload on them, and a good intern will appreciate that.

I remember the first time I had to write creative content that was going to be published, and it was nerve-wracking. Despite receiving good grades for my writing at university, I wasn’t familiar with the subject or the preferred writing style. I was lucky enough to have patient and nurturing colleagues, who taught me to walk before I hurt myself running. Piling the pressure onto interns to produce something that’s going to get them the recognition they so badly want takes time and encouragement

There’s no reason as to why you can’t involve them in the process, after all, they’re there to learn. If they felt they could comfortably develop creative content, they would be looking for a paid job rather than an internship. It’s almost exploitative to expect interns to create content that only requires a spelling and grammar check, and it also demeans paid employees – if an intern can do their job, why isn’t the entire creative team made up of interns?

Fast Food Nation

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As Team TMN discovered on the lead up to launch, long working hours and sustaining a healthy lifestyle is far from easy. For many months we chowed down on an array of home-delivery options but, alas, we recently hit our fast food wall. Not even our initial excitement of McDonalds’ new delivery service could lift our spirits. But then we caught wind of a so-called healthy fast food delivery option… was this the solution to our dining dilemma?

What: Kcal Healthy Fast Food

Where: Kcal currently has four branches across Dubai – Jumeirah Lake Towers, Tecom, The Dubai Mall and Business Bay. Two further branches are due to launch in September/October 2013 in Mirdif City Centre and City Tower 1, Sheikh Zayed Road.

When: Delivery hours are between 11:00-23:30, seven days per week.

The promise: “A world where food is packed with nutrients, dishes burst with flavour and the food is delicious, yet healthy – all under 300 calories!”

Did it deliver? When someone promises ‘delicious’ food, Team TMN think roast dinner with lashings of gravy, a full-scale Lebanese feast or something equally gluttonous… certainly not calorie-controlled rations. So when Kcal’s delivery menu was thrust upon us, we were not fully convinced of its chances of passing our extremely particular taste test. And taste was only half the battle to be won. With no time to waste, speed was of utmost importance as we taxied towards launch. Ordering was relatively pain-free as we experimented in the world of online food ordering, which proved to be a rather novel change from the norm. Food was dispatched quickly and delivered hot – they promised within 45 minutes… it was delivered in 26 minutes. Not bad going, but with our headquarters based in JLT, they didn’t have to travel far. Portion size was surprisingly generous, and with a free side dish with each main, our team didn’t go hungry. Having sampled a selection of dishes – from the surprisingly morish pasta-free lasagne to the hearty Chicken Supreme burger, finished off with a slice of low-cal chocolate cake – we taste-tested a fair selection (and then some!) before departing to the deliberation room.

The Verdict: While initially skeptical that low-calorie fast food could indeed be tasty, Team TMN are well and truly back on our fast food buzz – just with far fewer calories consumed and lower cholesterol levels. Guilt-free fast food – we’re converted!

Would you like Team TMN to review your event, latest launch or product? E-mail roadtested@the-media-network.com with full details and we’ll be in touch to offer our verdict.

Condé Nast Traveller Editor-in-Chief, Rhea Saran

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NAME:
 Rhea Saran

AGE: 
32

FROM: 
Mumbai, India

JOB TITLE:
 Editor-in-Chief, Condé Nast Traveller (Middle East)

When did you arrive in the UAE? I’ve just arrived and today is my first day at ITP. As you can imagine, I’m still orienting – especially because I take off almost immediately to Paris for a three-day training and creative brainstorm session with Condé Nast International. I suppose all the jetting around is fitting for a travel mag.

Where did you work prior? Before coming on board at ITP, I was Features Editor of GQ (India), part of Condé Nast India. I spent five and a half years at the magazine, having moved to Mumbai from New York in 2008. Prior to my India posting, I did stints at Working Mother magazine and New York Resident magazine in New York, as well as freelance assignments for Condé Nast Traveler (US).

What are your first impressions of the Media Industry in the Middle East? This is hard to answer having only just arrived – I can say from what I know, though, that it’s clearly a diverse and vibrant scene, which is something you can tell from even just the sheer number of titles being produced and doing well here. I think the market for media in the region is exciting, especially for a luxury travel title like Condé Nast Traveller. I’m very optimistic about it.

Tell us about your new role? My new role at Condé Nast Traveller Middle East is that of Editor-in-Chief, which means that I work across the board on the magazine – from editorial vision and managing my team, to client relationships and representing the brand to the outside world. In the initial stages, a key part of that role is going to be in guiding the launch of the magazine, which is quite different from stepping into an established publication. It’s particularly exciting because you get to shape the eventual form of the magazine (though within certain parameters of the brand), so there’s a lot of creative vision that goes into it beyond the month-to-month story plan.

What challenges have you faced in past roles? Given that I’ve worked in multiple markets, I’d say the greatest challenge every time I’ve moved is learning and adapting to new markets, audiences and cultures. I actually think it’s great fun, but it certainly also makes for a rigorous learning curve. I’ve also addressed myriad topics with the different publications I’ve worked for – from the issues of working mothers, to the nitty-gritties of city-specific reporting, to writing for a male audience with GQ. Again, the challenge is in adapting to your subject matter, evolving your tone and understanding your audience. Once you’ve figured this out, the rest comes pretty easily.

How do you plan to make your mark? By launching a world-class edition of Condé Nast Traveller in the Middle East and ensuring that this edition is the final word and the greatest authority on luxury travel lifestyle in the region (and beyond).

What’s the most rewarding part of being a journalist? For me it’s two-fold. At a personal level, it’s about the exposure and learning. Every day is a different topic, a different place, different people, a different angle. You learn about things you never thought you’d have a great interest in, but are often pleasantly surprised by. The second thing I find rewarding is that I create something that is consumed for pleasure. Even if it’s a fleeting few minutes as someone finishes a story, they’ve entertained themselves – and perhaps learnt something – and that’s a great feeling.

Have you worked with PRs in the region before? If so, how have you found that? I haven’t – so those are exciting new relationships I look forward to forging.

What’s your pet PR peeve? My primary PR peeve is being pitched stories or products that have nothing to do with the subject of my magazine. Non-targeted solicitation annoys me.

What advice can you offer PRs seeking coverage in your magazine? The most important piece of advice I can offer is to truly understand the magazine and its space when you come to meet us, send us emails or phone us. If I receive an email from or speak with someone, and they clearly know what my magazine is about and have a thought-through, tailored proposal, I’m infinitely more likely to give it serious consideration. Condé Nast Traveller also works best with exclusives, so I’d suggest keeping that in mind, too. And finally, I’d encourage familiarity with our lead times, so that we can work together in a way that benefits both of us.

Do you prefer work calls via Landline, mobile or either? I prefer emails for initial introductions. But alternatively, landline at the office as a preference – though I’m rarely away from my cellphone.

Describe yourself in five words… Creative, perfectionist, adventurous, social, global.

What’s your most overused word or saying? This is a terrible thing to make a writer admit! I have to go with “totally” – I say it in conversation more than I should when I agree with something. Though if I saw it in any writer’s copy, I’d chuck it out immediately.

Five things you can’t live without? Close friends and family, my passport, my phone, chocolate and the movies.

If you weren’t a journalist, what would you be? An actor. Though I’m pretty sure my dad was happy I went this way instead…

 

Rhea Saran is the new Editor of Condé Nast Traveller Middle East. Contact her at Rhea.Saran@appgulf.com /+971 (0)4 444 3503

Condé Nast Traveller – Editorial team announced

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Today marks the start of the Condé Nast Traveller editorial team formation, with three key team members announced. Effective immediately, Rhea Saran will take the lead as Editor-in-Chief, with Grazia Middle East Deputy Editor, Jenny King, moving across to join the team as Deputy Editor at the end of September. Sabina Parkinson joins as Art Director, with more team to be announced imminently. Part of the ITP group, this will be APP’s first publication under licence agreement with Condé Nast International and marks the luxury travel title’s debut in the Gulf region.

“The readers of Condé Nast Traveller are discerning, affluent and cultured.  They expect a superior, memorable travel experience and we look forward to showing them how and where they can receive this, both globally and within this region,” says Ali Akawi, Managing Director of APP & ITP Consumer. “Travel is an important part of the lives of people in the Gulf whether this is for leisure or business. Testament to this is the fact we have three of the world’s leading airlines based here and an abundance of international five-star hotels.”

Contact the Condé Nast Traveller Middle East team at CondeNastTraveller@AppGulf.com, or call +971 (0)4 444 3000

Arabian Woman to launch online

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Arabian Woman has announced it will launch an online edition by the end of 2013. After fourteen years as a front-runner in the Saudi Arabian consumer magazine market, and with a presence across the wider GCC,  the magazine is taking steps forward to compete in the ever-competitive magazine market. With a fresh new look – unveiled in the August issue – a new Dubai Media City office, and a new Editor, things are certainly shaping up.

“The Arabian Woman website is currently under development and we’re hoping to launch it within the next couple of months,” says Senior Editor, Sherry Tenorio. “We understand the importance of having a strong online presence, as well as interactive social media platforms. That, combined with our high-quality print publication will provide both our readers and clients with the whole package”.