Author: Gareth Jones

The light and dark themed covers, featuring Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) respectively, are the latest in Empire’s portfolio of Star Wars exclusives.

The magazine has opened its prized archives for the first time since 1997 to produce a bespoke 40 years of Star Wars supplement focussing on the original trilogy. Also included with the issue is an exclusive LucasFilm double-sided art print.

Commenting on the issue, Empire Editor-in-Chief Terri White, said: “This month’s issue is a feast of goodies, from our exclusive Star Wars covers, supplement and art print, to two killer specials in the mag: our Oscars extravaganza and Review of the Year, including interviews with Nicole Kidman, Ridley Scott, Elisabeth Moss, Armie Hammer, Jordan Peele, Gary Oldman, Margot Robbie, Taika Waititi, Regina Hall, Martin McDonagh and Joe Wright. Oh, and the Hoff!”

Empire Digital Editor-in-Chief James Dyer has spoken to the main cast members to find out what fans can expect when the film opens in cinemas on December 14.

This new issue builds on Empire’s long and special relationship with Star Wars, which has included a host of exclusive and innovative styles of publishing.

In September, Empire published two covers, with the special subscriber cover making use of a holographic sheen to show the hand of Ridley's Rey handing a lightsaber to the robotic hand of Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker.

In November 2016 the magazine published six collectable 3D covers, showcasing characters from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In 2005 the magazine joined forces with LucasFilm to publish a limited-edition “breathing” Darth Vader cover, which produced sound using chip technology embedded in its spine.

For the latest issue, readers can look forward to exclusive interviews, never seen before exclusive pictures, a comprehensive review of the year, including Empire’s Top 20 Films of 2017, and a look ahead to the potential 2018 Oscar nominees.

The latest edition of Empire hits newsstands on November 30.

Steinherr’s remit will extend across digital and print, editorial and commercial, as well as the Glamour Beauty Club and other brand extensions, including the Glamour Beauty Festival.

She will work with Deborah Joseph, Chief Content Officer, on the beauty vision and content across the brand.

Joseph commented: “We are excited that Alessandra will continue working for Glamour in this new capacity. She is very highly respected in the beauty industry, regarded as the influencers’ influencer, and her expertise and authority will help deliver this next phase of the Glamour brand as the ultimate beauty destination for UK consumers and advertisers.”

Steinherr was previously Beauty Director for Glamour magazine, a role she held since 2007. Prior to this, she was Beauty Director of Cosmopolitan for six years.

“I am passionate about exciting, accurate, sometimes surprising, but always expert, beauty reporting. This is something I have endeavoured to stay true to over my past 10 years at Glamour. I am looking forward to continuing this editorial excellence and holding myself to the same exacting standards in my new role, while combining it with my love of social media and engaging our readers in fresh ways through the Glamour Beauty Club and the ultimate beauty destination, the Glamour Beauty Festival,” Steinherr said of her new role.

The recently launched Glamour Beauty Club received 50,000 sign-ups in the first five weeks and now has over 75,000 members. The Glamour Beauty Festival will return for the third time in March 2018, with tickets going on sale in early December.

Beauty content is the leading traffic generator on the Glamour website, and is an area the audience has great confidence in. In a recent survey, 89% said they trust Glamourmagazine.co.uk for beauty advice and inspiration.

Further appointments made to the new Glamour team include: Sagal Mohammed as Celebrity and Entertainment Content Editor, Carolina De Matos Nicolao as Junior Social Editor and Chelsea Hughes as Picture/Multimedia Producer. Lisa Jenkins joins as Sales Executive and Samantha McMeekin has joined as Beauty Content Writer, having previously been Online Editor at Insideout.com.au and Senior Content Producer for beautyheaven before that.

Jade Muscrop has been appointed Social Media Manager, taking up her new position from December 4. She was part of the launch team and led the socially-driven content for Pretty52, LADbible’s female channel.

Glamour’s digital transformation will debut in early 2018. Glamour has also altered its print frequency from monthly to bi-annually, with the first print issue to hit newsstands in March to coincide with the Glamour Beauty Festival.

The scheme, commencing today, offers low-cost access to justice as envisaged in the Leveson Report and replaces the pilot scheme IPSO has run for a year.

The cost for claimants to use the scheme has been cut from £300 to a maximum of £100, split into a £50 fee at the start and a further £50 if the case goes to final ruling. Publishers will fund the rest of the administration cost and all of the arbitrators’ fees.

Matt Tee, IPSO Chief Executive, said: “A key theme of the Leveson Report was access to justice for those that can’t afford to go to court. The new IPSO scheme means that anyone can bring a claim against a newspaper for a fee of £50. Access to low-cost arbitration is an important part of the service we offer to the public and I’m pleased that we have been able to reduce the up-front cost of arbitration for a claimant to just £50.

“In fact, even if the hearing proceeds to final ruling, the maximum it will cost a member of the public is £100, thus making the IPSO scheme fully Leveson-compliant. The culture select committee called for IPSO to offer low cost arbitration in its response to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) consultation on Section 40. We have listened and acted,” he added.

Responding to this announcement, Damian Collins MP, Chair of the DCMS Committee, commented: “I welcome IPSO's decision to launch a new arbitration scheme…One of the most important recommendations made in the Leveson Report was that there should be an affordable and accessible system of arbitration when people want to make complaints against the press.

“This was also called for earlier this year by the DCMS Committee, in our response to the government's consultation of press regulation. There the committee said, ‘we believe the costs of the pilot scheme should be reduced to meet the vision of low cost arbitration set out by Leveson, where complainants would face minimal fees for participation in the scheme.’ I believe that the announcement today is a significant step forward in making this a reality.”

Other amendments to the IPSO scheme include:

• New protections for members of the public representing themselves, to ensure they are protected from having to pay large legal costs to publishers, even if they lose a case

• Increased ability for claimants to recover their own legal costs from publishers, with safeguards to ensure that neither side incurs unreasonable costs

• A new power for arbitrators to require publishers to pay aggravated damages to a successful claimant, within the overall cap of £50,000

• New limits on the circumstances in which a publisher can recover fees and costs from a claimant.

The IPSO arbitration scheme is a method of dispute resolution used to provide a cost-effective, straightforward and quick method of solving legal disputes between claimants and participating members of the press, including claims for libel, slander, misuse of private information, breach of confidence, malicious falsehood, harassment and data protection.

It is a voluntary scheme in which both parties agree to binding arbitration overseen by specialist barristers. It is managed by Europe’s largest independent Alternative Dispute Resolution provider, CEDR.

Publications taking part include all of IPSO’s national newspaper members, including the Daily Mirror, The Sun, The Times, the Daily Mail, the Daily Express, the Daily Star and The Daily Telegraph, as well as the Press Association and Condé NastBritain. The scheme is open to all IPSO members to join.

Arbitration does not replace the regulatory complaints handling service operated by IPSO under the Editors’ Code of Practice, which remains free and available to all, with no need to seek legal or specialist advice. It will continue to run as a separate service.

The changes will also support market growth and make the data easier to use when trading.

Four primary circulation categories have been introduced: paid single copies, paid subscriptions, paid multiple copies and free copies. This simplifies the presentation of ABC data, with further sub-categories that allow for more detailed analysis.

ABC CEO Simon Redlich commented: "These enhancements to our service come as a result of in-depth consultation with agencies and publishers and a great deal of work from the industry groups that represent their interests.

Our focus has been to actively support publishers’ efforts to grow circulation, while maintaining the trust that the ABC stands for."

Pricing constraints have been removed, which has led to the removal of minimum cover prices for print retail copies and pricing restrictions on multipacks. The transparency needed for trading has been retained.

A change in the definition of actively purchased figures now means all copies paid for by an individual are included in the actively purchased data.

Several areas of the Standards have been simplified, including a reduction in the number of rate bands shown for paid circulation categories and a simpler and clearer presentation of free copies.

The ABC’s new certificate presentation will come into effect for the next round of certificates released in February 2018.

The new design focuses on making ABC data more accessible, with a clearer and simpler design, which includes graphs and charts to better illustrate circulation.

A full summary can be found here.

This represents a milestone in improving access to its unique and priceless archive, both for members of the Company and the general public. Thanks to the generosity of Liverymen Duncan Spence and Amy McKee, as well as additional funds from the Company, there is now a new facility for everyone to use, including an archive room and a reading room. 

The whole complex is called the Tokefield Centre in commemoration of the then Clerk, George Tokefield, who in 1666 transported the Company’s records in a wheelbarrow beyond the reach of the Great Fire of London to preserve them.

Liveryman Sarah Mahurter, Manager of the University Archives and Special Collections Centre at University of the Arts London, managed the project. The successful planning application was supported by Historic England. Mahurter relocated the historic archive from an inaccessible upstairs room to the oldest book warehouse building in London, which forms one end of the Company’s garden. 

The archive room has been built within a climate-controlled environment and the reading room is able to accommodate everyone’s needs.

Ruth Frendo, the Stationers’ Company archivist, commented: “The Stationers’ Archive is already known as a key resource to historians of the book trade. However, it also holds a wealth of records and their potential is yet to be explored. As custodians of the records we have inherited through the care and dedication of our forebears, we have a serious responsibility to maintain these documents for future exploration.

Through the development of this purpose-built storage facility and a reading room that will provide unprecedented access to its Archive, the Stationers’ Company is demonstrating that it is whole-heartedly embracing this responsibility.”

William Alden, Clerk to the Company, added: “Widening access to Stationers’ Hall for educational purposes is a critical objective of the Stationers’ Company. The opening of the Tokefield Centre marks the completion of the first phase of a broader Hall development programme, which we hope to complete by 2023. This marks the 350th anniversary of the Hall being built.” 

The official opening took place on November 10.

With a fully integrated editorial and commercial department, Joseph’s remit extends across all platforms to help create the ultimate beauty destination for today’s millennial audience.

This is a return to Condé Nast and to Glamour for Joseph, who previously worked on the launch of the magazine as Entertainment Editor, later becoming Associate Editor.

In 2004, Deborah moved to the Daily Mail, before returning to Condé Nast as Editor of Brides, subsequently becoming Editor of Easy Living. Since 2013 she has worked as a Content Consultant and Editor on various digital projects, including start-ups ASAP54 and Entrago & Peanut, as well as brands including Jenny Packham and TUI.

Camilla Newman, Publishing Director of Glamour, commented, “I’m so excited to be working with Deborah again and welcoming her back to Condé Nast. With her wide experience in digital – from start-ups to established brands – as well as significant print knowledge as a former magazine Editor, she is perfectly placed to take Glamour into its new beauty-focused digital era.”

Joseph added, “It’s an honour to be given the opportunity to reimagine Glamour’s iconic brand for the digital age. It’s a brand I’ve loved since its launch. There are hugely innovative and exciting opportunities for beauty-first content across various platforms, from digital and print to experiential. I’m looking forward to working with Glamour’s content and commercial teams across all of these.”

Joseph will take up her new role with immediate effect and report to Newman.

This is the first appointment made following the announcement of Glamour’s new direction in the UK as it becomes the ultimate online beauty destination for consumers and advertisers.

The reoriented Glamour beauty hub will include: how to’s, product reviews, videos, reader reviews, opinion pieces and an interchange with influencers and vloggers.

Celebrity and fashion editorial content will still play a role, but it will be viewed through the lens of a beauty lover.

The digital transformation will debut in early 2018. Glamour has also altered its print frequency from monthly to bi-annually, with the first print issue to hit newsstands in March to coincide with the Glamour Beauty Festival.

Mulvey joins Bauer from Time Inc. UK where he was Editor of Uncut, which he joined in 2004 – taking on the role of Deputy Editor in 2007 and Editor in 2014.

Commenting on his new role, Mulvey said: "I'm really proud to have been offered the best job in British music journalism and to be joining such a gifted and long-established team.

For the last three decades, MOJO has been the essential read for serious music fans all over the world – a place of wisdom, insight and discovery that understands why great old records should always be cherished and how great new records are being made every year. It'll be an honour to uphold MOJO‘s traditions and values and to lead it into the future," he continued.

Patrick Horton, Managing Director of Bauer’s Sport & Entertainment brands, added: “I’m delighted that John is joining MOJO. His track record in quality music journalism and in creating great products for music fans has been proven over many years. John will be joining the world’s best music magazine at a pivotal moment as we develop and extend it to reach new audiences. I look forward to welcoming him into the MOJO team.”

According to ABC figures for the Jan-Dec 2016 period, MOJO achieved a total monthly circulation of 67,518 for print and digital copies. The brand has a proud tradition of delivering world-class journalism on the greatest musicians of all-time and features a bespoke cover-mounted CD each month.

Mulvey joins Bauer Media on February 5, 2018 and will report to Horton.

Time Inc. UK is creating a single content and affiliate team to provide around-the-clock deals coverage for Black Friday.

A team of 20 people will be working from a designated room for the duration of the event, supported by teams from across the company. It is the single biggest commitment to Black Friday ever made by Time Inc. UK.

Digital Managing Director of Time Inc. UK Neil Robinson commented: “Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping events of the year, so it’s only right that we bring our teams together in this way to serve our customers. It’s the biggest cross-company collaboration Time Inc. UK has ever undertaken and we’re looking forward to a hugely successful event.”

Working under Group Content Director Nick Merritt and Affiliate Director Paul Cunliffe, the Black Friday team combines experts from Time Inc. UK’s fashion and beauty, technology and sports editorial teams, plus affiliate and technical experts from across the company, to ensure up-to-the-second coverage of deals as they appear.

The team will dedicate themselves to finding and writing about the best deals in each area, using their expertise to separate the good from the bad, so readers can quickly make informed decisions about what they want to purchase.

Deals can be viewed on Trusted Reviews’ Black Friday Deals page, Marie Claire’s Black Friday Fashion and Beauty page, InStyle’s Black Friday Clothing page and Cycling Weekly’s Black Friday Bike Deals page.

Black Friday, which offers massive shopping discounts, kicks off on Friday 24 November this year. It is held the day after Thanksgiving in the United States, which is celebrated annually on the fourth Thursday of November.

It has now gained traction in the United Kingdom. People spent about £1.27 billion during last year’s Black Friday, up 16% on 2015.

In 2016, Britons spent £5.8 billion over the four days between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with £2.8 billion spent on online retailers. Cyber Monday is the Monday after Thanksgiving where people are encouraged to shop for deals online.

Based on positive feedback and overall satisfaction, Bauer Media Group has decided to extend its partnership with SPRYLAB.

As part of the ongoing global strategy, Bauer Media Group will now also use migration tool Purple DS® for its remaining publications and has just converted more than 150 titles to Purple DS®.

This includes TV 14 _in Germany, _Closer in the UK, Woman’s World in the US and Maxi in France.

Florian Fricke, ‎Head of International Digital Solutions at Bauer Xcel Media, commented: “The migration of all our titles to one single platform is an exciting step to offer our readers a unified digital experience.

“On this basis, we can continuously improve our titles worldwide, for example with more mobile-optimised formats and more engaging content.”

This move supports Bauer Media Group’s goal of streamlining its editorial systems and processes.

York Walterscheid, Director of Marketing & Sales at SPRYLAB, said of the partnership: “It has been an exciting journey so far with Bauer Media Group. We are proud that we could convince Bauer Media Group during the first phase and are now excited to have migrated all of the titles globally. Both companies learned a lot in this partnership and we are looking forward to ongoing, fruitful cooperation.”

Puzzles & Pastimes includes a range of activities to suit those living with dementia – in its early and mid-stages. The specially designed content includes entertaining puzzles, colouring and other activities, alongside nostalgic images and easy recipes designed to stimulate the mind – subsequently sparking memories and conversations.

A detachable booklet for carers is included, containing practical tips and advice on how their loved one can get the most out of the puzzles and other activities.

Puzzler Media’s Publishing Manager Mark Whiteway discussed teaming up with the experts at Unforgettable: “We have over 45 years of experience in making puzzles of all types and levels of difficulty, and we know that our readers value puzzles as a way of exercising mind and memory, as well as for pure entertainment value.

“Some readers resort to children's puzzles as their sight and memory deteriorate, so we wanted to produce a dedicated magazine that would allow solvers to enjoy the benefits of puzzles for as long as possible, whether alone or in the company of a carer.”

He continued, “To ensure we provided the most appropriate content and design, it was essential to seek the professional guidance of James Ashwell and his team at Unforgettable. Their advice was invaluable in compiling this unique mix of activities and puzzles of varying levels.”

Ashwell founded Unforgettable.org after caring for his mother with dementia for five years. He wanted to help others living with the condition. Unforgettable is a charitable foundation that offers life-changing products and services for people with dementia.

“Our mission is to create a world where people with dementia live the best possible life. People are living longer and family members have high awareness of needs, so are actively seeking products to help give a better quality of life to their loved ones,” Ashwell commented.

“There are very few printed products designed to engage, stimulate and occupy those living with the condition, so we were delighted to team up with Puzzler Media in order to produce this high-quality yet affordable publication.”

In 2017, The Lancet reported that dementia is the greatest global challenge for health and social care in the 21st century.

Around 50 million people worldwide have dementia and this number is predicted to triple by 2050. Research has shown that people aged over 50 are now more concerned about developing dementia than getting cancer.

Puzzles & Pastimes is on sale from today for £5.99.

In addition to its own titles, including The Puzzler and Puzzler Collection, Puzzler Media supplies bespoke print and digital puzzles to national and regional newspapers, as well as a variety of consumer magazines – generating almost a quarter of a million puzzles every year.