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Saturday, October 11, 2008

The UK's first user generated magazine


I've evangelised about this a lot on the PPA Training courses I do, and I'm now putting the readers content where my mouth is.

Merricks Media is set to publish an edition of Greece Magazine comprised entirely of reader created content – the first time that this has ever been done in the UK.



The November issue will become "Your Greece Magazine" reflecting the unique issue content; which is entirely provided by the readers themselves. From tips on how to find the best tavernas in Crete to how to avoid paying too much for your taxi in Athens, every article has been crafted by the readers of Greece magazine.



The magazine is the only publication targeted at the hundreds of thousands of people in the UK who regularly travel to or have a second home in Greece, and is dedicated to delivering the best coverage on travel, food, culture and the Greek lifestyle.



The innovative approach has already driven a massive response, with hosts of pictures, articles and features piling onto editor Karen Birch’s desk.
"We are really excited about being the first magazine in the country to do this", says Karen. "Our readers have always been very passionate about every aspect of Greek life, and are always keen to write in and tell us what they think. We’ve been overwhelmed by the response to the special issue."



John Weir, Publishing Director at Merricks Media said "Its vital that magazines serve their communities as closely as possible, and extending the conversation we are having with our readers into a dedicated issue seems a natural progression. We know this will result in more sales of the magazine and a better relationship with our audience."



The November issue of Greece magazine goes on sale on the 30th October and is available at all WH Smith stores priced £3.95


1 comment:

eds23 said...

Great idea John. I've heard of something similar in the US but this is almost certainly a first over here. Best of British for the title! I'll have a look out for it!