Pavement (magazine)

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Pavement is a New Zealand youth culture magazine published bimonthly, and then quarterly, by Bernard McDonald from 1993 to 2006.

Pavement was started with the aim of creating a magazine that would focus on both local and international contemporary culture. It included articles on contemporary music, art, film, fashion and design. The magazine had a reputation for uncovering "stars" (DJs, musicians, etc.). While Pavement was primarily a New Zealand magazine, it made use of overseas photographers, stylists, models and fashion, as well as covering international music, writing and film. It was available in over 1,000 outlets around New Zealand and Australia and had plans to increase its distribution in New York and London.

It had twice been awarded New Zealand Magazine of the Year.^[1] The magazine had been criticised by child advocacy group ECPAT, who lodged a complaint with the censorship compliance unit claiming that a number of images of teenage and pre-teen girls in a 2006 “special teen issue” marking Pavement’s 13th year of publication, were “legally objectionable”. Chief censor Bill Hastings felt there was a prima facie case to be answered.^[2]

Editor Bernard McDonald stated there was “one shoot that I would consider provocative.” McDonald believed that the offending material was only a celebration “of the idea and ideals” of being young, the “provocative” images being simply those of “a teenager developing into a sexual being, as we all do.”^[3] Nevertheless, major bookstore chain Whitcoulls declined to display the anniversary issue, selling copies only to customers who requested them over the counter.^[4] The Office of Film and Literature Classification eventually restricted the "special teen issue" to persons 13 years of age and over.

As a result of declining advertising revenue, it was announced that the magazine would cease production following its December 2006 issue.^[5]

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