TV Week

TV Week is an Australian magazine, issued weekly, first published as a Melbourne-only publication in December 1957 (as TV-Radio Week), and bearing a strong affiliation to television station Channel Nine GTV.

The publication is still publishing weekly. In its current format it previews upcoming storylines for popular television programs, particularly soap opera's shown in Australia, and reports on some musical acts. As well as featuring interviews and a full weekly program guide with highlights.

History

The first issue to be published covered the week 5–11 December 1957, with popular GTV-9 performers Geoff Corke and Val Ruff featured upon the cover. In 1958, the title was shortened to TV Week and circulation expanded to Sydney, then the only other TV market in Australia, in June. At the close of that year, Melbourne readers of TV Week were invited to vote for their favourite TV personalities and programmes. Graham Kennedy and Panda Lisner from GTV's In Melbourne Tonight were voted Melbourne's most popular TV personalities. Kennedy then named the awards the Logies, after the inventor of the first working television system, John Logie Baird. By June 1958, TV Week had a competitor, TV Times, published by the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC). TV Week continued to expand publication as television launched in other capital cities and regional areas across Australia.

The magazine introduced colour internal pages in 1962, moving to gloss colour covers and internal pages in 1967. As a final evolutionary stage, the magazine doubled size from A5 to A4 in July 1968.

In 1980, TV Week merged with rival publications TV Times and the Australian version of TV Guide. The revamped publication continued to be known as TV Week, and was now a joint venture between Kerry Packer's Australian Consolidated Press (who had bought out the former TV Times from the ABC) and Southdown Press (later Pacific Publications), with the latter publishing the magazine on behalf of both parties. In 2002, Packer effectively bought TV Week out of the joint venture. A legal battle over the custody of the magazines Logie Awards followed as both Australian Consolidated Press and Pacific Publications claimed ownership. Pacific wanted to use the Logies to promote their new rival TV listing What's On Weekly. Packer won the battle and the Logies remain connected to TV Week.

Criticism

In 2013, TV Week received criticism from former Neighbours actress Kym Valentine for not giving Neighbours as much coverage as their long-time rival, Home and Away. Valentine tweeted to TV Week, saying: "Why don't you give Neighbours as much coverage as Home and Away? The fans are asking for it? Bring back the love xx".^[1]

TV Week Soap Extra

TV Week Soap Extra was an Australian fortnightly television magazine that was published on a Thursday and cost $4.50. It was a sister magazine to TV Week^[2] and was originally launched in January 2014 as a one-off special. The magazine featured exclusive teasers and first-look photos of upcoming storylines, reviews, and interviews with the stars from local and international soap operas screening in Australia. The final issue of Soap Extra was released on 29 October 2015. Following the magazine's closure, all of their coverage for soap operas moved back to TV Week, which includes an additional six page special of Soap Extra content.

History

In January 2014, Bauer Media published a one-off special of TV Week Soap Extra, which previewed the 2014 storylines from various soap operas, including Neighbours, Home and Away, and The Bold and the Beautiful.^[3]

On 14 July 2014, Bauer Media confirmed that they would be launching TV Week Soap Extra as a fortnightly magazine dedicated to the storylines of Australian and overseas soaps and dramas.^[4] The decision came after Bauer Media had identified a gap in the market for a contemporary magazine that covered television soaps and dramas.^[5] TV Week deputy editor Erin McWhirter told TV Tonight, "The one-off special of TV Week Soap Extra we produced and launched in January was a huge success. Off the back of that, as well as TV Week's reputation as a known and trusted brand, it was evident there was enough room in the magazine market for TV Week Soap Extra as an ongoing offering."^[5]

The 66 page magazine was edited by McWhirter, published on a Thursday and cost $4.50.^[4] The first issue was available from 31 July 2014.^[4] TV Week Soap Extra featured exclusive teasers and first-look photos of upcoming storylines, reviews, and interviews with the current and former stars of soap operas screening in Australia, including Neighbours, Home and Away, Days of Our Lives, The Bold and the Beautiful, and The Young and the Restless.^[6][7][8] Other soaps included in its content were Coronation Street,^[9] EastEnders,^[10] Emmerdale,^[11] Hollyoaks,^[12] and Shortland Street.^[13]

The final issue of Soap Extra was released on 29 October 2015.^[14] Following the release of the magazine's last issue, their coverage of soap operas moved back to TV Week.^[15] McWhirter told TV Tonight, "Whilst Soap Extra has attained a loyal following since launch, due to the relative size of the soap market the business decision has been made that the popular content from Soap Extra is better placed within TV Week. After the last issue of Soap Extra, TV Week magazine will have an additional six page special of Soap Extra content."^[16]

References

External links

• Official website
• The History Of Australian Television: TV Week