New Idea

{{Infobox magazine

| logo =

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| image_file = New Idea.jpg

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| image_caption = Cover of magazine from April 2010.

| editor = Karleigh Smith

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| category = Women's magazine

| frequency = Weekly

| circulation =

| publisher =

| founder = Thomas Shaw Fitchett

| founded = {{start date and age|1902}}

| firstdate =

| company = Are Media{{cite web |title=New Idea |url=https://www.aremedia.com.au/brands/new-idea/ |publisher=Are Media |access-date=28 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310020435/https://www.aremedia.com.au/brands/new-idea/ |archive-date=10 March 2021 |url-status=live}}

| country = Australia

| based = Sydney

| language = English

| website = {{URL|http://www.newidea.com.au}}

| issn = 0028-5404

| oclc =

}}

New Idea is a long-running Australian weekly magazine aimed at women, now published by Are Media.

History

The magazine was first published in 1902 by Fitchett Bros. The founder was Thomas Shaw Fitchett. It was subtitled A Women's Home Journal for Australia.{{cite news|title=1902 New Idea magazine|url=http://meandmybigmouth.com.au/new-idea-magazine/|access-date=2 February 2017|work=Me and My Big Mouth}} In 1911 the magazine was renamed as Everylady’s journal, but in 1928 the title was changed back to New Idea. Fitchett Brothers changed the name of their company to Southdown Press (later renamed Pacific Magazines). Following World War II the company was acquired by Keith Murdoch and then became part of the Murdoch media consortium.

In June 2006, the magazine was ranked 3rd in Australia in circulation, with an audited circulation of 433,176; it ranked ahead of Reader's Digest.{{cite web|url=http://www.magazines.org.au/files/Top100CircJanJune06.pdf|title=Top 100 Magazine Circulation|work=Magazine Publishers of Australia|year=2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060819070417/http://www.magazines.org.au/files/Top100CircJanJune06.pdf|archive-date=2006-08-19}} The magazine's readership in 2004 was in excess of 2 million{{cite web|url=http://www.sevencorporate.com.au/_uploads/documents/2004%20Annual%20Report.pdf|title=2004 Annual Report|work=Seven Network Limited|page=17|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912013749/http://www.sevencorporate.com.au/_uploads/documents/2004%20Annual%20Report.pdf|archive-date=2009-09-12}} and had increased to 2.364 million in 2005/6;{{cite web |url=http://www.magazines.org.au/files/June%2005%20-%20July%2006%20Top%20100%20Readership.pdf |title=Top 100 Readership |publisher=Magazine Publishers of Australia |year=2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060819074213/http://www.magazines.org.au/files/June%2005%20-%20July%2006%20Top%20100%20Readership.pdf |archive-date=2006-08-19 }} that is the magazine is read by more than 10% of Australia's population. However, in recent years weekly sales figures have dropped to a March 2014 audit of 280,206.Audited Media Association of Australia In December 2014 readership had halved to 1.265 million,Roy Morgan Research 'Australian Magazine Readership 12 months to Dec 2014.

Content

In what may be termed the golden era of popular magazines, 1950–1980, a popular column was "Mere Male", where readers recounted humorous stories where an "MM", usually a husband, was the (affectionate) butt of the joke. Several anthologies of stories from the period have been published{{cite web|url=https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/346421/Copyright |title=Mere Male : the best from three decades of New idea's popular column |publisher=Southdown Press |year=1982 |isbn=0908429010}} and the expression became part of the Australian vernacular.

Controversies

In January 2008, it revealed details that Prince Harry was with the British army serving in Afghanistan, in breach of an agreement with the major news organisations.{{cite web |url=http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/new-idea/8771/prince-harry-goes-to-war-in-afghanistan/ |title=Biography |work=Yahoo Lifestyles, New Idea |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711160420/http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/new-idea/8771/prince-harry-goes-to-war-in-afghanistan/ |archive-date=2012-07-11 }} It ran updates on the story on two further occasions. When the United States Drudge Report ran the story on 28 February 2008, the prince was forced to abandon his posting and return to the UK. After the story broke much more widely, New Idea pulled the story from its web site and made itself unavailable for comment to other members of the press.{{Cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/29/2176274.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121231051450/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/29/2176274.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 31, 2012 |title=New Idea pleads ignorance on Harry embargo|access-date=1 March 2008|work=ABC Australia News }}{{cite web |url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/world/prince-harry-takes-on-the-taliban/2008/02/29/1204226924767.html |title=Prince Harry takes on the Taliban|work=Sydney Morning Herald |date=29 February 2008}} Two months later, the magazine issued an apology for publishing the story. "We regret this serious lapse of judgment. We sincerely apologise to all our readers, to the servicemen whose lives are at constant risk while serving at home and abroad and to their families and loved ones."

New Idea was criticised on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Media Watch for the use of sensationalist headlines and content.ABC Media Watch 7 July 2014

In 2016, actress Eliza Szonert threatened to sue New Idea because the magazine refused to pay her an agreed sum of {{AUD}}7000 for a tell-all interview about claiming back her child from an ex-partner living overseas, with the magazine claiming she had lied about entering drug rehabilitation.{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/new-idea-refusing-to-pay-neighbours-star-for-child-snatch-interview/ar-BBoUrAB?li=AAgfYrC|title=New Idea refusing to pay Neighbours star for 'child snatch' interview|work=9News|date=31 January 2016|access-date=31 January 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131044421/http://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/new-idea-refusing-to-pay-neighbours-star-for-child-snatch-interview/ar-BBoUrAB?li=AAgfYrC|archive-date=31 January 2016}}

As of 2020, New Idea is published by Are Media, the successor to Bauer Media Australia.{{cite web |title=About Us |url=https://www.aremedia.com.au/about-us/ |publisher=Are Media |access-date=28 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310034239/https://www.aremedia.com.au/about-us/ |archive-date=10 March 2021 |url-status=live}}