The following celebrates the iconic magazine, New Zealand Woman's Weekly, and its editors over the years since its beginnings in 1932.

New Zealand Woman's Weekly first published 8 Dec 1932

The first issue of the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly (NZWW) went on sale for threepence on 8 December 1932. At the time, New Zealand was experiencing the Great Depression. The intent of the magazine, as stated in the first issue: "...to go forth among New Zealand women rich and poor, young and old and preach the gospel of usefulness, cheerfulness and happiness. Its mission is to teach, to entertain to assist and to amuse; its objection, to become a national family journal in the truest sense of the word." The ownership, editors and journalists have changed over the decades. The current owner since June 2020 is Are Media, an Australian media company owned by Mercury Capital. 

Content featured New Zealanders, royalty, and overseas celebrities

Content also included advice on domesticity, fashion, and travel; & fictional short stories

The NZWW also included advice on cooking, entertaining, housework and homelife; homecrafts including knitting and clothing patterns; fashion; travel; competitions; advertisements; and short stories of fiction. Special pages were also included for kids (Pixie Pages) and for teenagers, which encouraged their contributions.

Backstory: Owners, Editors & COVER ISSUES

First issue published by Otto Williams & Audrey Argall on 8 Dec 1932

In 1932, the New Zealand Woman's Weekly Publishing Company was founded by journalists Otto Williams, who took on the role of managing director, and Audrey Argall, who became the editor. Williams was the assistant editor of the Manawatū Daily Times and former editor of The Mirror. Argall was a freelance writer who also wrote poetry and fiction. The previous year, she had won a short-story competition run by the Australian Woman's Mirror magazine with her historical romance, Farewell Pioneer. 

Source:

• Stuff.co.nz: Tina White (15 Dec 2018): "Memory Lane: The stereotypes get a workout in 1953"; Manawatū Standard 
• Wikipedia: Audrey Argall

The first issue of NZWW has a purple monochrome cover with an image of a woman modelling a lace jumper (“full instructions on page 19”); a list of cover lines and a strap-line telling potential readers “Don’t miss first instalment of absorbing serial story”. The price on the cover was 3d. The title page featured a letter from the Prime Minister, George Forbes, that acknowledged “a large share of the  troubles arising out of the strenuous and anxious times through which the world is presently passing falls on the shoulders of our women”.  

The 66-paged content featured articles on homecraft and holiday ideas; 14 pages of fiction, including a serialised story, from overseas writers; and 11 pages of advertising. The adverts included practical household tips such as Clever Mary (the enemy of grease) and Creamoata rolled oats. The magazine's centre pages featured a cooking section (“easily detached and kept by readers for future reference”).  The second half of the magazine provided advice to help women run their households and care for their children.  

Source: Gavin Ellis (July 2017), Poor cousin who came to  stay: The well-established  Mirror and the depression-era  launch of the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly,  Journal of New Zealand Art, Media & Design History, pp. 45-61

Subsequent owners, editors, cover issues & NZWW books, 1933 -

The following gives a chronological summary of the changes in the ownership and the editors of the New Zealand Women's Weekly. Also included are images of the issue covers held by DigitalNZ's Content Partner, the Auckland War Memorial Museum, Tāmaki Paenga Hira. 

Over the years, books on a range of themes have also been published that use photographs and/or articles compiled from issues of the NZWW. A selection of these are also mentioned which have been compiled from the National Library of New Zealand's online catalogue: https://natlib.govt.nz/ (You can also search each title to find whether copies are held in NZ libraries, in addition to the National Library.) 

Hedda Dyson was described as follows by Sarah Stuart (NZWW editor from 2011-2013) during an interview celebrating 80 years of NZWW:  

Dyson had opinions on everything and was not afraid to share them. One month in 1944 she was writing about the Women to Wellington Movement, which was trying to get women into Parliament, and the next was writing about the war - "sooner or later we MUST bring the fight into Germany or be conquered". That same issue featured a double page spread with the headline "Happiness for Cripples" which was about caring for disabled children and also a story on Hollywood stars "racking their beautiful brains" for a way to maintain their exotic appearance in the face of an impending clothes shortage.  That same issue featured a double page spread with the headline "Happiness for Cripples" which was about caring for disabled children and also a story on Hollywood stars "racking their beautiful brains" for a way to maintain their exotic appearance in the face of an impending clothes shortage.  Says Stuart of Dyson: "She was amazing. She would write about Stalinism and all kind of things in her editorials. Apparently she smoked packets of cigarettes every day and she travelled to Hollywood and met up with Hollywood stars." 

Source: Catherine Masters (16 June 2012), "80 years of NZ Woman's Weekly: Reflecting our lives", NZ Herald

In 1940, the book "Nine to three and after" (146 pages) by Brian W. Knight was published by Whitcombe & Tombs. The content comprised reminiscences of a teacher at Nihotupu School which included articles first published in the New Zealand Woman's Weekly and the Sydney Morning Herald.

During 1949, a series of articles that had been published in the NZWW were compiled into the book, "Nursing in the home" by Bridget Ristori (Whangarei [N.Z.] : Northern Pub. Co., c. 1949, 44 pages)  

Jean Wishart had stated, "It can be fatal to change a magazine too suddenly. It is important that we move with the times, but evolve so that current readers do not notice much change while we win the interest of new readers. If people like the magazine they don't want to find they have suddenly lost it. Radical change can mean that before gaining new readers you've lost the old ones." 

Source: Sido Kitchin (12 Aug 2007), Living History - Entertainment News, NZ Herald

Between 1959 - 1983, articles that had appeared in NZWW were also published in books on a range of themes:

• 1959: "A story for today" (79 pages) by William Heerdegen, which comprised a selection of articles by the Wellington City Missioner.
• 1960:  "Baby" (67 pages) on parenting and infant care was released by the New Zealand Women's Weekly. 
• 1960: "My favourite recipes" (6 folded sheets) by Judith Ann Field, which contained a selection of the lift-out recipes from the NZWW featuring recipes with Crest foods and Chesdale cheese.
• 1964:  "New Zealand Woman's Weekly: Household guide: Around the house--in half the time" (64 pages). Content included:  Household guide -- 300 ways of removing stains -- Make the most of your meat -- 50 recipes for jams, preserves, soups -- 25 apple recipes -- Dishes made with milk & cream -- Special menus for your parties. 
• 1965:  "Looking at New Zealand : a selection of colour plates from the N.Z. Woman's Weekly feature "Looking at New Zealand""(56 pages)
• 1965:  "Baby, your guide to pregnancy and child care : the waiting months, maternity fashions, what happens in labour, figure-improving exercises, bathing and feeding baby, planning the routine, spacing your family, 4 page knitting section" (66 pages), by the New Zealand Woman's Weekly.
• 1969: "New maths are fun" (24 pages) was published by New Zealand Newspapers Ltd.  The Notes section stated: "Reprinted from a series of exclusive articles in the N.Z. Woman's Weekly specially written for New Zealand conditions by officers of the N.Z. Department of Education". 
• 1971:  "The New Zealand Woman's Weekly cookbook" (224 pages) by Tui Flower and edited by Anne Marshall was published (London, Paul Hamlyn).
• 1977:  "Here's a hint" (64 pages) was compiled by Naomi Smith who had selected the content from the New Zealand Woman's Weekly. 
• 1977:  "New Zealand Woman's Weekly favourite recipes" (160 pages) by Tui Flower.  
• 1978:  "William tells about food" (64 pages) compiled by Tui Flower; selected from N.Z. Woman's Weekly; illustrated by Neil Lonsdale.
• 1982:  "The Royal baby, Prince William of Wales" (93 pages) was released the New Zealand Woman's Weekly  following the birth of Prince William.
• 1982: "New Zealand Woman's Weekly Beautiful New Zealand" (144 pages) by Jack Adlington, which contained a selection of photographs that first appeared in NZWW's "Looking at New Zealand series".
• 1983: "Living with Summer" (56 pages) written by Colin Hogg; illustrations by Julian Biss. Verso of the title page: "Most of these articles originally appeared in the New Zealand Woman's Weekly or The Auckland Star". Back cover: "Observations of his stout hearted daughter as she grows up and approaches school age".

In the mid-1980s, readership of NZWW began to drop. "McKay had been instructed to make the Weekly more upmarket and did as she was told. But loyal readers didn’t like the glossy new look...So dramatic was the fall in readership that North and South magazine (now also in a state of flux) ran a cover story by investigative journalist Pat Booth entitled Who’s Killing The Woman’s Weekly?" (Source: Donna Fleming (27 June 2020): "The Woman's Weekly: A trusted friend in sensible shoes", Stuff.co.nz )

In 1984, a revised edition of "New Zealand Woman's Weekly cookbook" (263 pages)  was edited by Tui Flower.

During 1985, the New Zealand Women's Weekly book "Home handcrafts, patchwork favorites" (Shortland Publications, 176 pages) was compiled by Peigi Martin and Susan Young. Also published was a title by Joan Money: "Home gardener, favourite house plants" and  five titles by Tui Flower: "Home handcrafts, family knitting"; "Lamb favourites", "Favourite preserves"; "Test kitchen: Favourite meals"; and "Make it with milk: eighteen prize-winning recipes to make the most of fresh milk" which were selected from  2500 entries in a national contest sponsored by the N.Z. Milk Promotion Council.

During an interview with Graham Reid (NZ Herald, 27 July 2002), Jenny Lynch discussed the reliable sellers for NZWW were Princess Diana and Fergie:  "There was all the royal kerfuffle with Fergie and Diana and they were very good sellers - provided you had something negative to say about them," says Lynch. "Good news doesn't sell about the royals - aside from engagements, weddings and birth of babies. People said having Diana on the cover was a surefire seller, but it wasn't at all. Unless she'd been doing something naughty or the story was about her prolific spending. The whiff of gossip sold." 

Source: Graham Reid (27 July 2022), "How weekly magazines find their stars", NZ Herald

In 1990, NZWW released the book, "NZ woman's weekly fabulous food" (128 pages) edited by Robyn Martin.  On cover: "Oriental cuisine, stylish food for busy cooks, healthy eating, a buffet party". 

As part of the  NZ Woman's Weekly cookery collection, the following books were released: 

• 1990:  "The Back-to-basics cookbook"  (80 pages)
• 1991:   "Quick & easy baking" (80 pages)
• 1991:   "Country cooking" (80 pages)
• 1991:   "Meals in minutes" (80 pages) 

During 1995, a regular feature of cross-stitch patterns of zodiac signs was contributed by Cherry Parker. The following year, Parker compiled "Zodiac signs:  As seen in the NZ Woman's Weekly" (31 pages) and "New Zealand cross stitch native birds and flowers" (32 pages)  

Rowan Dixon, in an interview with Graham Reid (NZ Herald, 27 July 2002), described NZWW's core readership as "slightly older and traditional, and wants local covers. Even though Coronation Street and royals are not local, they are considered local. Corry is in the family home so often it feels like ours." Around half the NZ Woman's Weekly's covers this year have had connections with local television, whether it be personalities proclaiming their happiness... or revelations from Coronation Street stars... There were only two obliquely political covers..."With a politician you know 50 per cent of your readers are going to hate them, more or less, depending on what the polls are like at the time."  (Source: Graham Reid, Op cit )

Between 1998-2001, the following books containing material from NZWW were released:

• 1998: "Noah's notebook : caring for your dog" (242 pages) by Ian Robertson and illustrated by Corey Handley;  published by GP Publications.   
• 1998: "Noah's notebook : caring for your cat" (232 pages) by Ian Robertson and illustrated by Corey Handley; published by GP Publications.  
• 1999:  "NZ Woman's Weekly book of household hints" (128 pages) was edited by Mary Crockett. The cover stated "Save money, cleaning ideas, food advice, stain tips : 1000 things your mother would know." 
• 2001: "New Zealand Woman's Weekly book of garden hints" was written by Sue Linn and Denise Cleverley. The front cover proclaimed: "1000 hints to make your garden grow" and the Back cover stated:  "These hints and many more come from the expert gardening columns which have been published in the New Zealand Woman's Weekly over the years."  

The following books were also released by NZWW during 2002-2004:

• 2002: "New Zealand Woman's Weekly 70 years : from pavlovas to prime ministers" (222 pages) was released by former editor Jenny Lynch. Photographs, graphics, printed ephemera, drawings etc were selected from the NZWW archives and compiled under themes, such as fashion and cooking, rather than chronologically. 
• 2003: "New Zealand woman's weekly best of the test kitchen" (240 pages) was compiled by Robyn Martin and the New Zealand Woman's Weekly test kitchen.
• 2003: "New Zealand Women's Weekly: Our Queen : 50 years since the coronation" (111 pages) by Jenny Lynch
• 2003: "New Zealand Woman's Weekly quick & easy PC" (144 pages) on knowing your computer - Internet,  e-mail and websites - -- Websites - which was compiled by Andrew Dixon. The following year, Dixon also released "Quick & easy PC 2" (122 pages).
• 2003 & 2004: "New Zealand Woman's Weekly Word Puzzles" (112 pages): Vol 1 & Vol 2 were compiled by Pam Hutton.  
• 2004: "New Zealand Woman's Weekly: Easy as 1 2 3" (95 pages) by Robyn Martin. Contents:  Finger food & light meals -- Mains -- Salads & vegetables -- Accompaniments -- Desserts -- Sweet treats & celebrations -- Basics 

In an article on Newsroom (4 April 2020), Nicky Pellegrino described her experience when editor of NZWW and the obtaining of exclusive stories. "Those were tough competitive times as we battled with Woman’s Day and New Idea for exclusive stories. The chequebook journalism years with everyone vying for the latest All Black wedding or baby joy. My biggest coup was Jonah Lomu’s secret wedding to Fiona Taylor... I couldn’t even tell my team. Instead that week we went to press with a fake cover then I disappeared the next day, ostensibly for a long lunch, and returned clutching the photos that made for a best selling issue." 

Source: Nicky Pellegrino (4 April 2020), "Nicky Pellegrino farewells the Woman's Weekly", Newsroom

In 2007, former editor Jenny Lynch wrote the book "Ready to wear: the changing shape of New Zealand fashion" (Auckland, N.Z. : Random House, 2004, 111 p.)  which is illustrated with NZWW archival photos. 

In 2008, "New Zealand Woman's Weekly cookbook : seasonal favourites from our kitchen to yours" (192 pages) was written by Julie Le Clerc, with  photography by Carolyn Robertson.

Sido Kitchin on deciding on NZWW's cover feature:

"How do I choose what is on the cover? We have the weekly circulation figures to guide us and look at overseas trends. We worship celebrity engagements, weddings and babies, which are always sure-fire winners. Eight out of 10 of my top selling covers last year were local stars, while mostly it's international stars who top my Aussie competitors' lists. The royals are winners for the Weekly, but magazine sales have never returned to the height they reached when Princess Diana graced the covers. But often with covers, it comes down to gut instinct. Or as Jean Wishart more politely said, "I think if something interested me it will probably interest others"." 

Source: Sido Kitchin, Op cit

In 2011, the book "Helen Jackson's kitchen : the New Zealand Woman's Weekly food editor's everyday favourites" (262 pages) was compiled by Helen Jackson with photographs by Carolyn Robertson. The back cover stated: "Two years ago Helen Jackson took the helm of the food pages of [the New Zealand woman's weekly]. Now, in her first book, she shares how she cooks at home." 

In 2012, "The New Zealand woman : 80 glorious years of fashion, food and friendship from the pages of the New Zealand Woman's Weekly" (256 pages) by Bee Dawson was published by Whitcoulls.

When NZWW was celebrating its 80th year anniversary during 2012, editor Sarah Stuart was interviewed by Sarah Daniell (NZ Herald, 21 June 2012) on her role, view of celebrities and the choosing of stories. See: Sarah Daniell (21 June 2012), "Twelve Questions with Sarah Stuart", NZ Herald.  

The New Zealand Woman's Weekly issue for 15 April 2013 had extensive coverage of the wedding of All Black Richard Kahui. In an interview, editor Louise Wright had said that she had paid for the story because of Kahui's huge appeal. "He's articulate and he's strong and there is a lot of mystique around him. He has this X factor about him." (Source: Herald on Sunday (7 April 2013), "A triple wedding treat")

On 6 February 2017, Baua Media launched Now to Love website as a digital platform to promote the Australasian women's magazines it owned, including NZWW. (Source: Mediaweek (6 Feb 2017), "Bauer Media’s digital destination Now To Love goes live".)  Bauer Media later rebranded as Are Media in September 2020. 

During 2019, the Bauer Media Group published "New Zealand Women's Weekly: My mum's kitchen / beautiful baking, desserts & preserves" (112 pages) written by Nici and Carole Wickes. 

On 6 November 2019, the New Zealand Women's Weekly Book Club was promoted by Nicki Pelligrino on Are Media's Now to Love website: 

"Love books? Join our New Zealand Woman's Weekly Book Club and be part of the discussion! You can share and read my pick of the month along with a group of like-minded book lovers. Chat about our monthly read, plus stay up-to-date with book news, reviews and special offers – as well as exclusive club giveaways! You can share and read my pick of the month along with a group of like-minded book lovers. Chat about our monthly read, plus stay up-to-date with book news, reviews and special offers – as well as exclusive club giveaways!" 

Source: Nicky Pellegrino, (6 Nov 2019). "Introducing the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly Book Club", Now to Love.

On 28 September 2020, Mercury Capital rebranded Bauer Media as Are Media. The CEO of Bauer Media Australia, Brendon Hill, had said of the new name: "It works for us in a number of ways. It sums up what we do really well – great audiences, great reach and really engaging content.”  (Source: James Manning (29 Sept 2020),  "As  Bauer becomes Are Media, publisher explores new revenue opportunities", Mediaweek)

Implications of commissioning stories for NZWW

The cover of the NZWW published on 16 April 2018 appeared on the Netflix documentary Harry and Meghan which was released in 2022. The cover's headline ‘Meghan’s Shock Past. Is Harry heading for trouble?’ was shown when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spoke about the negative stories that had been written about them. Alice O'Connell has since commented during an interview with the NZ Herald (15 June 2023) that when she was the editor of NZWW, she commissioned stories to British writers about the Royal family, which were subsequently found to be "untrue". This led her to write an open letter of apology on 14 June 2023 to Prince Harry on the Capsule website. 

"O'Connell wrote that they published the story based on the information given to them by official sources, but she now knows that “the opposite scenario” took place. The information provided to the magazine by the official sources "were telling a different version of events to protect their own royals, or were deflecting and creating entirely false stories to bury other stories (negative stories, but true stories) that might come out about the royals they were responsible for". 

Source: Lillie Rohan, (15 June 2023), "Former New Zealand Woman’s Weekly editor Alice O’Connell admits publishing ‘untrue’ Harry and Meghan stories", NZ Herald

Nowadays

To celebrate its 90th anniversary, the New Zealand Women's Weekly issue on 28 November 2022 included a bonus collector's supplement magazine, "New Zealand Woman's Weekly : celebrating 90 years, 1932-2022", (Auckland : Are Media, 2022). 

In Are Media's Media Kit 2024 the following description is given of the audience for the New Zealand Woman's Weekly which goes on sale each Monday with a cover price of $5.99.  The core target is females aged 40+ and the magazine's circulation of 41,500 and a readership of 459,000 make it NZ's most read weekly magazine. The time spent reading a typical issue is 106 minutes. 

The deeply connected and highly engaged community of readers revel in the stories of well-known New Zealanders that sit alongside tales from their beloved royal family and inspirational real life weekly people. Recipes, local columnists and practical lifestyle information is also a big driver for the audience.

The reader:  She is a woman with character and life experience, goals and opinions, who looks to the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly for a sense of connection and belonging. She is kind, generous and highly organised. Immersed in the needs of her family, she also makes time for her close circle of friends, her career and her community. She enjoys growing food and flowers in her garden, trying new recipes, shopping for wonderful but wearable fashion, catching up with loved ones over lunch and taking time out to travel with her partner.

Find out more:

• Donna Fleming (27 June 2020): "The Woman's Weekly: A trusted friend in sensible shoes",  Stuff.co.nz 
• "First issue of New Zealand Woman's Weekly", URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/first-issue-new-zealand-womans-weekly, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 6-Dec-2021 
• Gavin Ellis (July 2017), "Poor cousin who came to  stay: The well-established  Mirror and the depression-era  launch of the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly", Journal of New Zealand Art, Media & Design History, pp. 45-61 
• Janet McCallum. 'Dyson, Elizabeth Geertruida Agatha', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1998. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/4d26/dyson-elizabeth-geertruida-agatha   
• Natalie Akoorie (16 Nov 2016), "Legendary Woman's Weekly editor Jean Wishart dies aged 96", NZ Herald
• New Zealand Woman's Weekly website: https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/nz-womans-weekly
• Sido Kitchin (12 Aug 2007), "Living History - Entertainment News", NZ Herald 
• Stuff.co.nz: Tina White (15 Dec 2018): "Memory Lane: The stereotypes get a workout in 1953"; Manawatū Standard 
• Wikipedia: Audrey Argall: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audrey_Argall
• Wikipedia: Jean Wishart: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Wishart
• Wikipedia: New Zealand Woman's Weekly: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Woman's_Weekly

This DigitalNZ story was compiled in December 2023