EDITORIAL – ABOUT US
There is nothing so exciting as starting the day with a blank page, and finishing with either a crafted story, or the skeleton of a new magazine or website. This is the beauty of the editorial process: it’s driven by ideas, concentration, care. It informs, entertains, provokes. At its best it’s as beautiful as a work of art. At its worst, it’s self-indulgent tripe. We love art, hate tripe.
OUR EDITORIAL SERVICES
Books
We commission, and we listen
Magazines
We make our own, and we make for clients
Custom Publishing Services
We take the pressure off those who are brilliant in other areas of business or creativity
Content
We provide content, particularly in the sports environment
Web Development
The web is a digital magazine. We love it
NEW & NOTEWORTHY
My team: Premiers 2008
Football has been good to me, in many ways. It gave me a career in journalism covering a sport that I love. It gave me an involvement with the administration of the game, via the privileged role of producing the AFL’s publications for 15 years running. But these are things that happen via endeavour, and business, and hard work. Following a team like Hawthorn throughout my life is a lucky break; more remarkable to ponder – especially if you barrack for Footscray, St Kilda and Melbourne, and you’re of my age (55) – is this: I have seen Hawthorn play in 14 Grand Finals, and win nine premierships. The only one I missed was 1971, said to be the most brutal of all. I was working that day on my other sporting love, thoroughbred racing, this day at the Moonee Valley Stakes.
I think of all those premierships, this year's might be the most satisfying of all: a win created by hard work, commitment to a plan, and the totality of the team before the individual. It’s pure Hawthorn, and I loved it.
Geoff Slattery, CEO, The Slattery Media Group.
Buy your souvenir publication, here.
One City, One Club, for 150 Years
Many Cats supporters have never had it this good, but the Geelong Football Club emerged as a force long before it asserted itself as football’s newest dynasty in 2007 and 2008. In fact, the club was officially formed in 1859 – only 24 years after John Batman landed on the site we now call Geelong.
Remarkably, for a town 80 kilometres away from Melbourne in the mid-19th century, Geelong exerted significant influence in the game’s formative years, as it battled for bragging rights with Melbourne – on both a sporting and commercial front. The people of Geelong and the club have enjoyed a mutual love affair ever since. It’s been an emotional roller coaster. The club has had remarkable success (seven VFA premierships from 1878-86, for example) and more than its fair share of pain (most notably, four losing Grand Finals from 1989-95), as well as several homes – it was evicted from Argyle Square in the 19th century for failing to pay its rent, then in 1941 forced to Kardinia Park from Corio Oval, which was required for World War II military training.
In 2009, the Geelong Football Club will celebrate its 150th anniversary. The Slattery Media Group is publishing an illustrated history of the club, with essays from leading football writers and historians, complemented by strong photographs and memorabilia. The book will hit shelves in July next year.
Launching The Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is the end of a long history of involvement in the racing industry – and the beginning of a new chapter. My first job in the mad business of journalism was with The Truth, in 1971 – working with Ron Taylor, Ron Maund, Syd Brennan, and Danny Power, bringing out the must have form, twice a week.
Those were the days. Being paid to study and update form. I was there for six years, before moving on to the wider world of sports journalism, with The Australian and The Age. In the late ’80s, those early days at The Truth paid off when The Herald introduced SuperForm in its Friday afternoon edition. This was The Truth form re-introduced – without the page three girls.
EDITORIAL CASE STUDIES
CLIENT: THE SLATTERY MEDIA GROUP - MAG
The Slattery Media Group acquired MAG in June 2005. Although peppered with great ideas and strong writing, the X-factor – consistency in design and message – was missing in the approach.
I wrote my first published piece in Best Bets, the timeless formguide for the thoroughbred industry. It was about a rich black stallion called Cyron, and it was in 1971. You never forget these things. I’ll never forget the agony of getting those words together. Crossing out, re-typing, screwing up the copy paper, starting again, another draft, sleeping on it, worrying, nervous when it was finally submitted. All for a tiny filler in a form guide! That process has never left me: mulling over words, screwing up, starting ahead, worrying, nervous. And having a senior person – it was Maurie Carr at The Truth who marked my mistakes, and counselled me on ways to get better.
It’s the approach I have tried to instill in all my staff – and not just in editorial. Worry about the words. Put yourself in the reader’s shoes. Be nervous, but be brave. And help young, green people.
It’s been a long journey, with plenty of nervous days along the way.
And plenty more to come, I hope.
Around the World
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All brand freaks should read this. It reminds me of one of Dr Seuss's yarns; and we've all met wine snobs. Now we know it's a natural phenomenon to enjoy higher priced products.
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Love the way William Safire makes words come alive. I try to read it regularly, but then forget. Then remember. Love it. Then forget.
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I hate the idea of computers in schools, particularly in schools where a laptop is compulsory, piling privilege on privilege. I fought a losing battle at my kids' schools. Whenever I need solace, I return to this marvellous essay, one that Kevin Rudd should study.
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Years ago I had a magnificent Bowen Shiraz from Coonawarra, and loved the pepper flavour. Here's why.