They're back. Bankrupt John Webb and his long-time associate, Greg Millar, have launched a new publishing venture despite their troubled past in the media and events industry.
They're back. Bankrupt John Webb and his long-time associate, Greg Millar, have launched a new publishing venture despite their troubled past in the media and events industry.
Mr Webb has been given the title editor-in-chief of a new lifestyle magazine, Envy, being marketed by Corporate Magazines Australia, a business name held by Mr Millar, who is listed as publisher in promotional material obtained by WA Business News.
Mr Webb headed Consolidated Business Media Pty Ltd, which collapsed in June last year owing millions to creditors. At the time, Mr Webb said a printing firm had sought to wind-up the company.
By the time it collapsed, CBM had sold many of its key assets, including magazine Perth Woman, which has had at least two owners since late 2003 after struggling financially in the hands of the first group to buy it from Mr Webb’s company.
Perth Woman’s management indicated that the business was in good shape, with owner Moss Media Ltd planning several new initiatives.
The events business assets of CBM were transferred to Media & Events Australia Pty Ltd, a company owned by Mr Millar, who had been general manager at CBM.
Mr Webb was called a sales consultant at Media & Events, though it is known he played a very senior role within the firm until the middle of this year when it too collapsed, owing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Some assets from that business were transferred to a new entity, Australian Corporate Exhibitions, a business name held by Mr Millar.
In promotional material for Envy magazine, it is claimed publisher Corporate Magazines Australia is a division of Australian Corporate Exhibitions & Media, a name not recorded in the Australian Securities and Investments Commission database.
Seeking to muscle in to the very crowded lifestyle market, Envy magazine is currently being pitched to potential advertisers.
Promotional material viewed by WA Business News includes a letter by Envy marketing manager Katina Beveridge outlining the basic pitch of the bi-annual publication, which will print 20,000 copies each six months to a stated readership of 45,000.
In the letter, Ms Beveridge said the “eagerly anticipated magazine will be launched mid 2006”, aiming at women aged between 28 and 45+ who “like to look after themselves and have the money to do so”.
“… Envy magazine will guarantee to trap this target into reading every issue,” she further claims in a covering letter.
Mr Webb will find a far more competitive market than the one he exited with the sale of Perth Woman in 2003.
Not only do Perth Woman and long-running player Scoop Magazine remain in this competitive segment of the market, new entrants this year have included the launch of Flourish, by Jo Beer and Jane Willis, and Vita magazine, owned by a subsidiary of WA Newspapers Holdings, the publisher of The West Australian newspaper.
