One of Australia’s top-selling weekly titles, Take 5 has today announced a major shake-up revealing it is merging with another magazine and has appointed a new editor-in-chief.
Take 5 is set to join up with the New Zealand-published magazine Lucky Break, with both titles to be published as a single unit and produced by a combined content team. The new merged team is also set to create a series of one-shots and puzzle books.
To head up this new Real Life Weeklies portfolio at Bauer Media, Paul Merrill has been appointed as editor-in-chief. Merrill is responsible for launching Zoo Weekly in Australia and New Zealand and has consulted on NW, Ralph and Foxtel magazine.
Former Take 5 editor Belinda Wallis finished up with the magazine on Friday, with Lucky Break editor Megan McChesney also set to step down from her role.
In order to successfully grow our Real Life Weeklies’ business we need to publish as a single unit to maximise brand synergies and expertise across print and digital,” says Bauer weekly magazines publisher Jayne Ferguson. Paul has a great understanding of the Real Life magazine and puzzle market and its potential for growth, and I am looking forward to working with him on this important initiative.”
Merrill adds: I’m thrilled to be joining Take 5 and Lucky Break at this exciting time. Not only are we combining two excellent editorial teams into one operation, but we are expanding our brand extension program at the same time. The real life and puzzles market was where I cut my teeth in magazines and I can’t wait to get stuck in and tell some amazing stories.”
