Surfing Life and White Horses sold

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Surfpolitik

joel_sl_cover.jpg

Last night Morrison Media, the publisher of one of Australia's oldest surf titles, Surfing Life, and its most recent, White Horses, was sold. Other titles in the Morrison stable include Slow Living, Smith Journal, and the very successful frankie.

The new owner is Pacific Star Network (PNW) who have a background in sports radio stations, although print publishing isn't completely new to them; they own AFL magazine Inside Football.

Although the sale is being reported in media news the deal isn't yet finalised and remains contingent upon a PNW board meeting in early December. 

If the deal goes through Pacific Star Network will pay $10.8 Million for Morrison Media, the bulk of which relates to the success of frankie. Frankie's circulation is just short of 60,000 and it's consistently been Australia's fastest growing magazine. In a statement Pacific Star said today's acquisition signifies "the diversification of the PNW portfolio beyond broadcasting and sport."

Peter Morrison started Surfing Life - then known as Australia's Surfing Life - in 1986, and was publisher of White Horses when it began in 2012. "It's been a long process," said Morrison when Swellnet spoke to him about his time running the company. "The feeling today is celebratory, but there's a bit of anxiety too. It's hard to describe really."

Morrison Media's surfing titles operate out of Burleigh Heads and Morrison said part of the PNW deal is that staff and leases on all offices will remain as is. "The staff are all assured of their jobs." Morrison wanted to make that point clear.

As for his own future, Morrison says contract constraints prevent him continuing in media though he's begun work on other projects.

Comments

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Tuesday, 11 Nov 2014 at 3:09pm

Ka-ching!

saltmotion's picture
saltmotion's picture
saltmotion Tuesday, 11 Nov 2014 at 4:08pm

If you know that Frankie had a circulation of 60, 000 do you know what Surfing Life and White Horses were printing?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 11 Nov 2014 at 7:46pm

The 60K figure came from frankie's media kit but we've got no way of knowing what SL and White Horses are printing, or any other Australian surf title, as they don't get audited. Safe to say it's a fair way short of 60K.

kerry1's picture
kerry1's picture
kerry1 Tuesday, 11 Nov 2014 at 7:01pm

How many surfers really care???

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 11 Nov 2014 at 7:48pm

Clearly you care Kerry. I mean anyone who uses three question marks to make a point must care.

kerry1's picture
kerry1's picture
kerry1 Tuesday, 11 Nov 2014 at 7:55pm

???????? You could be right! Love white Horses!!! 100% don't care for The Advertising Journal Surfing World.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 11 Nov 2014 at 8:02pm

I'm right there with you RE White Horses. Feels like Gra is onto a good thing, long may it run.

kerry1's picture
kerry1's picture
kerry1 Tuesday, 11 Nov 2014 at 8:51pm

When it first came out I caught Issue 2 in 2012 with Peter Mendia surfing Chile. Have not looked back. It has the feel of real grass root surfing taking you to some place the photos make you feel your are there. Top Notch Mag alright!!! the best thing about that issue is it has my shaper Mitchell Rae of Outer Islands in it with his favourite boards of yester year and current. Been riding his boards for over 26 years now. Hooked.

Tom Woods's picture
Tom Woods's picture
Tom Woods Wednesday, 12 Nov 2014 at 6:34am

White Horses is the best thing that happened in surf print media for a good while. I actually did the photos and interview with Mitchell Rae for that issue Kerry and it was great afternoon talking surfboards and surf stories, these sort of characters need to get a better run in the surf mags.
www.stsurfimages.com

gra's picture
gra's picture
gra Wednesday, 12 Nov 2014 at 2:07pm

Hey thanks so much for the kind words about the horse. Unprompted feedback is always good to get. Happy for legit criticism to come this way too of course. Cheers.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Wednesday, 12 Nov 2014 at 3:08pm

Well done Mr Morrison.

There was some awesome issues of Australia's Surfing Life also . I particularly enjoyed Derek Reilly 's time at the helm.

Thanks for the good times.

blasphemy-rottmouth's picture
blasphemy-rottmouth's picture
blasphemy-rottmouth Wednesday, 12 Nov 2014 at 5:54pm

First thought: Great, more words by nitwits trying to describe surfing using every thesaurus and exestintial writer in history as a gently prodded plagiarism kpt in business for a few more hours.

Second, You can easily find Morrison Media's distribution online within about two minutes... and their subscriber rate, one can only imagie their concocted bullshit:

http://www.morrisonmedia.com.au/press-room

blasphemy-rottmouth's picture
blasphemy-rottmouth's picture
blasphemy-rottmouth Wednesday, 12 Nov 2014 at 5:57pm

Third, you can also look at comparables. Like Surfer Magazaine, the Holy Grail of surfing print...

http://www.surfermag.com/media-kit/

Not quite the numbers Paul Speaker would be ejaculating in a Press Release even though the numbers are *juiced.

blasphemy-rottmouth's picture
blasphemy-rottmouth's picture
blasphemy-rottmouth Wednesday, 12 Nov 2014 at 6:02pm

Last, perhaps the bst visual description of the pretentious uberstank of White Horses juxtaposed with the over the counter stereotypical racist, non-thought, drivethru's for whatever sells whatever piece of shit called Surfing Life.

All praises be to Chas Smith... whose tongue is sharper than any two edged sword.

Shatner'sBassoon's picture
Shatner'sBassoon's picture
Shatner'sBassoon Wednesday, 12 Nov 2014 at 6:50pm

Fifth, plead it...

part of the prob, Rottwang? or white horse sage-rider?

blasphemy-rottmouth's picture
blasphemy-rottmouth's picture
blasphemy-rottmouth Wednesday, 12 Nov 2014 at 7:21pm

George Tekei would like a word with you. So loob your lips. Mine are sealed. My existing "stint" is over. Have fun talking to everyone.

the-roller's picture
the-roller's picture
the-roller Friday, 14 Nov 2014 at 11:58am

You know you’re a lib/prog when you go around on message boards telling people IQ is not important compared to EQ.

Liquidity is strong, cash flow ever more so, so it's not surprising to see highly motivated people given the opportunity to monetize the hard work and dedication they have put into their product and or service.

And there will always be those wrong way "bongtrarian" who continue to live the life of a wrong dong sliver.

Papa rott, ... Get well soon!

camboboog's picture
camboboog's picture
camboboog Saturday, 15 Nov 2014 at 1:17am

Regardless of the back-slapping/back-stabbing that is indoctrinated in surf media, the fact that the print form has any relevance is surprising.

Can anyone realistically see themselves purchasing a monthly print surf magazine in 10 years time?

mowgli's picture
mowgli's picture
mowgli Monday, 24 Nov 2014 at 8:11pm

I love White Horses. It's the only one I buy nowadays. Was getting Foam Symmetry for a touch but didn't feel I was getting the bang for my buck. I love photo spreads (the missus loves turning them into paintings) in Horsies but more so all those short stories/letters that people submit (or I assume they do). I love reading stories about people in the world of surfing/the ocean-going-realm that aren't the-hottest-young-gun-crop-on-some-jaunt-to-perfect-waves-on-luxury-boats. Keep up the good work.

And good on the owner/owners of Morrison Media for cashing in their chips and getting some good bank in return for their hard work and persistence. Those who hate on such things are just envious they're not in the same position. There's no other way it could be believably spun. I just hope it doesn't impact the quality at Horsies!

gra's picture
gra's picture
gra Tuesday, 25 Nov 2014 at 10:19am

Hey Mowgli. thanks for the encouragement about the horse mate. From what I can tell about 'em, the new owners are smart enough to leave us pretty much alone to do our job. The quality of the horse won't change, and hearing that crew like yourself dig it only makes me more amped to keep trying to make it as valuable & non-disposable as possible. cheers.