Auckland’s Metro Magazine Restructures, Editor and Staff Depart

Auckland’s long-established publication, Metro Magazine, has confirmed significant staff reductions, including the departure of its editor, Henry Oliver, and three other full-time employees. This restructuring follows a report by The Post last month, indicating a shift in the magazine’s operational strategy. Despite these changes, the magazine will continue to be published, with Oliver indicating in the latest edition that it will be “in new hands, with new ideas about what its role should be.”

Oliver’s departure is part of a broader transition, which includes the exit of food editor Charlotte Muru-Lanning, art director Sam Wieck, and commercial director Lucy Janisch-Fitzgerald. Julia Barnes, the new general manager of Metro, stated last month that the magazine was implementing changes to ensure its long-term sustainability. While she acknowledged the restructuring, she did not provide specific details on the disestablishment of roles or the future direction of the publication.

Sam Johnson, chairperson of Metro and a projects director at its parent company, Still, shared with the NZ Herald that “guest editors” would temporarily fill the editorial gap until the magazine’s finances improve enough to sustain full-time staff. This strategy of using guest editors instead of permanent ones has been noted before in the industry. Simon Wilson, a former editor of Metro and current writer for the NZ Herald, remarked that this approach can serve as a temporary solution but often leads to a return to traditional editorial leadership once stability is regained.

Wilson praised Oliver’s contributions to the magazine, stating, “I think Henry has done a remarkable job… publishing, the city, media have all moved on – and Henry’s moved with them in ways that are exciting and invigorating.”

Metro has been a staple in Auckland since its inception in the early 1980s under the editorship of Warwick Roger, who passed away in 2018. The magazine faced challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to its brief closure following the shutdown of Bauer Media. It was later revived by entrepreneur Simon Chesterman, who relaunched it as a glossy quarterly.

In 2023, Metro changed hands once again, this time acquired by investment firm Still, which aims to acquire or launch 100 local businesses within the next decade. During this transition, Yoshio Fukutake, an executive at Still, emphasized Metro’s significance as a cultural icon in New Zealand, highlighting its role in the local media landscape.

As the publication moves forward with a new editorial direction, it remains to be seen how these changes will impact Metro’s identity and its connection with Auckland’s community.