WildTomato

WildTomato

WildTomato magazine, December 2008 issue
Editor	Lynda Papesch
Categories	Lifestyle
Frequency	Monthly
Year founded	2006
First issue	July 2006
Company	WildTomato Media
Country	New Zealand
Website	http://www.wildtomato.co.nz

WildTomato is a glossy monthly lifestyle magazine, focused on the Nelson and Marlborough regions, as the Top of the South Island of New Zealand. The regional magazine was launched in July 2006.^[1] It was put into liquidation in March 2021. The first liquidators reports showed it owed $84,000, mainly to the IRD. ^[2]

History[]

Founder Murray Farquhar launched WildTomato as a 16-page local magazine in Nelson, New Zealand, in July 2006, aiming to create an "essential lifestyle magazine" for the Nelson region.^[1] His initial plan was for a weekly printed magazine, before the magazine eventually shifted to a larger monthly publication.^[3] The magazine targets a readership of people aged 30-plus in the middle-to-upper socio-economic groups.^[4]

The current majority owner of the magazine is Jack Martin, an immigrant to Nelson from the United Kingdom, who initially became editor of WildTomato in December 2007. Martin oversaw a substantial evolution in the scope, size, print quality, and regional coverage of the magazine,^{[citation needed]} which is published as an 80-plus-page, glossy magazine that focuses on the Top of the South Island of New Zealand.^{[citation needed]} In March 2008, Martin began the process to buy WildTomato from Farquhar, eventually completing the sale in September 2008.^[4]

In November 2009, WildTomato changed formats, becoming a standard-sized, 100-page magazine, shifting from its traditional oversized saddle-stitched format. The magazine's website was also revamped in 2009.^{[5][failed verification]}

In April 2016 Lynda Papesch (née Munden/Hooper)was appointed editor when Martin returned to the UK to oversea family business there. He remains the owner of WildTomato. Papesch comes from a journalistic background, starting her career at The Daily Post in Rotorua in 1977, then moving to The Marlborough Express in 1980. After stints as chief reporter, deputy editor and acting editor with The Express, Papesch moved to Nelson Tasman in 2006, and started her own media company. She joined the advertising features department of The Nelson Mail, co-ordinating features from 2010 to 2014.

Community involvement[]

The magazine is involved in its local communities, sponsoring and otherwise being involved in several events^[6][7] including featuring several on a monthly basis in its "Snapped" pages, and creating the annual reader-voted Dine Out Awards to highlight Top of the South food, wine, and hospitality.^[8] The magazine is further entwined with its local regions by using local writers and photographers as its contributors.^{[9][10][11][12][13][14]}

Content[]

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The content of WildTomato reflects the neighbouring regions it covers,^[15] which includes the local natural environment such as the Marlborough Sounds, Arts Community Center and National Parks such as the Abel Tasman National Park, Nelson Lakes National Park and Kahurangi National Park. WildTomato includes food, wine, and adventure activities. Many of the columns and regular features in the magazine focus on one or more of these aspects of the area.

Feature articles[]

The magazine includes larger feature articles highlighting some of the issues, personalities, and landscapes of the regions. Also including famous people who are originally from the area, such as Nobel Prize–winning nuclear physicist Baron Ernest Rutherford. Other people that have been interviewed by the magazine include sports stars Simon Mannering and Phill Jones, Cloudy Bay Vineyards winemaker Kevin Judd and Neudorf winery owner Judy Finn, cafe owner Eelco Boswijk, dancer and 2009 Dancing with the Stars winner Samantha Hitchcock, and former Prime Ministers Sir Geoffrey Palmer and Jenny Shipley.

Interviews[]

WildTomato includes a variety of themed interviews and publish these interviews monthly. Also it aims to focus on people from the aspect of region. The focusing groups are involved in certain things that are considered strongly associated with the Top of the South, or are simply fascinating in other ways. Previous interviewees featured in these columns include Golden Bay muralist Chris Finlayson,^[16] motocross rider Josh Coppins, Tall Blacks basketball coach Nenad Vucinic, author Marguerite van Geldermalsen,^[17] children's educational DVD creator Emma Heke^[18] and NZ Open surfing champion Angie Koops.

Food, Fashion, and Health[]

As a lifestyle magazine some content is also devoted to food, drink, fashion and health. The magazine includes columns on food, recipes, reviews of local eateries, and issues relating to the local wine industries. Chef and nutritionist Nicola Galloway writes the monthly food column. Fashion also features, with images sometimes shot by English lifestyle photographer Daniel Allen.

Use of images[]

WildTomato is image-centric, and uses large photos – as Martin believes quality photos are crucial to any magazine.^[19][20] On occasion, the magazine also includes photo essays over several pages.

References[]

External links[]

• Official site