Founded in 1981, Wild‘s look and feel has changed dramatically over the years, as has our run of content. Staying true to our wilderness adventure and conservation ethos has allowed room for a huge variety of story types and formats, including Track Notes, recipes and so much more.
With a new publisher and editor-in-chief, Roland Handel, at the helm, Wild is set to undergo further cosmetic changes, as well as some tweaks to our usual run of content. These changes will begin to take place in the upcoming, 160th issue and will evolve further in subsequent issues in response to the changing publishing landscape and the results of our recent survey.
Get ready to see more mountain bike-centric features in future editions of Wild.
Design and Content Changes
Handel, who said he is relieved to have recently sent issue 160 off to print, has spent considerable time working through responses to the Wild survey, noting that many readers “have very strong views on what they thing the magazine should or shouldn’t be”.
“It’s my aim to respect the heritage that this magazine bears and thereby uphold [reader] values,” Handel said. “But it is also important that Wild appeals to readers of many demographics; young and old alike. It should contain content for the seasoned adventurer, as well as for those who have only just begun to explore the beautiful, natural landscapes available to them.”
With that in mind, the soon-to-be-released issue contains the features, Track Notes, columns and reviews that readers have come to expect, but with additional focus paid to activities that are often thought of as peripheral, such as paddling, rock climbing and even a feature on mountain bike touring.
“In addition, there will be even more track notes, gear reviews, local and international adventure destinations. It is my desire to add to the run of content, not to remove from it,” said Handel.
Table of Contents (click to enlarge).
Pages and Distribution
Preview of a news page.
In order to maintain such a large body of content, the magazine has been expanded from 74 to 96 pages (click on to the Table of Contents image to see the full suite of articles). It’s distribution footprint has also been expanded to include many more newsagents than before and jetsetters are also more likely to spot the next issue of Wild in their airline’s lounge. As a result, we can expect to see many people engaging with the magazine for the first time while past readers may happen across a copy for the first time in years.
Come Along for the Ride
Coinciding with the relaunch of the magazine’s design, we’re also refreshing the look of our fortnightly eNewsletter, Wild Updates, to include more content within the newsletter itself, rather than a host of snippets linking through to the website. This is just the first phase of a digital haul over, which will see rolling updates made to our online offering into 2018.
While we’re not expecting to break the mould on our first attempt, Wild‘s editorial team does appreciate any and all feedback our readers and subscribers care to send to us. It’s highly likely the magazine’s design will continue to change in the months to come, and we hope you’ll join us in the journey.