The last hurrah
Malaysia’s entertainment Magazine of The year, Galaxie, bows out after 39 years.
AFTER 39 years as the leading and longest running English entertainment magazine in the country, Galaxie’s era in print comes to a close with the Dec 1-16 issue. Galaxie has achieved coveted accolades of being No.1 many times over in terms of sales, popularity and as the go-to magazine of choice for the variety of showbiz news it offers. For the final issue, the magazine chronicles four decades of entertainment during which time Galaxie brought the stars closer to home.
For this collector’s edition, the final cover features Elton John, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey and Eminem, who were selected as the icons of our time and the legends to represent each decade of entertainment. Each musician impacted the music scene through Galaxie’s existence. Having recorded the biggest hits these artistes will also be remembered for the legacy they leave behind.
In this issue, the Songwords pages and posters, which have been the magazine’s unique selling point and a favourite among readers, have been increased as a final gesture of appreciation to the fans.
“I was dumbstruck for a moment when I read on your Facebook page that the Dec 116 issue will be your final one. I’ve had to face the fact that you guys won’t be a part of my life anymore. To be perfectly honest, I did shed tears. You guys have had a major impact on my life ever since I bought my very first copy of Galaxie,” reader Anisha Haveena wrote in an e-mail.
It has always been important for Galaxie to engage with its
The Feature (Mon-Tues, 9am10am)
readers. In the past, meet-andgreets were organised for visiting artistes like 911, Boyzone, Backstreet Boys and 98 Degrees, among others, so that Galaxie readers could get up close and personal with their favourite artistes.
“For many people, Galaxie magazine might only be a source of entertainment but for me it is everything. The articles and your strong writing style actually inspired me to become a journalist one day. It’s definitely heartbreaking and sad knowing the time has come,” said Duffyn, who is among the many readers that wrote heartfelt tributes to mark the end of the magazine.
Today Galaxie has a circulation base guarantee of 50,000, a Facebook following of over 30,000. It has been tweeted about by fans and entertainers alike. It has been read by millions, been granted attendance at the 67th Golden Globe awards and given recognition more than once by the Hollywood Foreign Press.
Apart from attending many prestigious red carpet events and with A-list celebrities endorsing it, Galaxie has been voted Entertainment Magazine Of The Year in 2011 and 2012 by Advertising + Marketing magazine. This year, Galaxie clinched the title again.
“Galaxie helped open up the world of entertainment and magazine layout to me,” recalled former editor Lou Joon Yee, who helmed the magazine in the early 1990s. “It was a lot of work but also quite a lot of fun deciding on the cover, content, pictures and layout, and getting in touch with celebrities. It was exciting and gratifying when we saw the sales going up from 8,000 to 20,000 copies per issue within a year. The entertainment world has since evolved and the power of the Internet makes us bid a heart-felt farewell to Galaxie.”
Galaxie has evolved in terms of layout and content from its very first issue way back in 1974.
“One of my proudest memo- ries about Galaxie magazine was when we went full colour. When I first joined Galaxie in the early 1990s, the magazine was only part colour,” recalls former editor Punitha Yogaratnam. “But a few years later we went full colour and we decreased the size of the magazine too. We eventually ditched the old logo for the one you see today. We wanted something cleaner and in keeping with the times.”
Revamps and redesigns have kept the magazine fresh and exciting, and always current, if not ahead of its time. A dedicated team has continually strived to bolster the magazine’s credibility and entertainment value to secure a huge following that has grown with Galaxie. It is a legacy we find especially rewarding.
Dynamite!