“Classical music and arts magazine Limelight is calling in the liquidators after cancelling its March edition and laying off its six employees,” writes Nick Galvin in Thursday’s (2/8) Sydney Morning Herald (Australia). “Shocked staff were told on Tuesday afternoon of the move by publisher Andrew Batt-Rawden, who took over the title in 2013. ‘I bought the magazine as a starving composer in my late 20s and spent four years trying to improve the magazine’s position and build a business and that is a very expensive thing,’ he said…. ‘My personal situation was that I simply … couldn’t take another refinancing.’ … However, Batt-Rawden said he was in talks with various potential purchasers and appeared cautiously optimistic a buyer could be found…. Jo Litson, who took over as editor late last year, said staff continued to believe passionately in the magazine. ‘Limelight has been occupying an increasingly important niche given its intelligent, informed, in-depth, entertaining arts reporting,’ she said…. The magazine, which has a monthly circulation of about 8,000, began life in 1976 as an ABC publication, 24 Hours. In 2006 it was taken over by Haymarket Media, until that company exited the Australian market in 2013 and Batt-Rawden took over.”
Posted February 9, 2018
