Publishing a print magazine feels tougher than ever right now but thanks Odette from for giving me an opportunity to reflect on my love for regional media and why I started OAK Magazine.
Odette covers different parts of regional media on the Hack Your Own PR podcast. I'm in good company with other regional media powerhouses Georgie Robertson of The Regional PR Co talking how to secure coverage (Ep 12) and Nine journalist Sarah Lawrence on the ins and outs of regional TV news (Ep 14).
You can even download a free handbook filled with essential nuggets of PR goodness.
Take a listen and let me know what you think.
Kimberley Furness,
Founder + Editor
Meet the new face of regional publishing, Kimberley Furness of OAK Magazine | Ep 13
Kimberley Furness is the founder and editor of OAK Magazine, a quarterly print publication that shines a light on regional and rural stories around Australia.Feeling fed up with going to the supermarket and never seeing magazines that spoke to her, Kimberley decided to shine a light on regional women by creating her own publication. And in 2017, OAK Magazine was born. (The story of how Kimberley pulled the first issue together will make any print editor break out in a cold sweat.)
Kimberley has traversed the media landscape in various roles, from literal cut-and-paste jobs at the local paper in high school through to a Supre-clad internship with Cosmopolitan and founding her own communications agency.
And now, she's living her dream of creating her own magazine while kicking some serious goals for regional women and businesses along the way. Three years in, OAK has already had some major highlights, like featuring Kimberley's media hero, Lisa Messenger, and jewellery designer, Samantha Wills, on the cover, plus a sell-out issue under its belt.
During our chat, Kimberley shares the rollercoaster of learnings across her journey from launch to Issue 7, how print has been affected by CV-19 and what her golden rules are when you're pitching to OAK.
You can find OAK on Instagram @oakmagazineau and check out Kimberley's podcast @afriendofminepodcast for more conversations with incredible women in regional Australia.