On the occasion of our 100th issue, we thought it only appropriate to sit down and chat with the man who started it all, our publisher Ricardo Pinto, to share with readers some of his insights into the history of the magazine.
CLOSER: Can you describe what the local print media environment was like at the time when you were considering launching Macau CLOSER?
Ricardo Pinto: When we launched Macau CLOSER, back in February 2007, local English language media was about to start a new era of development. Just a couple of years before, Macau Business, a monthly magazine, and Macau Daily Post, a daily newspaper, had been launched. Yet, the arrival of thousands of new English-speaking Macau residents recruited by the new casino operators clearly indicated that the market was eager for more. Not too surprisingly, no less than three daily English-language newspapers are being published nowadays, and the number of magazines is basically countless.
What were your motivations and goals for starting the publication?
Macau CLOSER was our way of adjusting to changing times. Ever since the liberalization of the casino industry, Macau had become a much more cosmopolitan city, where development of sectors such as retail and entertainment begged for a similar expansion of lifestyle media. We decided we should not wait for others to do it and released the first magazine of its kind, in English initially, and then in Chinese as well, with the goal of reaching as many readers as possible, both local residents and tourists. And we feel proud of that.
What are your most distinct memories from the early days of CLOSER in terms of assembling the team, deciding the stories, and putting the magazine together for the first time?
We started with a very small team, comprising just two full-time journalists and a number of contributors. It was a huge challenge, as we had no idea at all how the public and sponsors would react to this new product. We hired Associated Press editor Nuno Mendonça, who had worked on Macau TV in the 90’s, to become our first Editor-in-chief, but he was only able to join us in the summer, which meant that the first five to six issues were even more demanding for our team. Fortunately we had the support of people such as Ray Granlund, Alice Kok and Mark Phillips, among others, who are still very much involved today in producing the magazine or in other projects. They really helped us survive in those early days.
The magazine started somehow as a hybrid product, as we were adding current affairs materials to our lifestyle and arts contents. The discussion on which should be the first cover reflected exactly this ambivalence: we had managed to get interviews with casino industry leader Stanley Ho and Chinese actress Gong Li, and we had to decide which one would make the front page. I’m sure Gong Li would have made a more beautiful cover, but we decided to go for substance by choosing Stanley Ho, and I think we made the right decision.
The magazine has evolved over the years (bilingual, more lifestyle focus, etc). What were some of the ideas and strategies behind these changes?
As I mentioned before, having to find a balance between current affairs and lifestyle issues was something we had to deal with early on. After the first year of publication, we decided to split those two areas into two different books, sold as a single magazine (a concept similar to that used by some media in Hong Kong). However, this format proved too difficult to sustain regarding both human and financial resources, so one year later, after some internal discussions, we came up with the current concept: a bilingual publication with a clear focus on lifestyle and arts issues. Essentially we made this decision after realizing that political, social and economic subjects were becoming less appropriate for a monthly publication, due to the sudden expansion of Internet-based media where readers have instant access to news features.
The magazine has always had a strong arts focus. How do you see the local art scene in the city today compared to when the magazine started?
The local art scene is showing encouraging signs of development. The local Government has increased its support of cultural industries, and some of the casino operators have been helping a lot as well. There are also many new companies playing a role in the sector, by investing in equipment and events. The big problem yet to be solved is the lack of critical mass: it’s quite challenging to attract audiences to non-mainstream cultural events, and the arts market is virtually nonexistent. That makes life really difficult for local artists; therefore, most of them still cannot afford to leave their full-time jobs and fully dedicate themselves to their art.
Looking back at all the stories, are their any particular highlights for you?
Starting with the current affairs stories, could there have been a better way to start than with an interview with Stanley Ho? It was a really good exchange with the old tycoon: he provided information and comments that certainly helped us better understand his life and the history of this city in the last decades.
On the lifestyle and arts front, our special issues on themes such as sex, singles, local bands, movies, visual arts, travel, wine, coffee and tea, cars, fitness and wellbeing, among many others, have offered our readers a tool to identify new trends in a fast-developing environment and to enjoy life in a better way.
We have also been privileged to feature on our covers celebrities from different walks of life: American singer and songwriter Laurie Anderson, Chinese actress Tang Wei and FIFA Footballer of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo among them.
The magazine has also been involved with a number of local events over the years, both as a media partner and also sometimes as a co-organizer. What are your reflections on some of these events?
Our association with events such as The Script Road – Macau Literary Festival, (organized by our sister publication, Ponto Final newspaper), and Macau Fashion Link, to name just a couple, have definitely been very special landmarks as well in our eight year history. It’s our humble contribution to a better society, where material values are not ranked as the first and single goal of our community.
It’s also our way to help new ventures succeed, by promoting them through our different media platforms. We have been associated with a growing number of events each year, and we will keep doing it as long as our human resources allow it. Gaming is just a part of Macau’s narrative; we want to make sure that people know more about the different aspects of the city. Basically, we want to show Macau at its best.
Overall, what are you most proud of in terms of the publication?
One of the ideas behind publishing Macau CLOSER was, from the very beginning, to create a publication that would appeal to the many different communities of Macau. The title of the magazine has exactly that in mind: we wanted to bring people together, closer to each other. Needless to say, there are some things we could have done better, but considering all the circumstances, I’m really proud of the way we have managed to fulfill this goal.
How do you view the local print media environment in the city today?
It’s quite a competitive environment in our segment. In the last few years, lifestyle-related publications have been on the rise in a more significant way. That’s good for us and for everyone: competition pushes us to keep trying to improve our product. Lately, the declining performance of the local economy has resulted in a decreasing investment in media and other creative industries, both by the Government and the big companies of Macau. I think that is a huge mistake. Creativity is essential for sustainable development; failing to support it in times of need will only delay a coming of age process in this area that Macau badly needs.
Around the world, the media environment is undergoing major shifts and changes. What are your plans and goals for the magazine looking forward?
We are planning to increase our presence online and to diversify our contents. The first step will be the release of a magazine called Macau History. Others will follow. With a team now led by Hélder Beja and comprising a lot of creative and dedicated professionals, I’m sure the future can only be bright.
