For the first time since womensweekly.co.nz’s relaunch, Bridget Jones is stepping in to the new role of digital editor. Jones comes from a journalistic background in online, magazines and newspapers, and welcomes this title to her list of accolades.
We caught up with her to see how she’s settling in and what we can expect from the site this year.
When did you start in the role?
I’ve been in the role since February 18 - so it’s still pretty fresh. But I can tell it’s going to be a great role.
Can you tell us a bit about your career history?
I’ve manage to pack a bit into my journalism career so far. I started out at Fairfax in 2011, working largely as an arts and entertainment reporter on Stuff.co.nz and the Sunday-Star Times, before moving over to Sunday magazine and feature writing. Then, it was a quick jump back over to the digital world as an online entertainment editor on nzherald.co.nz, before joining the New Idea team as deputy editor in 2014. And now, here we are, back online. I’ve certainly learnt a lot over the past five years!
What attracted you to the role at Woman’s Weekly online?
First, I love the magazine titles this site is helping to grow online. Next, Good Health Choices, The Australian Women’s Weekly and New Zealand Women’s Weekly are so beloved by their readers, and being a part of their transition to the web - and building what should be the ultimate hub for smart, engaged, and interested Kiwi women - was a chance I didn’t want to miss out on.
What excites you most about the role?
It’s more a question of what doesn’t excite me? I’ve managed to snag myself a job that combines my love of magazines with the growing digital world, which is a bit of a dream. Between our online team, and the teams working on the magazines themselves, we’ve got an amazing opportunity to create something pretty special. And working online means there are almost no barriers to what you can try – it’s great for the imagination.
Has the switch from print to online been difficult for you?
I’m lucky, in that I’ve worked in newsrooms where print and digital work hand-in-hand, so the change isn’t really a new one for me – but it’s one I’m really happy to be going back to.
What exciting things can we expect from the site now that you’re on board?
Well, we are still getting our feet under the desk, but our deputy editor Ellie Hooper and I have big plans for the site. Keep an eye out for a lot of great video content, some interesting columnists and content that is fresh, local, and above all, engaging.
Jones’ new contact details are:
Email: bjones@bauermedia.co.nz
Address: Cityworks Depot | Bauer Media | 90 Wellesley Street West | Akl
