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How Better Homes was “always a battle” between TV & magazine.

Despite once having magazine, TV & radio synergy, Better Homes & Gardens was still fraught with politics behind the scenes.

Since Seven sold its Pacific Magazine publishing arm in 2019, how has it impacted the long-running TV tie-in Better Homes & Gardens?

According to host Johanna Griggs, the magazine, now published by ARE Media still covers its cooking and craft elements.

“We still work with the magazine stylists and photographers but it’s not as closely run as it used to be,”  Griggs tells TV Tonight.

“It would always be a battle whether the TV or the magazine would come first. It was unbelievable. It was always fraught with politics, the world of marrying the mag and the TV! But it was the only show that actually had that.

“For a while there we had a radio show as well, covering all the bases.”

Better Homes & Gardens, which Seven CEO James Warburton today flagged as a key pillar, is one of two juggernauts produced internally at Seven. When the network was looking to sell Seven Studios, it was adamant it would retain two big assets.

“They were quite clear from the start, they were keeping Better Homes and Home & Away. But everything else was going. which for us was lovely. Obviously there was a period where no one knew what was exactly going to happen. So it was incredibly reassuring that they valued the consistency of what the show brings in,” said Griggs.

“And the money it brings into the network.”

One Response

  1. As someone who once worked on the magazine, the “battles” began when Murdoch Magazines was sold to Pacific Magazines in 2004. When MM produced BH&G in-house the mag and show were planned together. After the sale the TV team was still based at Pacific but they answered to Pacific’s owners, Seven and the magazine didn’t have the same priority for the TV producers.
    Unfortunately print deadlines aren’t as adaptable as TV scheduling, when you can add or drop a story with a few days notice! The Yahoo-7 deal in 2006 also caused problems with the website and readers being able to easily access digital content not covered in the mag.
    It’s amazing that the brand still delivers so consistently with 2 separate companies involved in producing the different formats.

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