Dreamwatch
Encyclopedia
Dreamwatch was a British
magazine
covering science fiction
and fantasy
film
s, books and television
programmes.
Published monthly by Gary Leigh (July 1983 to January 2001) and then Titan Magazines
(2001 to 2007), it was a leading genre entertainment magazine, competing with SFX
and Cinescape in the genre magazine market.
dedicated to the popular science-fiction television
series Doctor Who
, and was published under the title Doctor Who Bulletin. In this form, it became well known for taking a generally critical tone towards the later seasons of the programme, particularly the work of producer John Nathan-Turner
, who was subjected to several personal attacks in its pages. However, it became popular with some fans due to its frequent reporting of news concerning the show before it was released through official sources, and as an alternative viewpoint to the officially sanctioned Doctor Who Magazine
or Celestial Toyroom, the newsletter of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society
. There were, however, occasional embarrassing errors, such as the printing of an obituary for actor Kevin Stoney
in 1986, who was still alive and after the article's appearance would happily sign copies for fans at conventions. The fanzine also gained a reputation for being sometimes too willing to report rumour as fact.
In 1989, the fanzine expanded to cover other genre films and television series as well as Doctor Who, and the title was changed to DreamWatch Bulletin so that the popular abbreviation DWB would remain intact. In 1994, it was turned into a fully professional newsstand magazine: the title was shortened to simply Dreamwatch, and the numbering of the magazine was restarted from issue 1.
The original fanzine was founded and edited by Gary Levy, who later changed his name to Gary Leigh. He edited the first hundred issues, before handing over editorial reins first to David Gibbs (issues 101-110) and then to Anthony Brown (111-130), after which the professional version was launched (with numbering beginning again at issue 1, and with Paul Simpson as Editor until issue 71). Leigh returned as editor with issue 72, aided by co-editor Simon J. Gerard who worked on the title on a day-to-day basis. Leigh retained ownership of the title until 2001, when he sold the magazine to Titan Magazines
, part of the Titan Entertainment Group owned by Nick Landau
. Gerard moved across to Titan with Dreamwatch and took the role of Contributing Editor.
Brian J. Robb became Editor
/Managing Editor in June 2001 (issue 81) and continued through to September 2003 (issue 108) which marked DWB's 20th continuous year of publication. Former Deputy Editor David Bassom served as Editor from issue 109 to 123, and launched the stand-alone US edition. Robb became Editor/Managing Editor of Dreamwatch once more from January 2005 (issue 124) until October 2006 (issue 145). Former deputy editor Richard Matthews then became editor for a few issues (until issue 148) before the editorship returned to Robb until issue 150, which was the last print edition, published on 25 January 2007 (issue 280 if counted from the debut issue in July 1983).
At the end of January 2007, the magazine became a web-only publication entitled Total Sci-Fi, offering SF news and features and Dreamwatch/DWB archive at www.totalscifionline.com. The website is edited by Matt McAllister, and counts many former Dreamwatch writers among its contributors.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
covering science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s, books and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
programmes.
Published monthly by Gary Leigh (July 1983 to January 2001) and then Titan Magazines
Titan Magazines
Titan Magazines is the magazine-publishing division of Nick Landau's Titan Publishing Group. Titan also owns several Forbidden Planet specialist comics and collector stores .Titan Magazines' publishing director is Chris Teather.TPG also owns Titan Books,...
(2001 to 2007), it was a leading genre entertainment magazine, competing with SFX
SFX magazine
SFX is a British magazine covering the topics of science fiction and fantasy.-Description:SFX magazine is published every four weeks by Future Publishing and was founded in 1995. The magazine covers topics in the genres of popular science fiction, fantasy and horror, within the media of films,...
and Cinescape in the genre magazine market.
Overview
The publication began life in the early 1980s as an amateur fanzineFanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
dedicated to the popular science-fiction television
Science fiction on television
Science fiction first appeared on a television program during the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary world not limited by the constraints of reality; this makes television an excellent medium...
series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, and was published under the title Doctor Who Bulletin. In this form, it became well known for taking a generally critical tone towards the later seasons of the programme, particularly the work of producer John Nathan-Turner
John Nathan-Turner
John Nathan-Turner was the ninth producer of the long-running BBC science fiction series Doctor Who, from 1980 until it was effectively cancelled in 1989...
, who was subjected to several personal attacks in its pages. However, it became popular with some fans due to its frequent reporting of news concerning the show before it was released through official sources, and as an alternative viewpoint to the officially sanctioned Doctor Who Magazine
Doctor Who Magazine
Doctor Who Magazine is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
or Celestial Toyroom, the newsletter of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society
Doctor Who Appreciation Society
The Doctor Who Appreciation Society is a society for fans of the television series Doctor Who. It was founded in May 1976, emerging from the Westfield College Doctor Who Appreciation Society and the editors and readers of the fanzine Tardis...
. There were, however, occasional embarrassing errors, such as the printing of an obituary for actor Kevin Stoney
Kevin Stoney
Kevin Stoney was an English actor, best known for his television roles.During World War II, Stoney served with the Royal Air Force....
in 1986, who was still alive and after the article's appearance would happily sign copies for fans at conventions. The fanzine also gained a reputation for being sometimes too willing to report rumour as fact.
In 1989, the fanzine expanded to cover other genre films and television series as well as Doctor Who, and the title was changed to DreamWatch Bulletin so that the popular abbreviation DWB would remain intact. In 1994, it was turned into a fully professional newsstand magazine: the title was shortened to simply Dreamwatch, and the numbering of the magazine was restarted from issue 1.
The original fanzine was founded and edited by Gary Levy, who later changed his name to Gary Leigh. He edited the first hundred issues, before handing over editorial reins first to David Gibbs (issues 101-110) and then to Anthony Brown (111-130), after which the professional version was launched (with numbering beginning again at issue 1, and with Paul Simpson as Editor until issue 71). Leigh returned as editor with issue 72, aided by co-editor Simon J. Gerard who worked on the title on a day-to-day basis. Leigh retained ownership of the title until 2001, when he sold the magazine to Titan Magazines
Titan Magazines
Titan Magazines is the magazine-publishing division of Nick Landau's Titan Publishing Group. Titan also owns several Forbidden Planet specialist comics and collector stores .Titan Magazines' publishing director is Chris Teather.TPG also owns Titan Books,...
, part of the Titan Entertainment Group owned by Nick Landau
Nick Landau
Nick Landau is a British media figure, currently co-owner of the Titan Entertainment Group, which publishes Titan Magazines and Titan Books.-2000 AD:...
. Gerard moved across to Titan with Dreamwatch and took the role of Contributing Editor.
Brian J. Robb became Editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
/Managing Editor in June 2001 (issue 81) and continued through to September 2003 (issue 108) which marked DWB's 20th continuous year of publication. Former Deputy Editor David Bassom served as Editor from issue 109 to 123, and launched the stand-alone US edition. Robb became Editor/Managing Editor of Dreamwatch once more from January 2005 (issue 124) until October 2006 (issue 145). Former deputy editor Richard Matthews then became editor for a few issues (until issue 148) before the editorship returned to Robb until issue 150, which was the last print edition, published on 25 January 2007 (issue 280 if counted from the debut issue in July 1983).
At the end of January 2007, the magazine became a web-only publication entitled Total Sci-Fi, offering SF news and features and Dreamwatch/DWB archive at www.totalscifionline.com. The website is edited by Matt McAllister, and counts many former Dreamwatch writers among its contributors.