Salient (magazine)
Encyclopedia
Salient is the weekly students' magazine
of the Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association
(VUWSA) at Victoria University of Wellington
, New Zealand
. Salient was established in 1938 and originally published in newspaper
format, but has lately become a magazine. Salient's style and editorial position can change from year to year due to changes in editors. However, the magazine has generally taken a left-wing
stance.
. The editor is appointed and employed under a fixed term contract that covers roughly the beginning to end of the academic year. Previous involvement with the magazine is not a prerequisite for applicants but every editor from at least 1996 to 2011 has had some role at Salient prior to their editorship.
The editors for 2011 are Uther Dean and Elle Hunt.
, (ASPA), which has had a press gallery
journalist
in the New Zealand House of Representatives
since 2005. As Salient is based in Wellington
, the ASPA press gallery associate also doubles-up as the news editor for Salient.
Salient news is predominately focused on student issues, the students' association and the university itself. However, Salient has also reported on national items outside of "student" issues. There was significant coverage of the Iraq invasion in 2003 for instance.
The News Editor in 2011 is Stella Blake-Kelly.
's Critic
is generally seen as Salient's strongest competition and in 2005 turned the tables, sweeping a number of categories including Best Publication with Salient coming second. Critic won Best Publication again in 2006 and Salient came second.
In 2009 Salient won the award for Best Publication. Salient dominated these awards with five first places and eight other placings.
documents with details about possible university fee increases of 5 to 10 percent. The controversy made national media, with several items on the television news. The university failed to realise that information was put on to the ASPA newswire, hence the information was published in several other student magazines and on the internet. Distribution of Salient was eventually allowed, four days late after Salient and the university reached an out-of-court settlement. The documents were returned to the university, reportedly with pictures of male genitalia drawn over them.
In April 2006, Salient published a short piece which put "Chinese
", along with animals like poisonous snakes and penguins, in a list of "top five species we should be wary of". The supposed "joke" upset the Chinese community and caused huge protests from both Chinese students and the Chinese Embassy. Accused of being blatantly racist, editor James Robinson apologised, saying "It was a ridiculous jab that was honestly so stupid I didn't even think twice about it," However, he argued people who were offended had misinterpreted it , "We put 'the Chinese' between 'penguins' and 'very poisonous snakes' on the list, and people somehow took it seriously." He also defended his right to publish it, saying "It's not hate speech or inciting violence against the Chinese race. It would be a dangerous precedent to come out and say, 'Sorry, we were totally out of our minds to print such a thing'."
In July and August 2007, Lindsay Perigo
wrote and Steve Nicoll published two articles titled Death to Islamofascism in Salient. He denounced Islam
to be stinking and stupid and in the second article infamously suggested "Some good, robust sodomy as the Muslims bend towards Mecca would go some way towards attenuating both their anal-retentiveness and their murderous savagery".
In May 2008 Salient published a feature article concerning the rise of China as a new world superpower. To promote this article the cover that week depicted a naked, yet to be identified, salient staffer draped in a Chinese flag, with Hu Jintao
's face photoshopped onto their own. The cover invoked a strong reaction from the Wellington Chinese community, with Pro-China students removing the magazine from distribution at the University's Karori Campus. Following this disruption, the Chinese students association of Victoria University presented a petition of 113 signatures calling for an apology. To date, Salient has not apologised.
Responses from the Chinese community were mixed, with some commentators mentioning that this controversial cover (in conjunction with the 2006 satirical comparison of Chinese to dangerous animals) resulted in a possible ban on Salient writers traveling to China.
Past comics such as ASCII and Grant Buist
's Brunswick have won critical praise and or awards, with ASCII winning an ASPA
award in 2005.
Partial list of comics from recent years:
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...
of the Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association
Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association
The Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association is the official students' association at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand...
(VUWSA) at Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Salient was established in 1938 and originally published in newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
format, but has lately become a magazine. Salient's style and editorial position can change from year to year due to changes in editors. However, the magazine has generally taken a left-wing
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
stance.
Editor
The Salient editor-in-chief is an employee of VUWSA operating under a charter that grants editorial independenceEditorial independence
Editorial independence is the freedom of editors to make decisions without interference from the owners of a publication. Editorial independence is tested, for instance, if a newspaper runs articles that may be unpopular with its advertising clientele....
. The editor is appointed and employed under a fixed term contract that covers roughly the beginning to end of the academic year. Previous involvement with the magazine is not a prerequisite for applicants but every editor from at least 1996 to 2011 has had some role at Salient prior to their editorship.
The editors for 2011 are Uther Dean and Elle Hunt.
Past Editors
- 2010 — Sarah Robson
- 2009 — Jackson James Wood
- 2008 — Tristan Egarr
- 2007 — Steve Nicoll
- 2006 — James Robinson
- 2005 — Emily Braunstein
- 2004 — Sarah Barnett
- 2003 — Michael Appleton
- 2002 — Max Rashbrooke
- 2001 — Nikki Burrows
- 2000 — Nikki Burrows
- 1999 — Mike Beggs
- 1998 — Jonathan Hill
- 1997 — Toby Manhire
- 1996 — James Palmer
- 1995 — Vic Waghorn
- 1994 — Andrew Chick
- 1993 — Tony Smith
- 1992 — Cathie Sheat
- 1991 — Carl Dawson
- 1990 — Barbara Duke
- 1989 — Belinda Howard
- 1988 — Bernie Steeds
- 1987 — Grant O'Neill
- 1986 — Richard Adams
- 1985 — Jane Hurley
- 1984 — Sally Zwartz
- 1983 — Mark Cubey
- 1982 — Mark Wilson
- 1981 — Stephen A'Court
- 1980 — Stephen A'Court
- 1979 — Peter Beach
- 1978 — Simon Wilson
- 1977 — David Murray
- 1976 — John Ryall
- 1975 — Antony Ward, Mark Derby, Bruce Robinson
- 1974 — Roger Steele
- 1973 — Peter Franks, Roger Steele
- 1972 — Gil Peterson
- 1971 — Roger Cruickshank, George Rosenberg
- 1970 — David Harcourt
- 1969 — Roger Wilde
- 1968 — Bill Logan
- 1967 — Gerard Curry, Barrie Saunders
- 1966 — Hugh Rennie
- 1965 — Hugh Rennie, John Llewellyn
- 1964 — Bill Alexander, David Wright, Anthony Haas
- 1963 — Geoffrey Palmer, Ian Grant, Robin Bromby
- 1962 — Murray White
- 1961 — Baldwin March
- 1960 — Ian Grant
- 1959 — Colin Bickler
- 1958 — Terry Kelliher
- 1957 — Conrad Bollinger, Antony Wood
- 1956 — Nick Turner
- 1955 — Brian Shaw
- 1954 — Dan Donovan
- 1953 — Trevor Hill
- 1952 — Trevor Hill
- 1951 — Bill Cameron, Maurice McIntyre
- 1950 — Denny Garrett
- 1949 — Peter Jenkins, Denny Garrett
- 1948 — Bill Cameron, Jean Melling, Alec McLeod
- 1947 — Alec McLeod
- 1946 — Bruce Milburn, Lyster Paul, Bill Cameron
- 1945 — W.K.T. (Kemp) Fowler
- 1944 — W.K.T. (Kemp) Fowler
- 1943 — Cecil Crompton
- 1942 — George Turner, Cecil Crompton
- 1941 — Shirley Grinlinton
- 1940 — Maurice Boyd
- 1939 — Derek FreemanDerek FreemanJohn Derek Freeman was a New Zealand anthropologist best known for his criticism of Margaret Mead's work in Samoan society, as described in her 1928 ethnography Coming of Age in Samoa...
- 1938 — A.H. (Bonk) Scotney
News
Salient is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press AssociationAotearoa Student Press Association
The Aotearoa Student Press Association is an association of fourteen student newspapers and magazines that are published by the student associations of universities and polytechnics in Aotearoa .The members of ASPA are:...
, (ASPA), which has had a press gallery
Press gallery
The press gallery is the part of a parliament, or other legislative body, where political journalists are allowed to sit or gather to observe and then report speeches and events...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
in the New Zealand House of Representatives
New Zealand House of Representatives
The New Zealand House of Representatives is the sole chamber of the legislature of New Zealand. The House and the Queen of New Zealand form the New Zealand Parliament....
since 2005. As Salient is based in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, the ASPA press gallery associate also doubles-up as the news editor for Salient.
Salient news is predominately focused on student issues, the students' association and the university itself. However, Salient has also reported on national items outside of "student" issues. There was significant coverage of the Iraq invasion in 2003 for instance.
The News Editor in 2011 is Stella Blake-Kelly.
Past News Editors
- 2010 — Molly McCarthy
- 2009 — Michael Oliver
- 2008 — Seonah Choi
- 2007 — Laura McQuillan
- 2006 — Nicola Kean
- 2005 — Keith Ng
- 2004 — Keith Ng
ASPA Awards
Salient has participated in the ASPA Student Media Awards since their inception in 2003. The magazine dominated the first two years of the awards winning amongst other categories Best Publication in 2003 and 2004. OtagoUniversity of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
's Critic
Critic (magazine)
Critic is the official magazine of the Otago University Students' Association of the University of Otago. It is freely available around both the university's campus and selected sites in Dunedin city weekly during term time. It was tabloid in size until 2002, when it went quarterfold...
is generally seen as Salient's strongest competition and in 2005 turned the tables, sweeping a number of categories including Best Publication with Salient coming second. Critic won Best Publication again in 2006 and Salient came second.
In 2009 Salient won the award for Best Publication. Salient dominated these awards with five first places and eight other placings.
Controversy
In September 2005, the Vice-Chancellor of Victoria University obtained a court injunction to prevent an issue of Salient from being distributed - thought to be the first time in the magazine's history this has happened. The issue of Salient contained information obtained from leaked University CouncilUniversity Council
A University Council may be the executive body of a university's governance system, an advisory body to the University President, or something in between in authority....
documents with details about possible university fee increases of 5 to 10 percent. The controversy made national media, with several items on the television news. The university failed to realise that information was put on to the ASPA newswire, hence the information was published in several other student magazines and on the internet. Distribution of Salient was eventually allowed, four days late after Salient and the university reached an out-of-court settlement. The documents were returned to the university, reportedly with pictures of male genitalia drawn over them.
In April 2006, Salient published a short piece which put "Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
", along with animals like poisonous snakes and penguins, in a list of "top five species we should be wary of". The supposed "joke" upset the Chinese community and caused huge protests from both Chinese students and the Chinese Embassy. Accused of being blatantly racist, editor James Robinson apologised, saying "It was a ridiculous jab that was honestly so stupid I didn't even think twice about it," However, he argued people who were offended had misinterpreted it , "We put 'the Chinese' between 'penguins' and 'very poisonous snakes' on the list, and people somehow took it seriously." He also defended his right to publish it, saying "It's not hate speech or inciting violence against the Chinese race. It would be a dangerous precedent to come out and say, 'Sorry, we were totally out of our minds to print such a thing'."
In July and August 2007, Lindsay Perigo
Lindsay Perigo
Lindsay Perigo is a former New Zealand television and radio broadcasting personality, founding member and first leader of the Libertarianz political party and an Objectivist organisation called Sense of Life Objectivists ....
wrote and Steve Nicoll published two articles titled Death to Islamofascism in Salient. He denounced Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
to be stinking and stupid and in the second article infamously suggested "Some good, robust sodomy as the Muslims bend towards Mecca would go some way towards attenuating both their anal-retentiveness and their murderous savagery".
In May 2008 Salient published a feature article concerning the rise of China as a new world superpower. To promote this article the cover that week depicted a naked, yet to be identified, salient staffer draped in a Chinese flag, with Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao is the current Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China. He has held the titles of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China since 2002, President of the People's Republic of China since 2003, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2004, succeeding Jiang...
's face photoshopped onto their own. The cover invoked a strong reaction from the Wellington Chinese community, with Pro-China students removing the magazine from distribution at the University's Karori Campus. Following this disruption, the Chinese students association of Victoria University presented a petition of 113 signatures calling for an apology. To date, Salient has not apologised.
Responses from the Chinese community were mixed, with some commentators mentioning that this controversial cover (in conjunction with the 2006 satirical comparison of Chinese to dangerous animals) resulted in a possible ban on Salient writers traveling to China.
Comics
Salient has been a home to a number of comics and cartoons and they traditionally have their place on the last page of the magazine.Past comics such as ASCII and Grant Buist
Grant Buist
Grant Buist is a New Zealand cartoonist and animator, who produced the cult New Zealand alt comic strip Brunswick from 1993 to 2003....
's Brunswick have won critical praise and or awards, with ASCII winning an ASPA
ASPA
ASPA may be:*American Samoa Power Authority*American Society for Public Administration*Aotearoa Student Press Association*ASPA , located on the human chromosome 17*American Servicemembers' Protection Act*Antarctic Specially Protected Areas...
award in 2005.
Partial list of comics from recent years:
- Being Blind
- Man
- ASCII (originally published in Waikato University's Nexus)
- Newtown Ghetto Anger
- The Chronicle
- Tip Of The Iceberg
- Uni Life
- Super Academic Friends
- The Academic Idol Comic
- G33K [by Sparx]