Quote, unquote

"Magazines are growing in stature in Canada, demanding an ever-increasing readership and media market share, despite heavy competition from south of the border-and regional titles have been demonstrating the strongest growth curve.

"Canadians are magazine readers. "Maybe it's the climate. Consumer magazines, in particular, and regional business magazines,engage audiences emotionally and intellectually more effectively than any other medium, and the advertising community in Canada is increasingly responding to that reality".

-- Jim Gourlay, first president of the Atlantic Magazine Association, as part of the kickoff for the new association. Gourlay is co-publisher of Saltscapes magazine and publisher of Eastern Woods & Waters magazine.

Other officers include: Sheila Blair-Reid, co-vice chair, Metro Guide Publishing, Halifax, NS; Anne van Loon, co-vice chair, DvL Publishing Liverpool, NS; Patty Baxter, Secretary, Metro Guide Publishing, Halifax, NS; Dianne Williams, Treasurer, Progress magazine, Halifax, NS; and board members Bill Skerrett, Atlantic Journalism Awards, Dartmouth NS; Shawn Dalton, Saltscapes Magazine, Dartmouth, NS; Krista Hewey Ivanov , Lifestyle Nova Scotia Magazine, Halifax, NS; Dawn Chafe, Atlantic Business Magazine, St. John's, NF; Leslie McNab, Downhomer Publications, St. John's, NF; and Leith Orr, Advocate Printing and Publishing, Pictou, NS.

The Atlantic Magazine Association was started with help from the Atlantic Journalism Awards and the Department of Canadian Heritage. It represents 81 magazines, from 54 publishers, with a net circulation of 7.5 million copies a year.