Some big changes at ATOM

 
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Dear subscribers and supporters,

We are only a month into 2020 and, already, we at ATOM have had to wrestle with significant changes to our operations – some goodbyes, some beginnings – but our commitment to screen culture and literacy remains as deep as ever. Of course, it’s of prime importance to us that you’re kept informed of it all, so below are some updates.

Help save Screen Education

First, some difficult news: due to lack of funding and institutional support, the immediate future of Screen Education is looking increasingly uncertain. We are going to seek to transition it into an online-only publication, but we need your support to be able to do so. With that in mind, we’ve launched a donation drive through GoFundMe (now online here), and we would be immensely grateful for anything you feel you can offer. As ATOM is a registered charity with DGR status, all contributions will be tax-deductible.

Even though the magazine was never granted state or federal funding, we are extremely proud of what we have achieved over its past twenty-four years. Screen Education plays an essential role in Australian screen culture and the development of media-literacy skills among young people, and we have always prided ourselves on the scope and depth of our articles – a reflection on the immense skill and dedication of our contributors. We are also proud to say that we have always paid the writers and staff for both of our magazines at competitive rates.

Depending on the outcome of our GoFundMe campaign, we might need some time to get Screen Education back on its feet. But we are hopeful that this is only a hiatus as opposed to a total halt to publication.

What happens to your subscription?

If the worst comes to pass and Screen Education is forced to cease publication entirely, we wish to assure you that your existing subscriptions will be honoured, and that there will be an option to replace unavailable issues of Screen Education with upcoming issues of Metro. Feel free to get in touch with us to discuss options or if you’d like further information.

In the meantime, to maintain a resource for our loyal education readers and contributors, we will be publishing a ‘Screen Education’ section in Metro from our next issue (#204) onwards.

A new chapter for Metro

In part due to these upheavals, and after almost seven years at the helm, Metro editor Adolfo Aranjuez will be stepping down from his role. He oversaw the production of twenty-six stellar issues of Metro, and has built substantially on the fifty-six-year legacy of Australia’s oldest film and media periodical.

While we are saddened by his departure, we are thrilled to announce that Screen Education editor David Heslin will be taking his place. Metro #204, Adolfo’s final issue, will be a handover edition produced in collaboration with David; it will be out in May 2020.

We deeply appreciate your support of Screen Education and Metro over the years, and we hope that you’ll stick with us as we enter this new period in ATOM’s long and fruitful history.

Kind regards,

Peter Tapp
Managing Editor, ATOM