HELLO! Canada pays tribute to superstar Michael Jackson
Toronto, June 29, 2009—HELLO! Canada is among the first - if not the first - celebrity magazine in North America to hit the newsstands with a special Michael Jackson tribute issue - and certainly the only one to provide a large format pictorial celebration of the legendary entertainer's life. This special issue is on newsstands in Southern Ontario today and rolling out across the rest of Canada on Tuesday and Thursday.
For the first time in its history, HELLO! Canada accelerated its weekly publishing schedule by three days to provide readers with this moving tribute just days after his sudden death in Los Angeles, which sent shock waves around the world.
"I heard the shocking news on Thursday night, while I was away," says HELLO! Canada editor-in-chief Ciara Hunt. "I came back earlier than planned to begin the mammoth task of creating a totally different magazine. The whole team really had to pull together and work quickly, but the end result is a gorgeous tribute to the king of pop. The experience shows the power of a weekly publication and why each issue of HELLO! Canada now has over a million readers."
With more than 40 pages on the legend's personal and professional life - from boy wonder to the world's greatest entertainer - the king of pop is remembered in tributes, unforgettable pictures and poignant personal memories.
The issue also features an exclusive article from one of his greatest friends, illusionist Yuri Geller, who talks about the incredible pressure Michael Jackson was always under, his views on his death and his friendship with Liz Taylor.
"Michael Jackson was a true international star," says Hunt, who remembers the excitement of attending a Michael Jackson concert as a teenager in Ireland. "He was the world's greatest showman, and everyone - from his fans to the musicians he influenced - feel this great sense of loss. However, his contribution to the entertainment world will reverberate and endure forever, and for that we can be thankful."
About HELLO! Canada
HELLO! Canada is the No. 1 English Canadian magazine on newsstands. Every week, it provides readers with news about and intimate access to the lifestyles of the top international and Canadian celebrities. Featuring spectacular photographs in a glossy, large format, HELLO! Canada also has exciting lifestyle sections featuring fashion, beauty, food and travel. With 13 editions around the world, HELLO! worldwide now reaches more than 12 million readers in more than 100 countries. HELLO! Canada is published by Rogers Publishing, a division of Rogers Media Inc. An average issue reaches more than one million readers. (Source: Roper Reports Canada, 2009). See hellomagazine.ca.
For further information:
Louise Leger, 416-764-4125, louise.leger@rci.rogers.com, https://twitter.com/rogersmagazines
