Craccum downsizes and goes digital, sparking debate

University of Auckland magazine Craccum has shifted to a fortnightly publication, cutting its core team of 14 from 2024 in half.

Some students say they are worried the magazine quality won't be as high with fewer writers, while others say they are excited by increased opportunities to contribute.

The magazine’s news and features editor, Oliver Cocker, says the shift comes down to cost pressures, and a direct push to online media.

“Originally, each employee would have responsibility for certain sections - features, news, lifestyle.

“I used to be editor of features, and the new overarching head of publication has decided that it needs to have more of a news-based focus.”

Cocker says leaning too heavily on breaking stories might undermine what makes Craccum unique.

“Trying to move the magazine to a news-based focus forgets that you can get news online so easily and quickly.”

By cutting down the number of writers, you lose things that people can talk and learn about, says Cocker.

The editor, Harry Sutton, defends the changes, saying the streamlined editorial approach will make sure more student voices are heard.

“This year we wanted to get more perspectives from the students specifically, not having the same people write the same stories repeatedly.”

Sutton says the team needs news editors that aren’t locked down to a specific type of news, such as arts or features.

Managing editor Lewis Creed says there wasn't a “traditional” layoff of staff, because Craccum contracts only last a year.

The reduced 2025 operating budget intends to prioritise two news co-editors and two visual arts co-editors, says Creed.

“We decided to focus our available resources on hiring a more solid journalistic core for the magazine and its visuals.

“In our latest issue we had 20 contributors who provided around 50 per cent of content that the arts, features and lifestyle editors were responsible for in previous years.”

Cocker says the reduction in staff and resources has limited the magazine’s ability to cover certain events and produce high-quality unique content.