MAGAZINE SHIFTS GEARS WITH NEW OWNER
By Adnews Staff
Behaviour Publishing Inc., owned by BHVR of Montreal, purchased Toronto-based Shift Magazine Inc. last week. Andrew Heintzman, publisher of Shift, told Adnews that under the new ownership the magazine has plans for dramatic growth. In the next 12-18 months, Heintzman expects circulation to triple from 30,000 to 90,000. By 1998, Shift is planning to publish 10 issues a year, rather than its current six. Behaviour also hopes to establish a stronger international presence. Shift is available nationally and is aimed at the 18-34 year-old market. Shift is a new media magazine. It is available through subscription, newsstands and target mail. It also has a Web site. In addition to the magazine, Shift also has various on-line and television projects, including a 26-episode television series with CBC Newsworld called Shift Media Minutes. Company founders Evan Solomon and Heintzman will stay on as editor and publisher of Shift Magazine respectively. They will also become vice-presidents of Behaviour Publishing Inc. Wendy Muller, former associate publisher of Chatelaine, has been hired as president of Behaviour.