Taiwan’s Next Magazine confirms end of publication on Feb. 29

台灣《壹週刊》確認將於2月29日結束發行

Subscribers can ask for their money back or switch to the Apple Daily website

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Next Magazine confirmed on Thursday (Feb. 20) that it would cease its online publication on Feb. 29, almost 19 years after having entered the Taiwan market with its weekly portion of paparazzi-style reporting on scandals in the political, business and entertainment world.

The company, founded by clothing magnate Jimmy Lai (黎智英) in Hong Kong, stopped printing issues in March 2018.

Its sister newspaper publication, the Apple Daily, launched in Taiwan in 2003, will continue operations, CNA reported.

In a statement, management said Thursday that it would guarantee the rights of its staff and of its subscribers, who could ask for their money back or transfer their subscription to the Apple Daily website.

While the Next website would also disappear on March 1, its content would still be available at the Apple Daily site, according to management.

The magazine ascribed its demise to “the Hong Kong Next Media Group’s operational transformation needs.”

Next and Apple were largely deemed responsible for introducing the gossip tabloid style of journalism to Taiwan, with revelations about political and business scandals as well as allegations of extramarital affairs angering prominent politicians, business people and entertainers and often resulting in court cases.