Critic Te Ārohi

Critic's content is primarily targeted towards its student demographic and is generally written through a student and rangatahi youth perspective. The magazine enjoys enduring popularity with its readership. The physical copies distributed on a weekly basis have a pick-up rate of 99% according to OUSA. Critic's content includes recurring columns, news articles, long-form investigative journalism, profiles, reviews, puzzles and culture pieces that often examine or portray student life in Dunedin. The magazine is known for its humorous examination of provocative and taboo subject matter. Traditionally, Critic has had 'themed' issues including "The Sex Issue", "The Drugs Issue", "Te Reo Māori Issue", "The Food Issue", "The Census Issue" and more. However, recent years have seen a movement away from overtly stipulated themes. The majority of all Critic issues remain unthemed within the magazine's yearly cycle. Although the scope of the content has varied year to year under different editorship, in recent years the magazine's coverage has remained local; focusing on stories of relevance to students and the surrounding Ōtepoti Dunedin community. Since 2012, the magazine's mission statement has been to "reflect the reality of Otago University students back to themselves." In a 2018 profile of Critic, former Editor Joel MacManus told Stuff the magazine seeks to "cover stories other media can't or won't, in a way that they can't or won't [...] When we write something I know couldn't be published in the Otago Daily Times or on Stuff – that's when I'm like, 'This is great!' That's when it's Critic." Critic Lite* In 2025, the Student Media Manager, the incoming 2026 Co-Editors, and OUSA made the decision to change Critic’s print schedule to a fortnightly rotation of 36-page and 16-page issues. This change was driven by the need to reduce the magazine’s significant printing costs, while also trialling a new publishing and editorial approach. The revised model aimed to provide a smaller issue each fortnight, enabling the team to dedicate more time to researching and producing high-quality feature content for the bigger issues. The first 16-page issue was released on 2 March 2026 and was met with significant public backlash from students and former editors. Critics of the change described the page reduction as abrupt and characterised it as an unreasonable political decision by OUSA, despite the change being publicised in an October 2025 issue of Critic. In response, a public petition emotively titled “Save Critic” was launched, and open letters were addressed to the OUSA Student Executive, calling for an immediate increase in Critic’s budget to reinstate a weekly 36-page format. These responses were made despite limited direct engagement with Critic on the rationale behind the decision. Some commentators stated that the magazine was usually 48-60 pages every week. The decision was made by the 2025 editorial team and OUSA together, to reduce the page count to 36 each week for the second semester, as 48-pages of quality content was becoming hard for the team to manage weekly. No one at OUSA or Critic can recall the magazine being 60 page per week since at least the early 2000s before it moved to a magazine style format from a newsprint publication. Despite the public reaction, OUSA and the Student Executive had already indicated its intention to consider a return to a consistent 36-page print schedule as part of its annual budget process for 2027, to be undertaken later in 2026. In the meantime, Critic released a public statement addressing key questions about the page reduction, which was shared across its website and social media platforms. High-profile stories In 2018, Critic Te Ārohi reported that University of Otago Proctor Dave Scott had illegally entered two students flats without permission and confiscated bongs/water pipes, which were estimated to be worth over $700 combined. Critic's reporting received national media attention, resulting in a scandal the magazine labelled "BongShell." In a subsequent press conference, Scott confirmed the bongs had been destroyed and apologised for his actions. In 2019, Critic published a story about a landlord breaching tenancy laws. After receiving a threatening letter in response, Critic made headlines for publishing the email on the cover of the following issue. That same year, Critic published a exposé on the culture of misogyny in Knox College that normalised sexual misconduct against female students. The article included the testimonies of several female residents who had been sexually harassed or assaulted at the residential college between 2015 and 2017, many of whom claimed that the college's leadership ignored or dismissed their claims when they were reported to them. The article received national media attention. Although the feature was lauded for its investigative merit, Critic later issued an apology for not contacting Head Master Caroline Hepburn-Doole for comment before publication. With regards to the article's claim that instances of sexual assault and rape went "undisciplined," the magazine later accepted there was evidence "all complaints were documented and reported to others as appropriate." In 2021, Critic published a series of articles detailing the findings of a six-month undercover investigation by Critic journalist Elliot Weir into Action Zealandia, a white supremacist organisation in New Zealand. In 2023, Critic published a series of news articles reporting on hazing activity in Dunedin's student community. Critic's coverage, including a story on the abuse of a live eel, garnered national attention and was awarded 'Best News Story' at the Aotearoa Student Press Awards, with Judge Glenn McConnell commending the reporting for being of "national significance." The magazine's coverage later developed into a three-part series published in The Spinoff, authored by former Editor Fox Meyer. Design Critic began as a newspaper in 1925, before becoming a magazine in 2001. The publication was tabloid in size until 2002, when it went (around A4 size). The design of Critic is often significantly changed each year as new designers are employed; typically recent graduates from the Otago Polytechnic Design School. Critic has a long-standing tradition of welcoming new designers by giving them the opportunity to create a fresh logo that reflects their personal style and vision for the magazine. The publication actively supports students from Otago Polytechnic’s Design School through design internships, offering valuable real-world experience in producing a weekly print magazine, and ensure the Polytechnic is included in the student and campus-life vibe of the magazine. The design team includes several paid and volunteer “illustrators” though they are better described as multi-disciplinary artists. These contributors produce weekly covers, centerfolds, and accompanying artwork for articles, adding depth and personality to the publication. Altogether, visual design is a defining and essential element of Critic’s identity with posters of past covers being sold, and centrefold art adorning walls across North Dunedin. In 2011, Critic's covers (under the magazine's Art Director Andrew Jacombs) were selected in the 2012 Coverjunkie "Best Of" Publication and exhibited alongside some of the world's most leading titles, including TIME, Esquire, The New Yorker, Vogue, Sports Illustrated and lift-outs from The New York Times and The Sunday Times. ==History==

In 1925 Otago University medical student Francis Bennett, whom edited the annual student publication The Review, suggested a new student newspaper. OUSA approved. The Critic went on to replace the 4-page newsletter Te Korero, which Bennett later described as "a dismal rag which [Dan Aitken] and I usually filled up with imaginative froth a few hours before it went to press." Editor Douglas Archibald Campbell outlined the newspaper's ethos in the publication's first-ever editorial, envisioning Critic to be a publication where "criticism may be brought into the open" and would "suffer no word or deed to go unquestioned within the four walls of Otago University." On 27 February 2025, the magazine marked its centennial anniversary with a book launch. Controversies The Office of Film and Literature Classification in 2005 banned an issue of the magazine, due to it containing a satirical "how-to-guide" on drug rape. The article was published in magazine's since-discontinued "offensive" themed issue, which ran from 2002—2005. Possession or distribution of this issue was deemed illegal. Editor Holly Walker stood by the decision to publish the article, stating it was "defendable" in that it highlighted "a very important issue and [would] hopefully make women more aware of what could happen to them." Walker later backtracked this statement in a comment to Critic in 2012, calling the article's publication a "mistake": "We were trying to be offensive for the sake of it, rather than with any greater purpose in mind [...] I wasn't a very woke feminist back then." In 2010 The New Zealand Media Council upheld a complaint against Critic over the article 'The Bum at the Bottom of the World', which depicted three people the publication deemed homeless and vagrant. Editor Ben Thomson later stated the magazine "completely misjudged where the line was" and apologised for the article. The Press Council accepted Critic's apology as "sincere." In 2013 Critic's Editor Callum Fredric received a $35,000 payout after a series of personal disputes with OUSA General Manager Darel Hall. Fredric was suspended by Hall on Friday 3 May, and was trespassed from OUSA buildings by Hall after attending a meeting on Monday 6 May to explain the situation to staff, before being asked to leave by Police. After filing legal proceedings, Fredric accepted a $35,000 settlement package from OUSA on Friday 17 May, and resigned as Editor. In 2018, the cover of "The Menstruation Issue" featured a cartoon image of a woman menstruating. University of Otago Proctor Dave Scott took offence to the image and unilaterally decided to destroy all copies of the magazine. An open-letter signed by 17 former Editors expressed "deep concern" over the decision, with prominent New Zealand media figures accusing the university of "censorship." The removal of the magazines was further accused of stigmatising menstruation. The university later apologised, calling the decision a "mistake". In 2020 Critic criticised Otago University's response to the Covid-19 pandemic in an opinion piece, leading the university's refusal to answer media requests from Critic and threatening to pull advertising from the magazine. Following changes in University of Otago media staff, the University has resumed accepting media requests and running advertisements. ==Awards and nominations==

Critic Te Ārohi is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA) and has been awarded Best Publication in the annual ASPA awards in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2025. == Editorship ==

The Critic Te Ārohi editor-in-chief is an employee of OUSA. The Editor is appointed and employed full time under either a permanent or a fixed term contract that covers roughly the beginning to end of Otago University's academic year (February-October). Previous involvement with the magazine is not a prerequisite for applicants, although most have held a sub-editorial position at Critic prior to being appointed editor. Although Critic's editorship has been shared in previous years (particularly in the magazine's early history), in modern times the role of editor is typically fulfilled by one person. The typical tenure for Critic Editor is one year, though roughly 10% of editors in Critic's history have stayed on for two years as of 2024. Usually the Editor is a full time (40 hours per week) position that is undertaken by someone that has just graduated. In 2026 the magazine has two Co-Editors who are both full time students working together for 20 hours each a week. Notable past editors include journalist and Rhodes Scholar Sir Geoffrey Cox, Priest and human rights activist Paul Oestreicher (OBE), renowned obstetrician Diana Mason (OBE), TV broadcaster Jim Mora, political commentator Chris Trotter, New Zealand Alliance Party co-leader Victor Billot, Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie and Rhodes Scholar and former Green Party MP Holly Walker. List of Critic Te Ārohi editors == Sub-editorship ==

Critic's sub-editorial roles are Designer, Sub-Editor, News Editor, Features Editor and Culture Editor. Designer is the second most senior role within Critic as the only staff member (aside from Editor) that is employed full-time. In 2026 there are 2 Co-Designers who work 20 hours per week each, sharing the responsibility of the role. In 2023 the role of Ētita Māori (Māori Editor) was made a permanent position. The role entails the production of Māori interest content and the magazine's annual te reo Māori themed issue. Until 2018, there were rotating 'Section Editors' (now described as staff writers) covering books, art, film, games, poetry food, music, politics and sport. In some years, "Deputy Editor" "Technical Editor" and "Art Director" have been listed as sub-editorial roles. Notable staff members and contributors to Critic have included poet James K Baxter and cricketer and caricaturist Murray Webb. List of Critic Te Ārohi sub-editors == Other Staffing ==

In 2024, a Student Media Manager role was established within OUSA to mentor, provide strategic oversight, operational support, and resources so the Critic team can focus on producing the publication. The role also provides support to Radio One. This department manager position sits within the organisation’s senior leadership team. The creation of the role has elevated the profile of Critic within OUSA and the wider community, while also ensuring the provision of crucial wellbeing support to the team, particularly under often stressful circumstances. It has also reduced the financial and employment responsibilities previously held by the editorial team. Traditionally, Critic relied heavily on volunteer staff, with very few paid employees. However, over the past 10-15 years, this trend has shifted as students have had less capacity to volunteer due to the increasing need to prioritise paid work. In response, OUSA has expanded paid opportunities for students. Alongside the Editor, Designer, and Sub-Editor roles, paid positions now include: • Staff Writer • Senior News Reporter • Illustrator • Photographer In 2026, Critic/OUSA introduced two new roles, a Video Editor and a Social Media Manager, for the first time. These positions reflect the growing need to produce more online content for both the publication and advertisers seeking stronger digital and social media presence. Additionally, in the first semester of 2026, a paid New Zealand Music Commission Music Journalism Intern is being hosted, splitting their time between Critic and Radio One. The 2026 paid team comprises 23 employees, each working between 4 and 20 hours per week, totalling approximately 185 paid hours across the team weekly. Despite this shift toward a larger paid workforce, Critic continues to welcome and regularly publish contributions from volunteers. A dedicated Facebook page is maintained for prospective contributors to connect and submit written and visual work. ==References==