Overview
The Chaser gang are getting back to their roots, with plans to publish a brand spanking new print magazine. The team behind The Hamster Wheel, Yes We Canberra, Sydney's Giant Dwarf theatre and the Make a Realistic Wish Foundation have recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to get the satirical publication off the ground, with the aim of releasing their first edition in the next couple of months.
According to the group's Pozible page, The Chaser Quarterly will be a 96-page colour magazine that will address "the key problem of our time: namely — there is not enough content in the world." They're hoping to raise $50,000, money they say will be use to establish a "'tax effective' offshore corporate structure" so as to ensure the project isn't stymied "by the onerous burden of paying tax to fund Australia's hospitals, schools and roads". Truly this campaign video says it all.
Right now, a $25 pledge will get you a copy of the magazine, while $50 will see it signed by the entire Chaser team. More extravagant rewards include the chance to pitch your own article for $500 (although there's no guarantee it will be published), or the opportunity to run your own full page ad for $1500 (on the condition that it "fundamentally undermine the product it is seeking to sell".)
Although best known for their highbrow political satire on television, The Chaser team actually started out publishing a fortnightly newspaper that ran for six years between 1999 and 2005. Among their memorable stunts from this period was the time they published Prime Minister John Howard's home phone number on their front page.
Assuming they reach their Pozible target, the first edition of The Chaser Quarterly will be published in spring 2015 and feature articles by many familiar Chaser contributors, including Andrew Hansen, Chris Taylor and Craig Reucassel. In order to keep up the appearance of a successful company, head team members will be payed in Beluga Caviar, while the rest of the creatives, including writers, cartoonists, illustrators and graphic designers, will divvy up $300 between them.
Pledge via Pozible and keep an eye on the Chaser Quarterly website for updates.