Our main objective has always been our belief in a taking a gamble.
In our own way, we have all contributed to creating a little piece of publishing history.
Some more than others; somebody has spent years taking the crammed New York subway for Vanity Fair, while someone else took a parallel path in the cold, bleak London of the 1990s.
We were, however, thrown together one day, like prey to a destiny that we couldn't refuse.
Destined for the print publishing market.
A destiny that had already been written for some time, and concealed from most of us.
A destiny that carries us along a one way street, straight to the end.
Print publishing is a dying breed and, after climbing to such glorious heights, its fall is as painful as can be.
We, who have lived our lives by it, can only attest to this.
Today's editor's are increasingly subjected to ever reduced budgets and aren't inclined to invest further capital.
Paper costs a fortune, circulation (this market's only true master) does not allow for certain and assured takings and, when it does, it imposes endless terms.
And so it happens that whoever sits behind a desk in any editorial office, is forced to pitch their geniality and creativity against the word budget day after day.
These two words are in plain contrast and can never collaborate.
Hence, due to a higher power, the best contributors are passed over in favour of the more economic, or rather to those requested by the sponsor. It's alarming to think that, where advertising once dominated the magazines, it now rules them.
Even the editorial itself is a paid commodity at this stage. Suggestions for purchases are evaluated over a negotiating table alongside the various advertising pages.
In addition to this, but my no means a lesser evil, is the printing and circulation of thousands of extra copies which, despite creating an enormous return quota bound for the pulp mill, must be done to get the issue out, there are no alternatives... who cares about the thousands of trees that have been sacrificed, the important thing is to maintain the standard of living.
So, weary of it all, we've decided that if it must come to an end, we may as well enjoy it to its full creative capacity, and that it could be us to do it, not someone else with political and corporate agendas.
We have purchased NeXt in order to play a part in its vendetta, its rise in a market that has willingly hindered it. Not even the tiniest of our planet's vegetation is destroyed in creating and distributing this product. It is free of charge, as all information should be, with a nod to the right to information.
It can be downloaded, even onto your new generation mobile phones.
But first and foremost we will strive to make it increasingly your own.
Every issue will be filled with outstanding articles and hot news so that it becomes a regular reference point for our readers.
In the meantime, we are setting the final graphics for the new title of the group, our crowning glory, WLOOK, the monthly magazine just for women and, importantly, we are almost ready for the multimedia launch of Hmagazine, the Hollywood magazine.
Our names are printed on the magazine and the contacts page. It's just us and we'll endeavour to continue delivering pure information in our style directly to you, which, and we hope you'll forgive the presumption, is what everyone seeks.