Canta (magazine)
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Cover of Canta magazine 16 Jul 2014
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| Editor-at-large | Hannah Herchenbach |
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| Staff writers |
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| Frequency | Weekly (during Semester 1 and 2) |
| Year founded | 1930 |
| Company | University of Canterbury Students' Association |
| Based in | Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Website | canta |
Canta is the official magazine of the University of Canterbury Students' Association (UCSA) of the University of Canterbury, established in 1930.
In its current incarnation, the magazine aims: "to reflect and celebrate student life at the University of Canterbury." The magazine generally features a light-hearted tone - with an emphasis on short, image-heavy articles.
Canta is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA).
Contents
Publication information
Canta is freely available around The University of Canterbury campus every Wednesday during term time. It is 32 pages long and A4 in page size.
The magazine's cover changes radically each week, and generally parodies an aspect of student life or a current event.
There are a variety of sections which typically appear in every issue:
- Who To Blame (introduction to the issue)
- Letters To The Editor
- UCSAaaaaay
- What Have The Exec Ever Done For us? (including 'The President's Piece')
- College News
- Meet The Locals
- Yeah, but Nah
- Wassssssson?!
- You Had To Be There (photo spread)
- That's Just Your Opinion (including 'The Takeaway Diaries')
- Flat Profile
- We Iz Gud At Stuf (success stories from UC)
- Cool Story Bro
- Third Drawer Down (including 'Nek Nomi-date')
- Puzzle Time (including 'Liz's Quiz' and 'Show Us Your Doodle')
Current staff and regular contributors
- Hannah Herchenbach - Editor-at-large
- Emily McCormick - Graphic designer
- Victoria Lean - Sales executive
- Annalee Jones - Staff writer
- Callum Ching - Staff writer
- William Foster - Contributor
- Yorick - Contributor
- Jessica Pullar - Contributor
- Grace Cabell - Contributor
- Anita Richards - Contributor
- Dr Dick Woodcock - Contributor
- Creepy Dave - Contributor
Historical columns
- An Open Letter - Ben Uffindell
- The Cake Review - Dr. Handsome B. Wonderful Esq.
- Problem Solved - David Palmer
- Ye Olde Pub - Pot Belly Hayden
- Editorial - Sebastian Boyle
- The Challenge of "Yes" - Dani, The Yes Guru
- The President's Piece - Nick McDonnell/Kohan McNab (collaboration)
- The UNInformant - Reuben VM
- Letters to the Editor - Various
- News - Mostly Sebastian
- UC Kai - Annabel Longbean
- Sudoku - Anonymous
- Getting Inside the Queen's Legs - Andy Luck
- The Flat Profile - Andy J. Tan
- Sustainability - Sharon McIver
- The Inquisition - Various
- Exclusive Deals - Liquorland
Controversy
In 1996, the Canta editors Steven Fleming and Creon Upton were removed after publishing a range of controversial articles including a Mel Brooks Nazi parody, a column purporting to have been written by Michael Jackson, a mock Tintin comic strip, and a list of student criminal offenders (a hoax). The editors claimed at the time that their sacking was more a result of their poor relationship with the university’s student executive council than anything else. An employment tribunal later found in favour of the sacked editors resulting in a substantial payout from the student executive.[citation needed]
Canta was again involved in controversy following the publishing of an article entitled "The Completely Unofficial Top 13 Ways of Cheating" in the issue preceding midterm exams in June, 2007. New Zealand newspaper The Press and internet news service stuff [1] published an article which was reported on by 3 News.[2] The university announced it was introducing a random seating policy in exams following the attention. Canterbury University Students' Association president Belinda Bundy said the article was not meant to be taken seriously. "I think we only ever saw it as a humorous thing, It was just a light-hearted reaction to all the cheating issues that have been raised recently."[citation needed]
In 2008, a weekly column entitled "Trust Deborah - She's Always Right" surfaced. This column features a weekly rant against different groups of people, ranging from "fat" girls (females with a BMI>22, according to the column writer) and Christians. In issue 21 of 2008, Deborah again made headlines by suggesting that Christians "have the mental capacity of a Down's syndrome-sufferer with a head injury", are "mentally defective" and declaring that she wishes that all Christians would die. Her articles have generated considerable "Hate Mail", published in every issue of 2009. This has had little effect on changing Canta Magazine policy.[citation needed]
