In its nine-odd years on Australian newsstands it was never known for its subtlety, so when the very final edition of Zoo Weekly came out this morning it gave it to its detractors and in spades.
The final cover featured an enormous raised digit from a female model and its epitaph coverline read: “Sticking it up the prudes one final time”.
![FullSizeRender[1]](https://www.bandt.com.au/information/uploads/2015/10/FullSizeRender1.jpg)
Bauer decided to close the struggling title in mid-September. Plummeting circulation was the most likely reason behind its closure; however, the title had also been banned in outlets following a concerted campaign from women who believed it promoted rape culture.
In good news for the final edition, B&T’s local newsagent reported that the final edition had sold out by lunchtime on its first day of sale.
In his final editor’s letter, Shayne Bugden writes: “We’d like all ZOO readers to know that the giant middle finger on the cover isn’t for you. It’s for all the shouty killjoys who’ve spent years telling us – and you – that we’re horrible people because we like beautiful women and taking the piss out of just about anything.”
Bugden’s future is as yet unclear. It is also believed that a number of ZOO staff – which had been whittled back to nominal numbers – did take redundancies while others have been found other positions at publisher Bauer.
