This Magazine has launched its first special interest publication (SIP), available only on newsstands now until March 1. The special issue is an unconventional take on a year-in-review, featuring the mag's top 25 stories that larger media outlets missed throughout 2012.

"They are the stories big media often overlooks, doesn't delve deeply enough into, or sometimes just refuses to cover," said editor Lauren McKeon in a release. "You won't find any stories on the top fashion trends, who's hot or not, or the Royal Family's shenanigans."


Stories include an investigative report on companies using lawsuits to stifle environmental activists, an in-depth look at Nunavut's suicide stats, an examination of the rising number of aboriginal women in jail, and a profile on the decades-long effort for abortion services in P.E.I.

This publishes six issues a year, making the year-end special a bonus seventh edition. It has a print run of 2,200 and a cover price of $6.95, while a regular issue runs at 5,000 copies and sells for $5.95.

Compared to the mag's usual look and feel, the special has a squarer shape and different cover stock. "It's hard when you have two issues on the newsstand at the same time, so we wanted to make one of them look a bit different," said publisher Lisa Whittington-Hill.

The year-in-review will be an ongoing annual. As well, This is considering ideas for other SIP projects. "We have some plans in the works, but we're sort of seeing how this one does on newsstands," Whittington-Hill said.