Ralph Taiwan eyes lads' mags market

<P>Men's Focus, part of sports and men's lifestyle media company TWOL, has put the first issue of monthly lads' magazine Ralph on newsstands in Taiwan. </P> <P>TWOL publishes the title under licence from Australia's ACP Magazines. The July issue of Ralph features 160 pages, with a cover price of NT$168 (US$5.2).</P> <P>The magazine enters a print segment that has become increasingly competitive as international publishers expand their global networks. </P> <P>"We have seen an influx of international men's magazines into the Taiwan market in recent years, each with a lot of imported content," said Ralph Taiwan director Allen Wang. "But few of them appeal to the fiercely independent spirit of the Taiwanese male. For a start, we have produced a lot of local content to ensure that we're on the same wavelength as our target <BR>audience."</P> <P>The first issue of Ralph features popular school teacher-turned actress Yin Shin (Ivy Yin) on the front cover. "That's what Ralph is all about - a magazine that communicates with men in a language they relate to." <BR></P>