First News (newspaper)
| Type | Children's weekly newsmagazine |
|---|---|
| Format | Tabloid |
| Owner(s) | Newsbridge |
| Founded | May 2006 |
| Political alignment | Independent |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters |
 United Kingdom Manchester, UK |
| Circulation | 39,450 |
| Website | firstnews.co.uk |
First News is the UK's only newspaper for young people and the widest-read children's publication in the country with a readership of 1,047,543* seven to 14 year olds every week. It is in tabloid format, and aims to present current events and politics in a child-friendly format, alongside news on entertainment, sport and computer games. It is published on Fridays.
First News was founded by Sarah & Steve Thomson and launched by Piers Morgan and Editor Nicky Cox MBE in May 2006 at 11 Downing Street, official residence of the UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer, where the then Chancellor Gordon Brown said that the paper would make a "great contribution to education" by making children aware of current events.[1]
The paper is published by Newsbridge, an independently financed publishing house established in January 2006. The Newsbridge management team comprises newspaper editor Piers Morgan and Nicky Cox, former editorial director of BBC Children's Magazines with a steering role from investors Steve and Sarah Jane Thomson.
Its weekly circulation figure for Jan-June 2013 was 68,630.[2]
In November 2007 First News was awarded a Guinness World Record for launching a special edition "World’s Smallest Newspaper" in celebration of Guinness World Records Day. The tabloid measured just 32 x 22 mm (1.25 x 0.86 in).[3]
Awards First News was awarded Best National Weekly Newspaper of the year and Best Niche Market Newspaper at the 2012 Newspaper awards and also won the Newspaper of the Year award from the Plain English Campaign in November 2011 and a Save the Children award for Outstanding Contribution to Children in 2008.
- Readership Survey, Opinion Matters, 2011
References
- ↑ Terazono, Eriko (2006-05-05). "Morgan makes paper child's play". Financial Times. Retrieved 2006-05-05.
- ↑ , Audit Bureau of Circulations Standard Certificate of Circulation for First News, Jan-June 2013
- ↑ Guinness World Records: Smallest newspaper