i (newspaper)
|
Front page of the first edition of the i | |
| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Compact |
| Owner(s) |
Alexander Lebedev Evgeny Lebedev |
| Publisher |
Independent Print Tri Active Media (iOS edition)[1] |
| Editor | Oliver Duff[2] |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Political alignment | Liberal, radical centre |
| Headquarters |
Northcliffe House, London, United Kingdom |
| Circulation | 292,801 (March 2014) |
| Sister newspapers |
The Independent The Independent on Sunday |
| Website |
independent |
The i is a British newspaper published by Independent Print, owned by Alexander Lebedev, which also publishes The Independent. The newspaper, which is aimed at "readers and lapsed readers" of all ages and commuters with limited time, was launched on 26 October 2010 costing 20 pence.[3][4][5]
In March 2014 it had an average daily circulation of 292,801,[6] significantly more than The Independent but a drop of nearly 10,000 compared to the same month the previous year which was 302,757.[7]
Starting on 7 May 2011 a Saturday edition was published, with more pages and at the price of 30p. This increased to 40p in January 2014, with the weekday edition rising to 30p. In 2015 the price was raised to 50p, with the weekday edition rising to 40p.[8]
On 11 February 2016 it was revealed that regional publisher Johnston Press, owners of the Yorkshire Post and The Scotsman, were in the advanced stages of talks to buy the i for around £24 million.[9] A "significant number" of staff would be moving in the sale.[10]
Format
The i is tabloid size and stapled, and the first issue contained 56 pages. The newspaper contains "matrices" for news, business and sports—small paragraphs of information which are expanded upon in full articles further on in the paper.[4] The title also includes a features section titled iQ, and a television guide.[4] The managing director of The Independent stated several days before the newspaper went into print that the publication is designed for people who do not have much time to read a newspaper.[4] On 20 April 2011, editor Simon Kelner announced that a Saturday edition of the i would be published, starting from 7 May 2011 and costing 30 pence, 10 pence more than the weekday version. The paper is now running Monday to Saturday.[11] The paper now runs a subscription, whereby customers can buy pre-paid vouchers to exchange for their copy of the paper. The subscription can be either six months or a year long and can be chosen Monday to Friday or including Saturday. There is also a discounted student subscription that lasts for one academic year.
Political stance
The i is the sister paper of The Independent and takes more or less the same political stance, on the centre-left of the political spectrum. It could be argued that the i leans slightly more towards the left than its sister paper, with many front page headlines focusing on social issues and inequality. Just like The Independent, though, the i prides itself on its balance, publishing points of view from both left and right.
On the day of the 2015 General Election, the i declared that it would not be suggesting to readers how they vote, similarly to the Independent on Sunday but in contrast to The Independent which expressed a preference for the Conservative/Liberal coalition to continue.
Columnists
As there is a large amount of content sharing, the columnists also carry over. Janet Street-Porter has a column on Saturday with a left-wing message while Nigel Farage has an occasional column, often after major political events such as elections.
History
A press statement released on the website of The Independent on 19 October 2010 announced the launch of the i. Also in October, Independent Print Limited launched an advertising campaign to promote the new publication. The first issue of the i went on sale on 26 October 2010, along with a new-look version of The Independent.[4]
Editors
- 2010: Simon Kelner
- 2011: Stefano Hatfield
- 2013: Oliver Duff[2]
References
- ↑ "The i for iPad on the App Store". Apple. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
- 1 2 William Turvill "Amol Rajan is made editor of The Independent as Chris Blackhurst becomes group content director", Press Gazette, 17 June 2013
- ↑ Solon, Olivia (19 October 2010). "The Independent to launch 20p sister paper, 'The i'". wired.co.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "From today: The i - A new daily newspaper for 20p". London: The Independent. 26 October 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- ↑ Sweney, Mark (18 October 2010). "Independent's new daily i to target 'lapsed readers of quality papers'". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- ↑ "i - readership data". News Works. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
- ↑ "ABCs: National daily newspaper circulation March 2013". The Guardian (London). 12 April 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
- ↑ "i newspaper to increase cover price by 10p for second time in a year with weekday edition now costing 40p". Press Gazette (Progressive Media International). Retrieved 10 April 2015.
- ↑ "Yorkshire Post owner in talks to buy daily newspaper i". Yorkshire Post. 11 February 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
- ↑ "Independent to cease as print edition". BBC News. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
- ↑ Kelner, Simon (20 April 2011). "Letter from the editor: i on Saturday". London: The Independent.
