The History
The i is a British national morning paper published in London by Daily Mail and General Trust and distributed across the United Kingdom. It is aimed at “readers and lapsed readers” of all ages and commuters with limited time, and was originally launched in 2010 as a sister paper to The Independent. It was later acquired by Johnston Press in 2016 after The Independent shifted to a digital-only model. The i came under the control of JPIMedia a day after Johnston Press filed for administration on 16 November 2018.The paper and its website were bought by the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) on 29 November 2019, for £49.6 million.On 6 December 2019 the Competition and Markets Authority served an initial enforcement order on DGMT and DMG Media Limited requiring the paper to be run separately pending investigation.
The i was named British National Newspaper of the Year in 2015.
Since its inception, the i has expanded its layout and coverage, adding special sections for notable events and revamping its weekend edition. The paper had an average daily circulation of 302,757 in March 2013, significantly more than The Independent, though that figure has since continued to decline, and had dropped to 233,869 by February 2019. The paper is classified as a ‘quality’ in the UK market but is published in the standard compact tabloid-size format.
Format
The i is tabloid-size and stapled, and the first issue contained 56 pages. The Friday edition of the paper, which contains the “Friday” section, has a slightly increased page count, at around 65. The weekend version of the paper is significantly larger than the weekday version, containing 87 pages. The i prides itself on having no supplements, something common in many other quality British newspapers, saying they want to give readers the best experience without supplements that “clog up” recycling bins.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.The title also includes a features section titled iQ, Arts and Business sections and a television guide.
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.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 65p on weekdays and £1.20 at the weekend, running Monday to Saturday (although the Saturday edition is also sold on Sunday).
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.
Editors
- 2010: Simon Kelner
- 2011: Stefano Hatfield
- 2013: Oliver Duff[3]
Political Stance
The i takes a political stance on the centre of the political spectrum, with many front-page headline articles being concerned with social issues and inequality – but it also claims to be politically balanced and to publish points of view from both left and right.
Nick Clegg, former UK Deputy Prime Minister and former leader of the Liberal Democrats, a centrist party, is a fortnightly columnist for the i. His column usually features in the “My View” comment section of the paper.
During an interview for the i in December 2017, Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn declared himself to be a dedicated reader of the i, saying that its compact size and concise articles suited his busy lifestyle as Leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition.
During the referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union, held in June 2016, the paper chose not to declare for either “leave” or “remain”, unlike a majority of other British newspapers who came out for either side of the debate.
In the 2017 UK general election, the i chose not to endorse a political party.
Target Audience
“i is specifically targeted at readers and lapsed readers of quality newspapers and those of all ages,” the publisher said. “i will combine intelligence with brevity and depth with speed of reading, providing an essential daily briefing.”
Cost
80p
Circulation
221,083October 2019
Profit
The owners of the i, Johnston Press, announced the newspaper was bringing in a monthly profit of around £1 million.