The ideas, patience and kindness of its readers has contributed to the success of the i newspaper over the past 10 years, the editor has said.
Speaking on the i’s 10th anniversary today (Monday 26 October), editor Oly Duff paid tribute to the paper’s audience and urged them to “raise a mug of tea, or a glass of something stronger” in honour of the occasion.
He said: “Again and again, your encouragement, criticism and ideas have transformed i, planting seeds of growth.
“When we launched i on 26 October 2010, we had no idea whether or not we would succeed. Early on, we stumbled and fell. Less forgiving management might have killed us off. Your enthusiastic feedback persuaded them to redouble their commitment, however, and i’s subsequent growth is testament to your patience and kindness. A decade later we are proud that i now has 8.7 million readers across print and digital, is Newspaper of the Year, News Website of the Year and the UK’s most trusted national print newsbrand. We are also proud to have such a large readership outside London: 85 per cent of you live outside the bubble.”
In celebration of its 10th anniversary, the paper has today published a birthday pullout section, which looks back on i’s first decade, the newspaper’s founders tell their story and it publishes its pick of i’s best front pages to date. Across inews.co.uk and its social media accounts, the paper has released a video of a day in the life at i. Readers are being encouraged to join in the celebrations online using the hashtag #iturns10.
Looking to the future, Duff said that for i’s editorial team, they have a lot of hard work ahead of them.
He said: “We expect nothing less. Innovation is a prerequisite for survival and success in news media. Yet because of your backing, we can approach the future with the same confidence that characterised i’s first decade.”