History and Ownership
– The Independent was launched in 1986 by Andreas Whittam Smith, Stephen Glover, and Matthew Symonds.
– Rupert Murdoch’s challenge to print unions in the Wapping dispute allowed for reduced production costs and increased competition.
– Tony O’Reilly’s media group and Mirror Group Newspapers bought a stake in the paper.
– In 1998, O’Reilly bought the remaining shares of the company and assumed its debt.
– The newspaper was sold to Alexander Lebedev’s company in 2010 for a nominal fee and £9.25 million.
– The Independent and The Independent on Sunday were sold to Alexander Lebedev’s family.
– The Independent endorsed Remain in the Brexit referendum of 2016.
– In March 2016, The Independent decided to close its print edition and become an online newspaper.
– The Independent on Sunday published its last print edition on March 20, 2016.
– As of October 2018, Independent Arabia is owned and managed by Saudi Research and Marketing Group.
– The Independent underwent several ownership changes over the years.
Format and Design
– The Independent began as a national morning printed paper in broadsheet format.
– The final version was designed by Carroll, Dempsey, and Thirkell.
– The paper was produced in both broadsheet and tabloid-sized versions.
– The smaller tabloid format appeared gradually throughout the UK.
– The Independent launched a compact version in 2003.
– The newspaper went through redesigns in 2005 and 2010.
– The Independent on Sunday underwent a relaunch with a news magazine format.
– The publication transitioned to full-color printing in 2008.
Online Presence
– The Independent relaunched its online edition in 2008.
– The relaunched site introduced a new look and better access to the blog service.
– The paper launched podcast programs and carried short video news bulletins.
– In 2014, The Independent launched a sister website, i100.
– The Independent’s website was revamped to enhance user experience.
– The Independent launched a new website in 2008.
– The newspaper formed a video tie-up with al-Jazeera in 2009.
– The Independent introduced the user-focused i100 platform in 2014.
– The Independent’s digital presence played a significant role in its operations.
Political Views
– The Independent is generally described as center to center-left and liberal.
– It takes a liberal, pro-market stance on economic issues.
– The paper has highlighted war crimes in the Darfur region of Sudan.
– The Independent has been a strong supporter of electoral reform.
– It has a reformist view on the British monarchy.
– The Independent has expressed support for historic agreements and opportunities.
– The monarchy’s future and the impact of media on politics have been discussed in The Independent.
Editorial Controversies
– Johann Hari, a former journalist for The Independent, was involved in a plagiarism scandal.
– Hari’s return to The Independent was rejected.
– The scandal severely damaged the reputation of the newspaper.
– Commentary Magazine criticized Hari’s unethical practices.
– An open letter to Andreas Whittam Smith expressed concerns about the newspaper’s integrity.Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Independent
