the_independent

The Independent almost wasn’t The Independent. When the founders of the paper were taking the brave, even foolhardy, decision to start a new newspaper in 1986 – the first quality national paper to launch for more than a century – a variety of names were considered. These were titles that would, they hoped, reflect the values, ethos and journalism of the new venture, to attract readers and command loyalty, respect and support. Names considered included: Arena, The Examiner, The Nation, The Chronicle and 24 Hours. All promising, but all fell short of truly capturing the essence. The Independent did so. And it inspired one of the most famous and successful marketing campaigns in media history, with the slogan: “It is. Are you?”

More than three decades on, “it” still is, and it still needs support from you, the loyal and above all independent-minded readership that shares that vision.

In an essay about our history, the founding editor, Andreas Whittam Smith, once commented: “To say that somebody is independent-minded indicates no particular profile. It simply defines an attitude. You immediately recognise the independent-minded when you meet them.” You can be who you want to be, stand for whatever you want to stand for, do whatever you want to do, make up your own mind, and still feel The Independent is the title you want to read.