As The Independent launches its next chapter, my

thanks to our most important allies – that's you

Letter from the publisher: Journalism has changed beyond recognition
during the lifetime of this newspaper
 Evgeny Lebedev  / @mrevgenylebedev 
 Friday 25 March 2016

This is the most exciting time in the history of journalism. New tools, new
markets, new business models and new audiences are consuming volumes
of information once unimaginable. Digital technology makes reaching them
easier than ever. 

Maintaining world-class standards and high-quality values is the hard part.

But it can be done. That’s the context in which The Independent is
becoming global, digital – and profitable.
Six years ago my family bought one of the greatest titles in the history of
media. It was, however, losing £25m per year. And every day its audience
was just over 100,000 readers in print, and under half a million readers
online. A lot has changed. We created a new newspaper, i – defying
expectation and expensive advice – and invested heavily in our digital
products. 

READ MORE
The Independent launches its next, digital chapter
As a result, today our journalism will reach nearly 400,000 readers in print,
and we have around three million readers online (a third in America; over
half through social media; and also more than half on their mobiles). That is
down to the effort and brilliance of a remarkable team, who have my deep
thanks, and who have ensured we make this bold move from a position of
strength, not weakness.

I know that today will be the last time you hear the newspaper crash
through your letterbox; the last time you swap a smile and a few coins with
the man in the corner shop and walk out with our daily bread under your
arm. Some of you might have done that nearly 10,000 times, since 1986.
The depth of our gratitude is impossible to express.

In those rather different times, once the newspaper was “off-stone” it was
set in stone, and the conversations it sparked tended to occur in private.
Now the conversation is part of the story.

Journalism has changed beyond recognition during the lifetime of this

newspaper. Therefore the newspaper must change too, adapting to
technologies and habits that the paper’s brave founders could not have
foreseen. A newspaper has always been a collaboration between readers
and writers, but never more so than now, and that collaboration will
continue online. 

Like our founders, I believe in high-quality reporting, writing and analysis,

a global outlook, and an approach that elevates truth and integrity above
gossip, lies and invasions of privacy. That is why I very much hope you
will join us on the next stage of our journey, whether via
independent.co.uk, the mobile app, or  The Independent Daily Edition on
tablet.
For now, to the printed paper, it’s thank you and goodbye – and enjoy
Saturday's excellent souvenir edition.