First News keeps on growing

When struggling publishing bosses fighting falling circulations tell you that young people don’t read newspapers, don’t believe a word of it. First News, the title aimed exclusively at children is bucking industry trends and has reported its fifth consecutive annual rise in circulation.

First News has grown added 30,000 copies to its subscription-base over the past five years and now boasts a circulation of 83,254 copies (up from 79,431 in the second half of last year).

Highlighting the success, a spokesperson for First News told journalists: “When we launched First News 10 years ago, we were told that our print edition wouldn’t survive so what’s really encouraging to see is that, every year, we are bucking this trend as our figures continue to increase.

“We get regular feedback from our readers (and their parents) who tell us that they often read First News together as it unites the family and encourages lively conversation and debate about the news.”

First News are also shunning many other publishing industry trends adopted by newspaper executives in a bid to save failing titles.

In a world where adults expect to get their news for free, the title has no need to go down the freemium route to market. At £1.80 per issue, First News proves a subscription model can work if the content is carefully matched to its audience. Understanding that kids aren’t dumb, the title doesn’t dumb down its editorial content, choosing to focus on the big issues of the day rather than pointless listicles and filler articles (increasingly featured in the more grown up press).

The title also recently launched an International edition covering global issues and in a recent poll of its readers (with more than 6,000 respondees) discovered that 71 percent of its young readers would have voted for the UK to remain part of the European Union.

The future of printed newspapers may be uncertain but thanks to First News, a new generation of readers are starting off on the right foot.