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November 11, 2004updated 22 Nov 2022 12:23pm

Bulb magazine targets’ teenagers who care’

By Press Gazette

A bimonthly magazine for politically minded young people has been launched as an alternative to the mainstream media.

Published by co-operative Bulb Media, Bulb was launched on the assumption that “teenagers aren’t stupid and they do care”. It covers world events from trade justice, environment and human rights to conflict, race and religion.

John Pilger will translate quotes from prominent political figures in his regular column, What They Say and What They Mean and the first issue’s interview is with author Noam Chomsky.

Around 70 per cent of the content is written by under-25-year-olds.

As well as coverage of global issues, there is also a mix of music, fashion, news, gossip and sports aimed at both sexes. Much of this content reflects the magazine’s political or social stance with articles on fair trade fashion and politically motivated musicians such as Bono and Radiohead’s Thom Yorke.

Founder and co-editor Amaranta Wright said the title is like a sophisticated teenage magazine with the substance of the New Internationalist.

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“We have used the format of the mainstream media, but there is more serious content. It is not too heavy and is easily digestible,” she explained.

“Although we offer an alternative to our consumer-driven media, this is not just a leftwing magazine, it is about promoting all views and valuing solidarity.”

Wright was born in South America where she worked on her local newspaper the Buenos Aires Herald. She moved to the UK and began freelancing for The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph.

Co-editor Justine Schamotta, who studied journalism at Cardiff University, is a grassroots activist who has written for the New Internationalist.

Bulb is distributed in a similar way to The Big Issue , with young people selling the 7,000 copies for £2.50 at different points around the country.

Fifty thousand copies of the next issue are expected to go out with New Internationalist magazine

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By Sarah Lagan

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