After 146 years as a weekly the British Journal of Photography, one of the world’s oldest photography titles, is switching back to a monthly format.
The BJP originally launched as a monthly in 1854 but switched to weekly publication ten years later.
The new title will be printed on premium quality paper to improve images and will also introduce two new sections: Projects, which showcases new photographic series of work: Intelligence, a section devoted to opinion about new trends and issues.
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The first edition of the new-look title will also feature an exclusive interview with renowned photojournalist Don McCullin.
The relaunch will be backed by a £50,000 marketing campaign aimed at increasing newsstand prominence and a direct mail campaign.
The title will also start an international push, the first issue will be distributed in Australia, publisher Incisive Media claimed, with North American distribution added as the second monthly edition is published.
Simon Bainbridge, editor of BJP, wrote in the first issue of the new-look title: ‘For our 7,774th issue, we’ve gone and done something different. After 146 years as a weekly, we’ve returned to the monthly format we began with in 1854.
‘Although it’s not a decision we took lightly, when we began thinking about how we could improve the magazine, the new format became clear to us.
‘The news-led imperative of a weekly is no longer as important when you can find the latest stories updated in real time online.”
The BJP claims its website currently receives around 100,000 visitors each month, print distribution averaged 4,889 for each issue last year, according to the most recent figures from the ABC.
Bainbridge added: “While many magazines are cutting costs and chasing readers that now have an allegedly shorter attention span, we are investing, rewarding them with a redesigned magazine that uses higher quality paper, has superior reproduction techniques and delivers more depth.”
The revamped title will be on sale the first Wednesday of every month, with a cover price of £6.99.
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