Children’s newspaper First News today celebrated its tenth birthday with a tribute from the Duchess of Cambridge and a photo of Prime Minister David Cameron clutching a copy on the front.
The weekly paper, which boasts more than two million young readers, published its first issue in May 2006. In 2013 it supplemented the print edition with an app for mobile and tablet devices that offers added interactive content when hovered over news pages.
In a special message after a decade of publishing, the Duchess offered her “congratulations” to the paper and its readers and wished them “every success” for future editions.
“You are doing such an important job ensuring that young people are informed about current events and issues,” she said.
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“Through my work with organisations supporting children and young people, I have seen the important of giving children a platform for their voices to be heard on the issues that matter most to them.
“Children can be affected by such a range of complex and challenging circumstances and it is heartening to see First News covering important stories such as mental health and wellbeing in an informative and sensitive way.”
According to circulation figures, First News has increased sales year on year since 2007. It began with an average yearly figure of 38,000 copies sold that has since risen to more than 75,000 last year.
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On the occasion of its 500th issue in January this year, editor Nicky Cox said: “Other journalists originally told me that this idea would never work”, adding: “We are single handily saving the paper industry as 86 per cent of our readers prefer the print version of the paper to others.”
She said: “The next generation will grow up reading print thanks to First News.”
The birthday edition of the paper, issue number 516 priced at £2, is available now.
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