LettsGroup Launching News Media Publication

Letts diary family behind news publication about business, climate and life

A new LettsGroup media venture, called the Letts Journal, will launch on 11 August 2021. The digital publication talks straight about business, climate and life. It will develop organically, growing through its readers - not its advertisers.

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The family that invented the commercial diary over 200 years ago, giving birth to personal media, are behind this new, UK based news media venture.

LettsGroup have, for the last two years, been analysing and testing concepts for a next generation news media platform. Research revealed that today’s readers increasingly seek independent, ad-free news, that can be delivered direct to their inbox. They prefer short, sharp, and yet insightful news articles - who has time for more?

The established media can get hampered by maintaining a shrinking base. They are often slow to change. Cost reduction and editorial shrink has led to enhanced click-chasing tactics, price inflation and the inevitable giving over to factionalism. News reporting can descend into republishing corporate and institutional press releases.

“We believe that disruption, uncertainty and change is becoming the norm, fuelled by climate, technology and society. As we step out into a false sense of freedom, tainted by Covid’s third wave, we are reminded that ‘normal’ will be anything but that”.

A new kind of media can emerge that is independent, sustainable and ad-free. One that accepts that day-to-day news reporting has become commoditised - people are looking for trusted shapers and commentators.

Readers like information to come to them so they don’t have to chase around the Internet to find it. They seek media brands that represent an opinion but are not slaves to bias. They prefer news that is factually accurate, but also opinionated, challenging and fun.

We’ve tried to encapsulate some of these trends into a brand new media platform that will develop from small beginnings into something more important - without losing its soul. Initially written by a core LettsGroup team, then widening. The Letts Journal is edited by Philip Letts.

“This year is the 225th anniversary of Letts and the birth of personal media. We hope that the Letts Journal will prove to be another important step in the pursuit of a more democratic approach to news publishing. Letts has often played the long game, as a family and a business. We plan to do the same with the Letts Journal. Developing it slowly and deliberately, growing through our readers”.

The Letts Journal will officially launch on 11 August 2021 as a free, weekly publication that talks straight about business, climate and life. It will have a number of sections to supplement the main publication - including ‘Surviving’, ‘Liberty Shrugged’ and ‘Photo Synthesis’.

Sign up to the Letts Journal today and receive the first edition at your inbox on Wednesday 11 August.