NI 500 - March, 2017

The exceptionally brave - 500th issue

A note from the editor

Our 500th issue – time for courage and change

It won’t last, the young founders of New Internationalist were told 500 issues ago.

‘The main problem was that no-one really believed that a magazine on international development was viable,’ recalls Peter Adamson, one of those young founders. ‘We worked on a leap of faith that there was a large enough potential readership for a magazine like the NI.’

Well, 44 years on, New Internationalist is still here and tackling the themes of global justice that are as relevant today as they were in 1973.

It hasn’t been a smooth ride. There were many periods when it looked as if New Internationalist wasn’t going to make it. At one such point two staff members re-mortgaged their home to keep the presses rolling. But then, at another, worldwide circulation hit more than 80,000.

Apart from an unusually strong focus on marketing and financial planning, what kept the magazine alive was its mission – to report on ‘the people, the ideas, the action for global justice’. Plus, the fundamental belief that change is possible.

If there is one quality that sparks change, it’s courage. It seems fitting, therefore, that for this 500th issue we are focusing on ‘the brave’: courageous individuals who are risking life and limb to make a difference. You may not have heard of them – we have purposely sought people who are not all over the mainstream.

New Internationalist is not a mainstream organization. Its news values are not those of the herd-driven corporate media. We often tackle topics ignored by others. We are not owned by any proprietor, pulling the strings behind the scenes. We only accept advertising that passes certain ethical criteria. Our books are informed by the same editorial principles as the magazine. And our mailorder operation – the Ethical Shop – sources products that are ecological and fairly traded.

Above all we owe our continued existence to you – our readers, supporters and contributors. Which is why we are reaching out to you now at this critical time.

It’s no secret that many magazines and newspapers are in a state of crisis. The internet has transformed the media landscape. On the good side, we are read by many more people now, with our website getting around two million visits a year.

But a business model based on readers buying printed magazines delivers little in an era of free content. In the past few months we have stabilized subscription numbers and seen a slight increase. But it’s not enough for survival.

Which is why we are going public – but in a special way. We are launching a Community Share Offer that will enable people like you to invest in New Internationalist, to own it. It’s a new way of funding independent media which has been successfully trialled by some small publications and is catching on.

The media is too important to be in the hands of a few press barons, which is the current state of play. A democracy needs media plurality and to make this possible it needs diverse ownership models too.

You can now be part of the change, part of the media you want to see. Together we can stand up to the Rupert Murdochs of this world. With Donald Trump in the White House and rightwing nationalism spreading across the globe, we need ‘new internationalism’ now more than ever.

Together we can be part of the chorus that says: Yes, a better world and a better media are possible. We’ll buy into that.

New Internationalist’s share offer is now live! To invest, or find out more, go to factsandheart.org Or call us on +44(0)1865 413304 in the UK, or (613)826 1319 in North America/Canada.

Vanessa Baird for the New Internationalist co-operative.
www.newint.org

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NI 500 - March, 2017

The exceptionally brave - 500th issue

A note from the editor

Our 500th issue – time for courage and change

The big story

What makes people brave? Vanessa Baird takes a look at an under-examined quality that can change the world.

Features

Alessio Perrone gets the inside story on our Community Share Offer.

We turn the focus inwards to mark our 500th edition.

Alicia Cawiya, an indigenous activist prepared to defy the powerful to save Ecuador’s Yasuní, talks to Linda Etchart

Hired thugs won't stop S Mugilan. The South Indian activist talks to Sibi Arasu.

He is repeatedly attacked by both sides in the Syrian conflict, but Abdullah Al Khateeb sees no reason to quit. By Erin Kilbride.

Impunity rules in today's Honduras. Trans Activist Jlo Córdoba survives assassination attempts to speak to Dina Meza

Tatiana Vivienne reaches out to women in the violence-torn Central African Republic. She talks to Louisa Waugh.

The story of rapper Luaty Beirão, who dares to talk democracy in Angola. By Marc Herzog.

Jeremy Seabrook considers the past, present and future implications of a growing inequality.

Blogs

We are reviewing our ownership model to become a community-owned cooperative, and are launching a £500k share offer today – the largest of its kind by a media organization globally.

Opinion

The media must bear some responsibility for getting us into this mess, but journalists can also get out of it, writes Steve Parry.

Technocratic liberals treat movement groups as another ‘special interest’ rather than a central pillar of their ability to govern, says Mark Engler.

Agenda

An update on the notorious Bagua case.

The determination of thousands of teachers in Canada has finally paid off, writes Janet Nicol.

Organization of Women’s Freedom

34-year-old former Somali refugee elected to the House of Representatives.

Kenya’s co-operative movement now accounts for 45 per cent of the country’s GDP.

After enduring decades of repression, Burma’s citizens have granted the NLD government an extended honeymoon.

#CNNGetItRight vs the US media corporation

Ranjita Biswas reports.

Good news from around the world.

Regulars

Thoughts and opinions from our readers.

Playing with water is controversial in a place with a history of water struggles like Cochabamba, writes Amy Booth.

by Simon Kneebone.

Somalia today is more like a political marketplace than a modern nation-state, writes Claire Elder.

by Victor Ndula from Kenya

Brazil’s oldest president – and architect of his predecessor’s downfall – is put under the spotlight.

Cartoon by P J Polyp

Cartoon by Marc Roberts.

The Finnish crime writer and punk singer talks to Jo Lateu about the rise of rightwing populism, the importance of identity, and the embrace of the natural world.

Film, Book & Music Reviews

Certain Women, directed by Kelly Reichardt; Elle, directed by Paul Verhoeven; Moonlight, directed by Barry Jenkins.

El Callegüeso y su Mala Maña by La Mambanegra; Luyando by Mokoomba.

Under the Almond Tree by Laura McVeigh; Position Doubtful by Kim Mahood; Radicalized by Peter R Neumann; Swallowing Mercury by Wioletta Greg.

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