New Internationalist
New Internationalist is a British independent publishing cooperative known for its progressive magazine covering global social, political and environmental issues.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
New Internationalist is a British independent publisher and progressive media brand based in Oxford, England. Its best-known product is New Internationalist magazine, a publication focused on international affairs, social justice, development, environmental issues, human rights and the perspectives of communities in the Global South. The magazine positions itself as an alternative to mainstream news and development coverage, concentrating on subjects and viewpoints it believes receive insufficient attention in conventional media. The magazine began in 1973 as a monthly publication. Its immediate forerunner was The Internationalist, a publication circulated among members of the student development organization Third World First, later renamed People & Planet. New Internationalist was established with financial support from Oxfam and Christian Aid, which sought to promote public understanding of development and international inequality. The original publishing company, Devopress, received a substantial subsidy for its initial years, while editorial independence was retained. Early coverage addressed the politics of decolonization, the Vietnam War, African socialism, global poverty, food systems, drought, international aid and the effects of multinational business. An August 1973 issue drew attention to the marketing of infant formula in poorer countries, an issue that later became a major subject of international public-health campaigning. Over time, the magazine developed a distinctive format in which each issue generally concentrates on one major theme, offering background reporting, analysis, interviews and visual material rather than a conventional collection of unrelated news stories. New Internationalist experienced serious financial pressure in the mid-1970s when postal charges rose sharply and nearly pushed the publisher into bankruptcy. Support from charitable trusts, churches and partner organizations helped preserve the publication. During the 1980s, a stronger emphasis on subscriptions and direct-debit payments improved financial stability. The organization gradually developed cooperative working practices, introduced equal pay in 1987 and expanded into calendars, books, educational materials and mail-order services. It also produced communications materials for United Nations agencies and operated fulfillment services for nonprofit and campaigning organizations. The brand has maintained a strong environmental and ethical identity. It moved to full-colour printing in 1993 and adopted recycled paper by 1999. Its online presence developed in the late 1990s, initially through the OneWorld network, and later expanded into digital editions, archives and online journalism. The publishing operation also became associated with Ethical Shop and with mail-order services for organizations including Amnesty International UK and Friends of the Earth UK. In 2017, a community share offer raised £704,114 from 3,409 investors and supported the creation of New Internationalist Co-operative, a multi-stakeholder cooperative. That year also saw the acquisition of Brighton-based independent publisher Myriad Editions. The magazine reached its 500th issue in March 2017. In 2018, it was redesigned, changed from a monthly format to six issues per year and expanded to 84 pages. Its strapline changed from a formulation centered on global justice to “The World Unspun,” reflecting a broader editorial emphasis on environmental, gender, cultural and political questions. The publication has received repeated recognition, including multiple Utne Independent Press Awards for international coverage, an Amnesty International UK Media Award and recognition from the United Nations for its contribution to peace and development. Its circulation has fluctuated substantially, reaching a reported peak of about 75,000 around the turn of the millennium before declining to approximately 25,000 in 2017. In 2021, the cooperative launched another community share offer in response to the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. A later fundraising campaign reported in reference material for 2026 sought to address a cash-flow crisis attributed to increased printing, paper and postage costs. New Internationalist continues to combine magazine publishing with books, digital content, calendars, ethical retail and commissioned materials.
History
New Internationalist originated in the political and educational environment of the early 1970s, when public debate about the Vietnam War, decolonization, international aid, poverty and unequal economic relationships was expanding. Its predecessor, The Internationalist, circulated among members of Third World First, a student development organization later known as People & Planet. In 1973, Oxfam and Christian Aid helped establish Devopress to publish a new monthly magazine intended to make development debates accessible to a broader audience. The sponsors exercised an interest in the publication's administration, but the editorial project developed an independent voice. The first years established many of the magazine's enduring concerns. Articles examined international politics, African and Asian development, food and agricultural systems, environmental crises, liberation movements and the consequences of multinational business. The publication's August 1973 reporting on the promotion of infant formula in the Global South became an early example of its willingness to scrutinize corporate practices with public-health implications. Its editorial approach combined explanatory journalism with advocacy-oriented analysis and sought to connect events in particular countries with wider structures of power. Financially, the publisher faced a major crisis in 1975 after postal charges almost doubled. Assistance from organizations and trusts, including Cadbury and Rowntree interests, the Methodist Church, Community Aid Abroad in Australia and Oxfam-Québec, helped prevent collapse. The magazine later became more financially secure by emphasizing subscriptions and direct-debit arrangements instead of relying primarily on newsstand sales. During the 1980s, this stability enabled the organization to purchase premises and diversify its activities. New Internationalist also developed a cooperative culture. A more explicitly cooperative approach emerged in 1976, and the organization introduced equal pay in 1987. Although the publishing company remained legally structured as a limited company for many years, its practical management increasingly relied on collective decision-making and shared responsibility. Ownership associated with Peter and Lesley Adamson was subsequently transferred to the New Internationalist Trust, whose governance included employee and advisory trustees. In 2018, the trust structure was replaced by the multi-stakeholder New Internationalist Co-operative after a successful community share offer conducted in 2017. The business broadened during the 1980s and 1990s. New Internationalist began producing the One World Calendar in 1982 and launched a mail-order operation in 1988. It created press and educational materials for United Nations bodies, including agencies concerned with population, health, the environment and children, and participated in BBC Global Report-related work. The magazine moved to full-colour production in 1993 and used recycled paper by 1999. Its website emerged in the late 1990s, initially hosted through OneWorld, and later became a platform for digital editions, archives and online commentary. Editorially, the magazine moved from publishing several shorter topics in each edition to producing thematic issues, a practice adopted in 1976. Topics covered over subsequent decades included East Timor, Western Sahara, Cambodia, Burma, fair trade, homelessness, Jubilee 2000 and sanctions on Iraq. The publication's language also evolved. While “Third World” appeared in its early vocabulary, the magazine increasingly used terms such as “Global South” and “Majority World,” while treating “development” and “sustainable development” as contested concepts rather than neutral descriptions. Its contributor base and subject matter broadened to include stronger environmental, gender and cultural perspectives, with particular efforts to feature women and writers and photographers from the Global South. The magazine's circulation reached a reported peak of around 75,000 near the beginning of the 2000s, although it had fallen to approximately 25,000 by April 2017. That year was nevertheless a significant point of renewal: the 500th issue appeared in March, Myriad Editions joined the publishing group, and the community share offer raised £704,114 from 3,409 investors. In September 2018, the magazine underwent a major redesign, became bi-monthly with six issues each year and expanded to 84 pages. The new strapline, “The World Unspun,” replaced the earlier global-justice wording. The COVID-19 pandemic created additional financial pressure, prompting a second community share offer in 2021 under the “Save Our Stories” theme. Reference material also reports a 2026 “Save New Internationalist — More than a magazine” campaign seeking £150,000 after increased paper, printing and postage expenses created a cash-flow crisis. Alongside the magazine, New Internationalist remains active in books, calendars, digital publishing, commissioned international-development materials, Ethical Shop retail and mail-order services for nonprofit organizations.
- 2026
Save New Internationalist campaign
[3]A fundraising campaign sought £150,000 to help address a cash-flow crisis linked to increased production and distribution costs.
- 2021
Save Our Stories share offer
[1]A second community share offer was launched in response to pandemic-related financial pressure.
- 2018
Magazine redesign and frequency change
[1]The magazine was redesigned, expanded to 84 pages and moved to a six-issues-per-year schedule under the strapline “The World Unspun.”
- 2017
500th issue and cooperative share offer
[1]The 500th issue was published and a community share offer raised £704,114 from 3,409 investors.
- 2017
Myriad Editions joins the publishing operation
[1]New Internationalist acquired Brighton-based publisher Myriad Editions.
- 1999
Recycled paper adopted
[1]The magazine was printed on recycled paper as part of its environmental policy.
- 1993
Full-colour printing introduced
[1]The magazine switched to full-colour printing.
- 1988
Mail-order operation launches
[1]The organization expanded into mail-order publishing and retail services.
- 1987
Equal-pay cooperative established
[1]New Internationalist became an equal-pay cooperative.
- 1982
One World Calendar begins
[1]New Internationalist began publishing the One World Calendar with partner organizations.
Products and positioning
Independent, cooperative and progressive international journalism focused on global justice, human rights, environmental sustainability and perspectives underrepresented in mainstream media.
Periodical · 1973
New Internationalist magazine
The flagship independent magazine covers global politics, development, social movements, environmental change, human rights, gender, culture and international economics. Since the 1970s, it has generally organized each issue around a single subject, combining explanatory reporting, interviews, photography, data and critical analysis. The publication is associated with a progressive, left-wing and internationalist editorial perspective and aims to foreground views that mainstream media often neglect. Since its 2018 redesign it has appeared six times annually in an expanded format.
Digital publishing
New Internationalist digital edition
The digital publishing operation extends the magazine through online articles, digital issues, archives and related commentary. Its web presence developed in the late 1990s and supports the brand's international readership beyond the print subscription base.
Books
Books and educational publications
New Internationalist publishes books and other educational materials on international affairs, global justice, environmental questions and related social issues. It has also produced commissioned press and information materials for United Nations agencies and organizations working in international development.
Calendar · 1982
One World Calendar
The One World Calendar is an illustrated annual calendar developed with partner organizations and associated with New Internationalist's internationalist and socially engaged publishing program.
Ethical retail and fulfillment · 1988
Ethical Shop and nonprofit mail order
The organization operates ethical retail and mail-order activities serving charities, nongovernmental organizations and campaigning groups. Associated services have included fulfillment for Amnesty International UK, Friends of the Earth UK, the Ethical Shop in Britain and New Internationalist's North American shop.
Marketing campaigns
- 2026Save New Internationalist — More than a magazine
United Kingdom · International
The fundraising campaign sought £150,000 after rising paper, printing and postage costs contributed to a cash-flow crisis.
Outcome. The supplied material does not report the campaign's final result.
- 2021Save Our Stories
United Kingdom · International
A community share offer sought financial support for the cooperative after the disruption and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Outcome. The supplied material does not state the final amount raised.
- 1973Infant-formula marketing investigation
International
An early issue examined the marketing of baby milk by multinational companies in poorer countries, establishing a pattern of investigating commercial practices with social and public-health consequences.
Outcome. The issue helped bring the subject to wider public attention.
- Thematic global-justice campaigns
International
The magazine has produced special issues connected with campaigns and movements concerning East Timor, Western Sahara, Cambodia, Burma, fair trade, homelessness, Jubilee 2000 and sanctions on Iraq.
Outcome. Specific campaign outcomes are not documented in the supplied material.
Brand decisions
2018
Magazine redesign and publishing-frequency changeGeneration changeBackground
The magazine was adapting its print product to changing readership and publishing economics.
Action taken
New Internationalist redesigned the magazine, increased it to 84 pages, reduced publication to six issues per year and adopted the strapline “The World Unspun.”
Aftermath
The publication moved to a larger, thematic bi-monthly format.
2018
Transition to multi-stakeholder cooperative ownershipStrategyBackground
The organization had long operated with collective and cooperative practices but retained an older trust-based ownership structure.
Action taken
The New Internationalist Trust was replaced by New Internationalist Co-operative following the 2017 community share offer.
Aftermath
Ownership became formally aligned with a multi-stakeholder cooperative model.
Community share capital raised. £704,114 (2017 community share offer)
2017
Acquisition of Myriad EditionsM&ABackground
New Internationalist sought to broaden its publishing activities beyond the magazine.
Action taken
The organization acquired Brighton-based independent publisher Myriad Editions.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded the cooperative's book-publishing portfolio.
Sources3 sources
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