New Statesman boosts profile with roadshow

The New Statesman is launching a nationwide roadshow and a new website to build on what it claims is a dramatic sales growth.

Since the left-wing weekly’s relaunch on 8 June, the title claims to have reached its highest sales figure in 20 years, pushing above 30,000, up 20 per cent.

Subscription sales are said to be the highest in the history of the magazine.

The New Statesman official ABC circulation has been falling slowly since 2003 and has been flat since new editor John Kampfner took over a year ago — the ABC figure for the last six months of 2005 was 24,740.

Kampfner said that the New Statesman roadshow will be predominantly based upon global issues and comprise paid-for debates that will be tied in with editorial on the weekly magazine, with the aim of spreading the

word about the title.

He said: “From September we will have an entirely relaunched website and a national programme of events around the country to raise our profile beyond the concentration of London and the Southeast; there’s no reason to believe that circulation can’t continue to rise.” He added: “We have changed the way we do this; the way we look at ourselves and others look at us, and with continued strong editorial, marketing and investment there’s no reason why we can’t see continued growth.” Kampfner said he went about the task of “turning radical journalism into a treat” by dramatically overhauling the look of the magazine and bringing on board new columnists, who include former BBC correspondent Rageh Omaar, the economist Noreena Hertz and comedian Julian Clary.