The Tribune’s battle bus on the A&E campaign

HI there, we’re off!

Now that seems an appropriate way to start, as it was the headline on the very first issue of both the Camden New Journal back in 1982 and the Islington Tribune in 2003.

Here we go again on another adventure with the launch of a new subscription newsletter service.

It’s called NewJournal+ after the founding title but will cover both boroughs, and nearby areas of north London.

Over the years, readers have been enjoyed a free, independent newspaper which has campaigned, scrutinised, investigated and entertained – and nothing is changing in terms of what we print every Friday. Your Tribune will be there in the dispensers as normal.

But the times are changing for everyone and there is no hiding from the tough economic conditions.

There is a free option but signing up to NewJournal+ and considering becoming a paid subscriber is the single biggest way you can help protect quality journalism in north London.

Taking supplies to community foodbanks

Every penny from paid subscriptions will go directly into covering the costs of what we do.

This will never be scraping social media for quick stories or publishing press releases to fill space, nor getting ChatGPT to write soulless, identikit articles or relying on the BBC to supply copy.

We will be at council meetings keeping an eye on your local politicians, the police tape when something has happened in your street and your flat when the pipe is leaking and your landlord is being slow to arrange a fix.

You don’t want us to be writing stories about Strictly Come Dancing stars or dubious football transfer gossip.

Readers want to know what’s happening in their patch and why, with the help of experienced, committed reporters.

Even if you do not read every word in every issue every week, we will be here when you need us.

And those who subscribe will be helping to make sure everybody keeps this campaigning voice going forward.

Our former reporter William McLennan chasing Boris Johnson for answers on fire service cuts

Rather than owned by a behemoth company, our newspaper is run more in the spirit of a co-op.

The directors are stewards of its founding principles, rather than owners who could ever sell the paper.

That means there are no shareholders seeking dividends or executives hoarding big salaries.

So for those considering a paid subscription, rest assured nobody is on thunderous wages and the mission that Islington, Camden and beyond should have its local, campaigning voice has been and remains an incentive in itself.

Those who sign up on the free plan will still get an email with our Monday digest of news to help keep you up to date and across everything that is happening in north London. Some posts shared without a paid subscription.

Paid subscribers, however, will get extra interviews and features which take you behind the headlines. It will be all put together by our award-winning team of writers.

Thank you to everyone who has helped set the new service up and has already subscribed.

We’re off!

HOW TO JOIN NEWJOURNAL+… FREE AND PAID OPTIONS

YOU can support the New Journal and the future of independent journalism in north London by signing up for New Journal+ now.

Go to newjournal.substack.com and enter an email address to start receiving our newsletters.

FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS:

Our Monday email digest of all the important news across Camden and north London. Some free features each month.

PAID SUBSCRIPTIONS (WITH LAUNCH DISCOUNT):

£6.06 a month (normally £8.99) or £53.59 for a year (normally £79.99)

Everything in the free service, plus exclusive features and interviews every week. The North London Bubble politics column.

Access to archive and comment section.

THE NORTH LONDON BUBBLE – UNMISSABLE NEW POLITICS COLUMN EVERY WEEKEND

NEWJOURNAL+ paid subscribers will be able to read a weekend politics column called the North London Bubble written by Richard Osley, the paper’s editor, and Isabel Loubser – who you will have read covering politics for the Islington Tribune.

Across the two boroughs, we are living and working in a unique catchment area with perhaps the most high profile set of MPs in the country, including the prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, and Jeremy Corbyn his predecessor as the leader of the Labour Party. Add in Tulip Siddiq and Emily Thornberry and there is never a dull moment.

And that’s before you get on to the council gossip at two prominent local authorities which will hold boroughwide elections in just over a year.

Sometimes it feels like all roads in politics lead back to Islington and Camden.

The column starts this weekend and will be open to all subscribers, free and paid, for its first outing.

newjournal.substack.com