With social media bans for under 16s already in place in Australia and set to be unveiled here in the UK, and likely to follow in many other countries, publishers can and should grasp the mantle to provide high quality, trusted, authoritative media for children and young people, says Alistair Lewis, executive director of FIPP, the specialist global media association, formerly known as Fédération Internationale de la Presse Périodique.
In an article for the media trade magazine InPublishing, Lewis argues good quality magazines and comics can improve health and education outcomes as well as bring opportunity for publishers across a range of diverse revenue streams.
“For the National Year of Reading in the UK, the government, along with a host of partners, including the PPA [Professional Publishers Association], has put together an impressive array of ambassadors, events and initiatives to encourage reading (for all ages),” he notes, “with the emphasis on how reading can sharpen minds and fuel creativity. It centres on the premise that whatever one is into, there is reading that can be found in and around that topic, from sport to science, music to comedy. Magazines also play a central role in the marketing, and are featured heavily in the advertising creative. It is definitely worth checking out the full campaign online, and the PPA has suggested various ways publishers can get directly involved.
“Magazines and comics are being cited as part of the solution to help get more people reading; they are accessible, engaging and inclusive, and they can be quickly and easily used in classrooms and at home. And yet, as with the quote cited above, far too often, we hear parents, teachers, experts and others bemoan the fact that magazines just aren’t as visible or readily available as they used to be.
“This is surely a challenge that we, as an industry, cannot and should not ignore, and a myth that we need to dispel. Of course, the distribution models are changing, and our over reliance on supermarket shelves for visibility and sales has without doubt hastened the decline in mass sales, but our medium is very much still alive, and there are many ways we can continue to create great content that engages and inspires people young and old to read more widely and more often.”
Against a backdrop of turbulent times at TG Jones, WHSmiths lack lustre replacement on the high street, Lewis argues “We need to reframe the conversation around discoverability, particularly for magazines. There is still a persistent myth that magazines are no longer available or relevant, when in reality, the challenge is not demand, but access.
“As an industry, we have an opportunity (and a responsibility) to bring magazines into new spaces, through thoughtful partnerships with organisations that already have a trusted relationship with young audiences. These collaborations not only improve access, but also help reposition magazines as a valid, rich and engaging form of reading.
“The National Year of Reading provides a powerful example of what is possible. The decision to create a special edition magazine reflects a real appetite for the periodical format. Through strong partnerships and shared purpose, kids’ magazine Storytime has produced a special issue with a print run of over 800,000 copies with the Reading Agency, reaching every school and library across the UK. It’s a reminder of both the scale and the impact magazines can have when placed directly in the hands of readers.”
Alastair Lewis is executive director of FIPP, the specialist global media association, now part of WAN-IFRA. He is a former managing director at Haymarket and Future plc running some of the UK’s best known consumer media brands including Autocar, Stuff, FourFourTwo, How It Works and What Hi-Fi?.
• Storytime is online at storytimemagazine.com
• PPA – The National Year of Reading 2026: get involved
• The FIPP Congress takes place in October 2026 | Full Details Here
Educators can request a free Storytime pack and discover how they support schools with class deliveries, home reading, and teaching resources. Email them at mailto:hello@storytimemagazine.com
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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