IG (UK)
UK centre-left
Background
The i was launched on October 26, 2010, as a low-cost companion to The Independent, priced at 20p and aimed at commuters and readers short on time; it was owned at launch by Independent Print Limited, under the Lebedev family. When The Independent ended its print run in 2016 and moved to digital-only, regional publisher Johnston Press acquired the i for roughly £24 million and continued its print edition. Johnston Press collapsed into administration in November 2018, and the paper passed to its bondholders under the name JPIMedia. On November 29, 2019, DMG Media—the publishing arm of the Daily Mail and General Trust group, controlled by the Rothermere (Harmsworth) family—purchased the i for £49.6 million. In 2021, DMGT moved it to a newly created internal division called Harmsworth Media alongside New Scientist magazine. In December 2024, the paper was rebranded as 'The i Paper' and adopted the masthead 'Impartial news and intelligent debate'; its website subsequently won 'Website of the Year' at the 2025 Press Awards. Throughout its history the paper has maintained a policy of never endorsing political parties; Media Bias/Fact Check rates it left-center with a high factual-reporting score.
Sources
- The i Paper – Wikipedia
- DMG Media – Wikipedia
- iNews UK – Bias and Credibility – Media Bias/Fact Check
- i Media Bias – AllSides
- Who Owns the UK Media? 2025 Report – Media Reform Coalition
Profile compiled 2026-07-04; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.