Is The i Paper related to The Independent?

It was launched in 2010 as the Independent's compact sister title and shared ownership until 2016. The print Independent closed that year; the i survived through subsequent owners and is now independent of it editorially and corporately.

When was The i Paper founded?

The i launched on 26 October 2010 under Independent ownership, priced initially at 20 pence.

Did the Daily Mail buy the i newspaper?

dmg media, the Mail's publisher, acquired the i for £49.6 million in December 2019. The title retains its own editor and centrist editorial identity.

What is The i Paper's market position?

It is Britain's leading compact paid newspaper, positioned between mid-market tabloids and broadsheet quality titles, and among the strongest circulation performers in the paid national segment.

Is The i Paper politically aligned with the Daily Mail?

No. The i maintains editorial independence and a centrist positioning that differs markedly from the Mail's editorial line, a separation dmg media preserves commercially.

Media & Entertainment

Who Owns The i Paper?

Q: Who owns The i Paper?

The i Paper is owned by Associated Newspapers, part of dmg media, which acquired it in December 2019. Ultimate control sits with the Harmsworth family through Daily Mail and General Trust.

The i Paper is owned by Associated Newspapers, a subsidiary of dmg media, which acquired the title from the Independent group in 2019 for £49.6 million. Launched in 2010 as a concise spin-off of The Independent, it is now a paid compact national newspaper positioned between the Mail's mid-market titles and upmarket rivals.

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Parent Company

dmg media Limited

Founded

2010

Status

Private

Headquarters

London, England, United Kingdom

The i Paper Timeline

1905

dmg media Limited

Parent company established in London, England, United Kingdom

Company Founded

2010

The i Paper

Founded by The Independent (internal launch under Alexander Lebedev's ownership)

Founded

United KingdomOfficial Website

Who Owns The i Paper?

Parent Company: dmg media Limited
Ownership Type: Wholly owned
Company Type: Privately Held

Brand	Parent Company	Ownership Type
The i Paper	dmg media Limited	Wholly owned

Where to Buy

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The i Paper on Amazon

History of The i Paper

Founded: 2010
Founders: The Independent (internal launch under Alexander Lebedev's ownership)

The i launched in October 2010 under the Independent's then-owner Alexander Lebedev, answering a specific problem: quality newspaper readers wanted shorter, cheaper products. Priced initially at 20p, it condensed Independent journalism into a compact format and found a sizable audience of time-poor readers, reaching several hundred thousand daily sales within two years.

Its survival was remarkable given the parent company's trajectory. When the Independent titles' economics collapsed, the print Independent closed entirely in March 2016, yet the i continued under new owner Johnston Press, which bought the Independent's titles that year. When Johnston Press itself failed in November 2018, the i passed with the rest of the portfolio into JPIMedia, the bondholder-created vehicle.

dmg media's £49.6 million acquisition completed in December 2019, returning the title to a national publisher with print scale. Under Associated Newspapers the i retained its own editor and centrist positioning, an editorial separation the company maintained deliberately to protect the title's distinct readership from the Mail's brand.

Through the 2020s the paper built subscription and bundled models (iWeekend and digital access via Mail+ infrastructure), positioned as dmg media's "quality compact" entry against The Times and Guardian in the paid segment. Circulation holds up better than most paid nationals, aided by a loyal commuter readership.

About dmg media Limited

Who owns dmg media?
dmg media is a wholly owned subsidiary of Daily Mail and General Trust plc, which is controlled by Rothermere Continuation Limited, the Harmsworth family holding company. Jonathan Harmsworth, 4th Viscount Rothermere, chairs DMGT.

Is dmg media publicly traded?
No. DMGT was listed on the London Stock Exchange for most of the twentieth century but was taken private in January 2022 when Rothermere Continuation Limited acquired the shares it did not already own.

What brands does dmg media own?
Its principal titles are Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday, MailOnline and Mail+, Metro, The i Paper and New Scientist, along with associated apps, podcasts and printing operations.

When was dmg media founded?
The company traces its history to Associated Newspapers, founded in 1905 by the Harmsworth brothers. The dmg media name was adopted in 2013 when DMGT reorganized its consumer publishing assets.

Where is dmg media headquartered?
The company is based at 9 Derry Street in Kensington, west London, in the former Barkers department store building.

What is dmg media's relationship to the Daily Mail?
dmg media is the corporate publisher; the Daily Mail is its flagship newspaper. Associated Newspapers, a dmg media subsidiary, holds the publishing rights to the Mail titles and MailOnline.

Did dmg media buy the Telegraph?
No. The Rothermere interests were repeatedly linked to bids for Telegraph Media Group during its 2023 to 2025 ownership process, but no acquisition had been completed as of November 2026.

Founded: 1905
Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom
Company Type: Privately Held
Revenue: Approximately £652 million (FY2024, reported)
Employees: Approximately 3,000

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Where Is The i Paper Made / Based?

Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom

The i Paper Categories & Tags

Newspaper Uk Media Compact Publishing News

The i Paper Ownership: Pros & Cons

Advantages

+dmg media's print scale lowers production and distribution cost
+Centrist positioning captures readers alienated by partisan titles
+Shared commercial infrastructure supports revenue growth
+Private ownership enables patient investment in subscriptions

Considerations

-Ownership by the Mail's publisher creates perceived editorial-risk association
-Paid newspaper market is structurally shrinking
-Editorial independence must be continuously demonstrated
-Digital product competes against better-resourced subscription rivals

Frequently Asked Questions About The i Paper

Sources & Further Reading

Competitors to The i Paper

These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.

Brand	Parent Company	Country	Founded	Market Position	Primary Market	Gender Target
Berita Harian	Sph Media	Singapore	1957	Mass market	Asia pacific	All Genders
Lianhe Zaobao	Sph Media	Singapore	1983	Mass market	Asia pacific	All Genders
The Straits Times	Sph Media	Singapore	1845	Mass market	Asia pacific	All Genders
Daily MailSister Brand	Dmg Media	United Kingdom	1896	Mass market	United kingdom	All Genders
Metro (UK)Sister Brand	Dmg Media	United Kingdom	1999	Mass market	United kingdom	All Genders
The Mail on SundaySister Brand	Dmg Media	United Kingdom	1982	Mass market	United kingdom	All Genders