Print-only creative industries title The Static launches from Glasgow

The Static, a new print-only publication covering the creative industries, launches this week.

The title is published and designed in Glasgow, while most of its editorial team is based in London. It says it will “bring freshness, creativity, originality and quality journalism to the creative and media sectors”, and argues that readers and advertisers have long lacked regular, high-quality print media.

The Static will appear as a colour tabloid and plans to work with leading designers, cartoonists and illustrators, so that its look reflects the commercial creative sector it covers.

Its launch illustration, which riffs on the well-known VW ‘Lemon’ advert, is by Thea Bryant, an illustrator whose clients include Adidas, Team GB and Amnesty International.

Print first, and almost print only

The publication describes itself as close to “print-only” rather than simply “print-first”, with copies posted to subscribers. It will have no Instagram presence, and its stories will not all appear on its website or Substack. An “infrequent” email newsletter will tell readers what is coming in future issues.

A limited number of copies will be placed in racks at major creative industry offices and hubs. The team says it will push to get important stories out, and while it welcomes pitches, it will not publish press releases.

The team

Media and broadcast coverage is led by Omar Oakes, founder and former editor in chief of The Media Leader and previously media and technology editor at Campaign. Tom Banks, an ex-editor at Design Week, heads design and advertising coverage. Emily Gosling, who has been deputy editor at It’s Nice That, acting editor at Design Week and senior writer at Creative Review, runs the Life section.

Founder and publisher Claire Foss is a communications strategist with twenty years in the creative industries across journalism and PR. She has set up and run creative sector businesses and has written for or worked at outlets including Haymarket, William Reed, the BBC and Channel 4.

The paper’s design is by Phoebe Willison, a publication design specialist who also designed the Scottish print events tabloid The Skinny.

Foss said: “We want to tell a different story about our industry, and as systems seem to accelerate away from us, we know that now is the time to try something new.

“Everyone’s LinkedIn is different, everyone’s Reddit, everyone’s Substack – at a time when we desperately need to be having the same conversations. The platforms that once felt so hopeful are making us depressed, harming the industry, and killing the journalism we need. Media plurality is vital, and we will play our part in that.

“The creative industries are one of the most visible, valuable industries in the world and we take up a lot of space in people’s lives. So we owe it to ourselves, and to everyone else, to understand what’s really going on – and have some fun along the way.

“The Static still believes that what this industry does and what it creates matters. We aren’t here for slop, volume and algorithm tweaking for addicted consumers. We are here to make something great, and support those who make great things.”

She added that she hoped people would back the title by subscribing and advertising.

Oakes, The Static’s contributing editor for media, said: “Only two industries refer to the people they serve as ‘users’: tech platforms and drug dealers. Journalism should know better but too many publications have played this game (badly) for too long.

“The Static is doing something I didn’t think anyone would actually attempt: building a serious, independent editorial product for this industry that defiantly sits outside the platform economy.

“Print-only, subscription-led, no press-release churn: it’s a genuine alternative model and I’m convinced the industry is ready for it.”