The Spectator facts for kids
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The Spectator 25 April 2020 cover
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| Editor | Michael Gove |
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| Categories | Politics, culture |
| Frequency | Weekly |
| Publisher | Paul Marshall |
| Paid circulation | 106,556 |
| Unpaid circulation | 1,185 |
| Total circulation (2023) |
107,812 |
| Founder | Robert Stephen Rintoul |
| First issue | 6 July 1828 |
| Company | Old Queen Street Ventures Limited |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Based in | 22 Old Queen Street, Westminster, London |
| Language | English |
| ISSN | 0038-6952 |
| OCLC | 1766325 |
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine that covers politics and culture. It started in July 1828, making it the oldest magazine of its kind still being published today. The Spectator often shares conservative ideas. It features articles and columns about current events, as well as reviews of books, music, opera, films, and TV shows. As of December 2023, about 107,812 copies were circulated each week, not including Australia.
Being an editor of The Spectator has often been a step towards important roles in the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom. Some past editors include Boris Johnson (1999–2005) and other former government ministers like Ian Gilmour (1954–1959), Iain Macleod (1963–1965), and Nigel Lawson (1966–1970). Michael Gove, a former MP for the Conservative Party, became the editor on 4 October 2024, taking over from Fraser Nelson.
Today, The Spectator is available both in print and online. In 2020, it became the longest-running current affairs magazine ever, and it was also the first magazine to publish 10,000 issues. In September 2024, a British investor named Paul Marshall bought The Spectator. He also owns UnHerd and is a big investor in GB News.
Contents
History of The Spectator
Early Years and Robert Stephen Rintoul
The Spectator was started by Robert Stephen Rintoul, a Scottish writer and reformer. He launched the magazine on 6 July 1828. Rintoul wanted to create a "perfect newspaper" and had strong control over what was published. He believed in freedom for individuals, the press, and trade.
In its early years, The Spectator supported liberal ideas. It was known for being fair in its political and cultural reviews. The magazine strongly supported changes to Parliament, which led to the Great Reform Act of 1832. It also spoke out against the First Opium War (1839–1842), saying it was unfair and dishonorable.
Rintoul passed away in April 1858, after selling the magazine. Its popularity had started to decline. The magazine was then sold to two Americans, James McHenry and Benjamin Moran, who hoped to influence British opinions on American issues.
New Owners and Editors
In 1861, The Spectator was sold to Meredith Townsend, a journalist. He wanted the magazine to be independent again. Townsend soon partnered with Richard Holt Hutton, who was interested in literature and religion. These two men worked together as owners and editors for 25 years.
They took strong stands on important issues. They supported the Union during the American Civil War, which was not a popular view in Britain at the time and caused the magazine to lose readers. However, when the North won, the magazine gained readers back. They also strongly criticized Benjamin Disraeli for ignoring terrible events in the Ottoman Empire in the 1870s.
In 1886, The Spectator disagreed with William Ewart Gladstone when he supported Irish Home Rule. Townsend and Hutton believed in keeping the United Kingdom together. John St Loe Strachey took over from Townsend and became the sole editor and owner when Hutton died in 1897. Strachey was very involved in all parts of the magazine. He helped double its circulation to 23,000 copies.
The First World War was a difficult time for the magazine, and its sales began to fall. In 1924, Strachey sold his share of the magazine to Evelyn Wrench. Strachey passed away two years later.
The Spectator from 1925 to 1975
Evelyn Wrench and Wilson Harris
John Evelyn Wrench became editor in 1926. He used his global connections to get interviews with famous people like Henry Ford, Mahatma Gandhi, and Benito Mussolini. One of his notable achievements was a campaign to help people in the mining town of Aberdare who were struggling with unemployment in 1928. The magazine raised over £12,000 to help the town.
Wrench retired as editor in 1932, and Wilson Harris took over. Under Harris, The Spectator became more vocal about international politics in the 1930s, especially about the rise of fascism. Harris initially supported Neville Chamberlain's policy of appeasement, hoping to avoid war. However, after the Kristallnacht event, he changed his mind. During the Second World War, even though the magazine had to be smaller, its readership doubled to over 50,000.
Ian Gilmour and Political Changes
In 1954, Ian Gilmour, a lawyer, bought The Spectator and became its editor. He made the magazine more lively and controversial. He was critical of the government at the time and supported ending capital punishment in Britain. The Spectator also opposed Britain's involvement in the Suez crisis in 1956. The magazine was influential in supporting the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Britain.
Gilmour left the editorship in 1959 to become a Conservative MP. He appointed Brian Inglis as his deputy, who brought a new sense of humor to the magazine. In 1962, Iain Hamilton became editor, focusing more on current events. However, Gilmour replaced Hamilton in 1963 with Iain Macleod, a Conservative MP. This decision caused some concern among staff who worried about the magazine's independence.
"The Tory Leadership" Article
In January 1964, Macleod wrote a famous article called "The Tory Leadership." In it, he shared details about how the Conservative Party chose its leader. This article caused a big stir and sold a record number of copies.
Nigel Lawson and George Gale
Nigel Lawson became editor in 1966. Under Lawson, The Spectator opposed America's growing involvement in the Vietnam War. In 1967, Ian Gilmour sold The Spectator to Harry Creighton. In 1970, Creighton replaced Lawson with George Gale. Gale strongly opposed Britain joining the European Common Market and often criticized Prime Minister Edward Heath. However, this strong stance caused the magazine to lose readers, and its circulation fell significantly. In 1973, Creighton took over as editor himself, but the magazine continued to struggle financially.
The Spectator from 1975 to 2005
Henry Keswick and Alexander Chancellor
In 1975, Henry Keswick bought The Spectator. He appointed Alexander Chancellor as editor. Chancellor was known for bringing together many talented writers and letting them write freely. He brought back popular columnists like Auberon Waugh and recruited new ones like Nigella Lawson for a restaurant column and Craig Brown for a humorous column. In September 1978, a special 96-page issue celebrated The Spectator's 150th anniversary.
Charles Moore and Dominic Lawson
Charles Moore became editor in 1984. Under Moore, the magazine became more focused on politics and generally supported Margaret Thatcher, though it also disagreed with her on some issues. For example, it opposed the Anglo-Irish Agreement and the Single European Act. Moore also introduced new writers.
In 1985, The Spectator faced financial difficulties and was sold to an Australian company, John Fairfax. This helped the magazine grow its readership. In 1988, it was sold again to the Telegraph Group.
Dominic Lawson, Charles Moore's deputy, became editor in 1990. Shortly after, an interview he conducted with a government minister, Nicholas Ridley, caused Ridley to resign from the government due to controversial comments. Lawson left in 1995 and was replaced by Frank Johnson. Johnson brought in new writers and shifted the magazine's focus slightly away from just politics to attract more readers.
Boris Johnson's Editorship
Boris Johnson became editor of The Spectator in 1999. During his time, the magazine's subscriptions reached a record 70,000 per year. Johnson was known for his lively style as editor. In 2001, he was elected as an MP. He described his editorial policy as generally supporting free markets and expanding choices.
In 2004, a controversial editorial about the death of a hostage led to Johnson taking full responsibility and visiting Liverpool. In 2005, Johnson left The Spectator to become a Shadow Minister. In 2004, the Barclay Brothers bought the Telegraph Group, which included The Spectator.
The Spectator from 2006 to Present
Matthew d'Ancona and Fraser Nelson
D’Ancona became editor in 2006. He made some changes to the magazine, including launching a new lifestyle section and a popular blog called "Coffee House" in 2007. In the same year, The Spectator moved its offices to 22 Old Queen Street in Westminster. The Spectator Australia was launched in October 2008, featuring content from the parent edition along with Australian articles.
In August 2009, Fraser Nelson took over as editor. He made a slight redesign of the magazine in 2010. In June 2013, The Spectator Archive was launched, making 1.5 million pages from 180 years of articles available online.
In August 2015, an article by Charles Moore about the looks of female politicians in a leadership contest drew criticism from various public figures.
In 2018, Nelson launched a digital-only version of The Spectator USA, which later became The Spectator World.
2024 Acquisition by Paul Marshall
On 10 September 2024, Sir Paul Marshall, a hedge fund manager and co-owner of GB News, bought The Spectator for £100 million. This purchase followed a bidding competition.
Andrew Neil, who was the chairman of The Spectator, announced his resignation shortly after the deal was completed. He expressed concerns about the magazine's editorial independence under the new ownership.
On 25 September 2024, Michael Gove, a former Conservative MP, was appointed as the new editor of The Spectator, replacing Fraser Nelson. Nelson became an associate editor, and Charles Moore became the non-executive chair.
Political Ideas and Stances
The Spectator is generally a conservative magazine. In the past, it supported liberal ideas and groups like the Whigs and the Liberal Party. It was the only major national publication to support Margaret Thatcher when she ran for leadership of the Conservative Party in 1975.
The magazine has discussed how multiculturalism affects Britain's national identity and security. The Spectator generally supports close ties with the United States and NATO rather than with the European Union. It is also a strong supporter of Israel and has discussed the idea of a Palestinian state. The magazine has also supported Ukraine following its invasion by Russia in 2022.
Before the 2019 United Kingdom general election, the magazine suggested that illegal migrants living in the UK should be offered British citizenship. The Spectator has been a strong supporter of Brexit. It campaigned against Britain joining the European Common Market in the 1975 referendum and was one of only two national publications to support leaving the EU in the 2016 referendum. However, it also allowed those who wanted to remain in the EU to share their views in the magazine.
Cultural Impact
The Spectator has helped popularize or create several well-known phrases, including "The Establishment" (1955), "nanny state" (1965), "young fogey" (1984), and "virtue signalling" (2015).
The Shiva Naipaul Memorial Prize, which offers £2,000 each year for excellent travel writing, was first won by Hilary Mantel in 1987.
Contributors
Many famous writers and public figures have contributed to The Spectator:
Editors
The editors of The Spectator have been:
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The Spectator logo
See also
In Spanish: The Spectator para niños
- The Salisbury Review
- The Spectator (1711–1714)
