Message at the front of the latest Friday Thing:

Hurrah! The Friday Thing is one year old this week. And what a year it's been. We've weathered the media downturn, survived T.T.E.O. September 11th, slapped our readers in the face by switching to paid subs only and yet have still managed to remain the UK's most successful paid-for current affairs email magazine.

Why have they done so well? My theories:

- not charging too much

- giving enough in return to justify payment

- simplicity

- a kind of independence

The independence idea might need a bit of explaining. What I have in mind is that you won't be happy with everything you read, but you know that the contributions are 'honest' and not accompanied by too much of an agenda slapping you in the face (one slap is enough, I reckon)

B-)