British Bandsman magazine has announced that with immediate effect it will become a monthly publication.

It coincides with the launching of the new British Bandsman website, which will carry regularly-updated news content in addition to a new delivery method for its online subscribers.

100 year plus tradition

Making the announcement, which sees the end of a tradition, that with just one fortnightly period in 1975, stretched back to 1902, Managing Director and Editor Kenneth Crookston, said: "Since taking ownership of British Bandsman 18 months ago, it's been our intention to provide our loyal worldwide readership with the best possible service within the modern environment in which brass bands exist.

Unfortunately, this is also a time in which increasing overheads, notably printing and postage costs, as well as changing marketing strategies, have contributed to the demise or realignment of many printed publications, some with long and distinguished histories like British Bandsman."

Long term stability

He added: "It will never be our intention to become one of those 'lost' publications, so the release of a new and active website to work in tandem with an extended monthly magazine will provide both long-term stability and greater currency to one of the most important and long-standing pillars in worldwide brass banding."

In 2014, British Bandsman was recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest weekly music magazine in the world and is only behind the quarterly Musical Opinion (1877) on the list of oldest music periodicals.

Soul searching

Kenneth Crookston added: "It's natural that far-reaching decisions like this require much soul searching, and readers can be assured that recent proprietors have resisted making it for a number of years, with the weight of history often uppermost in their thinking.

Further price increases have also been considered to support the growing cost base, but market forces determine that this would be an unsustainable route.

There will be a period of adjustment for readers, many of whom have been subscribing for several decades, but we are confident that the new service will be of greater value and relevance than a weekly publication can provide in the internet age."

We would like to thank all of our readers in advance for their understanding and co-operation as we look forward to a new era in the history of British BandsmanManagaing Director and Editor, Kenneth Crookston

Loyal readers

Kenneth Crookston concluded: "We will continue to write to readers when their subscriptions are due and will recalculate the expiry dates of each one according to the new rates.

We will also round each account up one edition in order to make this transition as straightforward as possible for our loyal readers and ensure that everyone receives the best possible value.

We would like to thank all of our readers in advance for their understanding and co-operation as we look forward to a new era in the history of British Bandsman."

The cover price of British Bandsman will now be £3.95.