The Central Brittany Journal was started in 2004 by a small group of people who decided that the time had come for Central Brittany to have an independent, English-language press. The first few issues were bi-monthly, but from November 2004 onwards, it has been monthly.
From June 2005, the Journal has worked in close partnership with ‘Le Fur Imprimerie’ in Carhaix. In return for taking the unusual step (in this day and age) of keeping faith with a local printer, the Journal has benefited from the high level of expertise and advanced printing presses offered by the company, and as a result has been able to produce a quality colour magazine on a tight deadline and at an affordable price.
The one euro cover price of the Central Brittany Journal has become something of a local talking point – 64 pages, (half of them full colour) of news, articles, letters, information, what’s on, recipes, restaurant reviews, stories, children’s pages, gardening tips and a complete monthly guide to local businesses, plus classifed advertising, is considered by many peole to be almost too good to be true.
The secret of the Journal’s success is at least partly due, however, to its low cost, and the fact that advertising rates have been held at the same price for over four years. It enjoys a strong degree of local support and much of its content is provided free of charge by local writers and photographers. Many local businesses make a point of supporting it even when times are difficult.
Monthly sales now stand at around 3,500 copies per month, out of a print run of 4,500 copies. There are 400 points of sale spread across Brittany. About two-thirds of people buying the Journal have English or some other European language as their first language, and about one third of readers are native French speakers. Industry guidelines (of five readers for each copy of a monthly magazine sold in the shops) would put the current readership of the Journal at around 15000 people.
The Journal is still run by part-time workers, working from their own homes hidden away in the heart of the Breton countryside – a combination of cottage industry and twenty-first century technology.
The team is contactable by phone from Mon to Fri morning 9-12am: 02 96 21 52 21
or by e-mail info@thecbj.com
The deadline for advertising is the 20th of each month
Letters can be sent to: letters@thecbj.com
What’s ons can be sent to whatson@thecbj.com
Subscriptions to the journal cost 18euros for 12 issues to addresses in France, and 30euros for 12 issues to addresses outside of France. More info about how to subscribe.
Classified advertisments cost 3euros for 25words for one insertion. 9euros for 3 insertions. How to place a classified advert.
Business Advertising: For information about boxed ads, contact the CBJ office (Mon to Fri morning 9-12am: 02 96 21 52 21 or by e-mail info@thecbj.com). Details of rates will be put on the site shortly.
