The last part of this blog has been rewritten with text kindly supplied by Paul Brett at Psychic News.
Psychic News was a newspaper, and now a magazine that has been dedicated to the paranormal, spiritualism, and psychic phenomena since its inception. The newspaper was founded in London in 1932 by Maurice Barbanell and Arthur Findlay, two well-known spiritualists. The newspaper was originally called ‘Psychic News and Spiritualist Review’ and was published monthly.
The early years of the newspaper were marked by the growth of spiritualism in Britain. Spiritualism was a movement that emerged in the mid-19th century and showed that it was possible to communicate with the spirits of the dead. The movement was popular in Britain and the United States and attracted many followers who were fascinated by the idea of communicating with the spirit world and for many led to accepting the philosophy of spiritualism.
The founders of Psychic News were both active members of the spiritualist movement and wanted to create a newspaper that would help to spread the ideas of spiritualism and provide a platform for like-minded individuals to discuss their experiences and beliefs. The newspaper quickly became popular among spiritualists and psychics and was soon being distributed internationally.
During the early years of the newspaper, the editors were keen to establish the credibility of spiritualism and to counter the criticisms that were being made against it. The newspaper reported on séances, psychic demonstrations, and other events that were designed to demonstrate the reality of psychic phenomena. The newspaper also published articles and interviews with well-known spiritualists and psychics and encouraged readers to submit their own experiences of psychic phenomena.
In the years leading up to World War II, the newspaper continued to grow in popularity and became a key part of the spiritualist movement. However, the war had a significant impact on the newspaper, as paper shortages and other difficulties made it difficult to continue publishing. During the war years, the newspaper reduced its frequency of publication and focused on providing news and information to its readers about the war effort.
After the war, the newspaper resumed regular publication and continued to grow in popularity. During the 1950s and 1960s, the newspaper expanded its coverage to include other paranormal phenomena, although underwent a decline in readership during the 1970’s
When Maurice Barbanell passed to Spirit in July 1981, assistant editor Tony Ortzen became editor. The newspaper then underwent a revival under Tony’s leadership, with a more modern approach and a focus on new-age spirituality and alternative therapies. It then became more popular than ever before and continued to be published on a regular basis.
The newspaper also underwent a redesign by Craig Hamilton-Parker, with a more modern layout and more emphasis on visual content. Tony Ortzen continued to edit the newspaper until 1992 when he left to work on other projects after twenty years with Psychic News. He very soon took over the position of editor of Two Worlds.
Psychic News was taken over by the Spiritualists’ National Union in 1995. The newspaper was finally closed by the SNU in 2010 due to financial losses.
It was revived by new owners, JV Trust, in December 2011 and was relaunched as a magazine, although it has faced some challenges. The rise of the internet has led to a decline in print media, and the publication had to adapt to this new reality. Today, the magazine also has a strong online presence, with a website and social media channels that allow it to reach a wider audience than ever before. In 2018, Psychic News incorporated the Spiritualist publication Two Worlds (founded in 1887 by Emma Hardinge Britten) when Tony Ortzen once again returned to the role of editor. Psychic News is now owned by Psychic Press Limited.
Psychic News has a long and interesting history, and it has played an important role in the development of spiritualism and psychic phenomena. Over the years, it has evolved to meet the changing needs of its readers and continues to be a valuable source of information and inspiration for those who are interested in the paranormal and Spiritualism. It is sold in many Spiritualist churches, spiritual shops and larger magazine outlets. Subscriptions are available direct, and the magazine can be ordered from any newsagent in the UK.
The University of Manitoba has an archive of the back issues, from 1932 to 2010. It was a great moment when I found this with some really famous names in the history of Spiritualism. Take a look – https://digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca/islandora/object/uofm%3A2939726
The Psychic News Website: https://www.psychicnews.org.uk/
You can save £1 by buying your copy from Croydon Spiritualist Church, but if you cannot get to us you can find your local stockist at: https://www.psychicnews.org.uk/articles/stockists-of-psychicnews
