BBC History Revealed

• How was the magazine founded, and what are some of the most notable features from the earliest years of the publication?

We launched History Revealed as we felt there was an appetite for a different kind of history magazine to our existing BBC History magazine. Whereas that magazine is aimed at a more history-literate audience, History Revealed appeals to readers looking for a less academic approach to the past. History Revealed doesn’t analyse history, it simply reports the past in a lively and exciting manner. Put simply, it tells great stories from the past. We quickly found that our audience loved stories about Ancient Egypt, the Tudors and the two World Wars, as well as medieval and more recent history.

• When did you first get involved, and who were the key figures working for the publication at that time (editors, publishers or contributors)?

As the launch editor of History Revealed, I have overseen every issue, in conjunction with publisher and former BBC History Magazine Editor Dr Dave Musgrove.

• How would you characterise the strengths of the magazine over the years, and how has this changed (important contributors, scoops, controversies, landmarks)?

As well as the contributors we recruited to launch the magazine (such as Horrible Histories’ Greg Jenner; Julian Humphrys of the Battlefield Trust; respected archaeologist Dr Miles Russell of Bournemouth University) we have enlisted writers such as the Janina Ramirez of the BBC and Oxford University, and best-selling historian and writer Adrian Goldsworthy. We continue to bolster our pool of writers as we cast our net wider for the greatest stories and images.

• Has advertising been an important commercial strut for the magazine? What do we learn from reviewing the commercial sponsors over the years?

We have a small but important advertising base, and our reader surveys show that we our readers engage with the advertising more than the average specialist interest title.

• Which disciplines will be particularly interested in the resource (e.g. Oenology, Agriculture, History)? And why, if it’s not obvious?

History Revealed covers such a broad range of subjects, people and stories from the past, that it would be impossible to suggest one discipline over another. Our features are far more entry level than some magazines, so would appeal to anyone looking to begin their exploration of a subject, rather than someone looking to delve deeper in their interest.