Bahrain This Month is proud to celebrate its 25th anniversary
by BTM
Fri, 09 September 2022
The team behind Bahrain This Month, the Kingdom’s first-ever monthly magazine in any language, is proud to celebrate its 25th anniversary. We are happy to share some of our most cherished memories and exciting developments with our readers who have been with us throughout the years.
A quarter of a century ago, a certain George Middleton began publishing the first monthly magazine of any language in Bahrain; an English language monthly entertainment publication produced in the pre-Kingdom State of Bahrain. Inspired by the new phenomenon of www.theworldwideweb, the publication was named “Bahrain This Month” (BTM) although the cover masthead was written in all lowercase letters, much to the consternation of many unknowing readers.
In the foreword of the trailblazing first issue, George wrote that his team of journalists and media professionals’ primary goal was, “to provide our readers with local leisure and entertainment information.” Of course, BTM still continues to do this 25 years later in both: the pages of its physical magazine and across its extensive range of digital platforms, which have emerged out of the Internet aether ever since.
Whilst BTM no longer asks its readers to ‘fax’ or ‘snail-mail-in’ (ask your parents, kids!) their thoughts and opinions to the editor, and cover stars Boyzone are banished to the playlists of middle-aged women’s high school reunion discos, many of George’s words in his opening salvo still ring true to this day.
Perhaps most strikingly, Bahrain This Month was positioned from the outset as a publication “of value and relevance to Bahrain’s entire range of multi-cultural and multi-ethnic communities who, together, combine to make Bahrain the unique oasis of tolerance, friendship and tranquillity that so many countries in the world today can only envy.”
This could not be truer all these years later, with the magazine appealing to both locals and expatriates alike. BTM’s monthly features and interviews cover the spectrum from local businessmen to international artists, former residents, regional figureheads and everything in between.
Across a plethora of digital platforms including the BTM website, www.bahrainthismonth.com, Facebook and Instagram, the publication has accrued a substantial global following with frequent interactions from readers as far away as Canada, New Zealand and especially India. The magazine has always proudly positioned itself as a magazine for everyone, a lens through which readers can see the beauty, brains and brilliance of Bahrain.
As with any successful venture, BTM did not rest on its laurels. Now in its fourth decade of existence, it has since added a successful sister print publication, Woman This Month, to its portfolio, plus a raft of consumer guides, supplements and event calendars that continue to inform readers and viewers throughout the year.
It does not stop there. As BTM commemorates its Silver Jubilee with a celebration of the past 25 years and a look back at history, its eyes are also fixed firmly forwards as it continues to grow.
On this occasion, BTM is pleased to announce the inception of the ‘Best in Bahrain Brand’ awards; a spectacular annual consumer-based quality awards programme which will take place in January 2023, celebrating the best in consumer-related products and services, such as hospitality, automobiles, healthcare, education, entertainment and the retail sector.
Furthermore, to mark the momentous milestone, BTM has spearheaded a unique project; the launch of an NFT digitalised, animated, virtual front cover of the magazine – the first of its kind in the region. Iconic images chosen from the 300 preceding issues have been reinterpreted by selected local and international artists with a Bahrain connection and form the basis of the NFT.
The project will donate 50 percent of proceeds to be shared between four Bahrain-based charities to support and empower these communities. The project is under the patronage of HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Humanitarian Foundation.
In addition, all commercial and editorial participants in this edition will share ownership of the NFT when launched.
Bahrain This Month, often imitated but never duplicated, looks forward to another quarter-century of media success; not only in print, but digitally as it continues to add to its portfolio with an account on TikTok as well as emailed newsletters and WhatsApp subscriptions.
With a genuine total reach of more than half a million individuals on a monthly basis, Bahrain This Month›s integrated offline and online media network is currently the 11th most popular website accessed in Bahrain and the premium choice for consumers offering an events portal as well as social media digital extensions for the benefit of the our audience and clients alike.
BTM is delighted to embrace a new era in media convergence through our proactive digital media marketing strategies and filming, editing and animation expertise. Since 1997, to the present and beyond, it has always been, still is, and always will continue to be ‘Your Guide to a Great Way of Life’ in Bahrain.
Bahrain This Month is immensely proud to present this souvenir publication to stand as testimony for the next 25 years, and as a gift to our audience across all our platforms. Enjoy!
