Founded in 1986 by Andreas Whittam Smith, Stephen Glover, and Matthew Symonds, The Independent was created to provide a fresh alternative in the British newspaper market. The idea came about when the three founders, who were all former journalists at The Daily Telegraph, decided to launch a paper that could compete with established titles during a time of major technological changes in the publishing industry. Today, the publication is owned by a group of investors, including majority owner Evgeny Lebedev, Saudi investor Sultan Muhammad Abuljadayel, and entrepreneur Justin Byam Shaw. Today, The Independent operates as a global digital news site covering a wide range of topics, including politics, sports, business, and culture. They are particularly well-known for their international reporting and in-depth coverage of the Middle East, but they also feature lifestyle content, puzzles, and a dedicated section for opinion pieces called "Voices". While the company is based in London, United Kingdom, it has expanded significantly to include a major US edition and other international versions. One interesting fact: A surprising fact about The Independent is that in 2016, it became the first major British national newspaper to completely shut down its print editions and move to a 100% digital-only format.