Today is something of a red-letter day for new launches. The first national newspaper launch for umpteen years (24, actually) has hit the streets in the shape of i. Crazy name, and no doubt some will see it as a crazy idea.

At just 20p it's an appealing price point (maybe even for media freegans) something that on first reading comes across as a slightly more thoughtful Metro. Interesting use of 'sidehead' rather than masthead, too - I did wonder how this curious choice of name would work on the page. Haven't had time to read the whole thing but the digest format should appeal to today's grasshopper-brain lifestyle. Rather liked the weather layout, too. Contract printer Trinity Mirror will be among those hoping i flies.

Turning to the glossier world of consumer magazines, today is also the first outing for Bauer's much-speculated about new men's weekly, Gaz7etta. No doubt the publisher is hoping to replicate the success of Grazia, currently selling not far off 230,000 copies a week, and also the prime vehicle used for this large-scale sampling exercise.

Are there enough chaps out there interested in news and style on a weekly basis, at a price point to be determined? The evidence from Shortlist Media suggests there are, at least when it's free. Some 500,000 copies of the pilot issue have been produced by Polestar - lovely silky text paper, by the way, what is that grade? As I understand it, if Gaz7etta is well-received we're looking at a New Year launch for the title proper.

I should mention that a few weeks back Haymarket, which publishes PrintWeek among many other things, also launched a major new weekly consumer magazine as a companion to TV phenomenon the X Factor.

I'm hoping this red-letter day is also a further indicator of some green shoots emerging in publishing.