Gaztezulo

Gaztezulo is a Basque-language youth magazine and broader communication project based in Donostia (San Sebastián), in the Basque Country of Spain. It was launched in 1999 under the name Gaztetxulo, incubated within Irutxulo, the magazine of Bageraren, a Donostia Basque-language association. At the time there was very little press in Basque aimed at young people: apart from music magazines and the occasional newspaper supplement, there was no general-interest magazine covering a wide range of topics for a youth readership. Gaztezulo set out to fill that gap. After a first year distributed only in Donostia, the magazine expanded in October 2000 to the whole Basque Country, reaching all seven historical territories. Since then it has become a thicker, more substantial publication covering Basque-wide issues, available both by subscription and at many newsstands across the Basque Country. The biggest transformation came in 2007, when Gaztetxulo changed its name to Gaztezulo, completely redesigned the magazine and launched a website, gaztezulo.com. That change brought a more modern and bolder design, broadened the target readership beyond the youngest segment (for example toward readers aged 25–26 and older), and, above all, moved the project into the internet world. Today Gaztezulo is not merely a monthly magazine: it aims to be a complete communication project in which the network is an essential tool. Through it, the project stays in contact with young people, lets young people connect with one another, and provides access to all kinds of information and answers to questions. Gaztezulo.eus is not a mere complement to the magazine; it has its own identity and is one of the pillars of the project. The project also includes Gaztezuloflash, an electronic weekly. In 2010, marking the magazine's 10th anniversary, a special issue (number 111) was published and the Gaztezulo Saria (Gaztezulo Award) was established, with the first prize going to Gorka Urbizu. That year the magazine had a five-person team and 7,000 subscribers, distributing around 16,000 copies per month. In 2011 it received the Argia Saria for written press. Since early 2015 the website address has been Gaztezulo.eus. In November 2018 the magazine reached its 200th issue, celebrated with a special, larger issue (growing from 62 to 104 pages) featuring Altsasuko Gurasoak on the cover and contributions from leading figures across sport, journalism, cinema, television, radio, fashion, performing arts, photography, comics, gender diversity, bertsolaritza, music, cooking and literature, plus a GAZTEZULO200 party at the Kafe Antzokia in Bilbao with musicians including Zea Mays, Xabi Solano, Zuriñe Hidalgo, Jon Basaguren, Xabi Bandini, Liher and Aneguria. Gaztezulo remains an active Basque-language youth media brand, combining a print monthly, a website, a weekly newsletter and cultural events, and is closely tied to Basque-language youth culture and the association Bageraren.

Gaztezulo was founded in 1999 in Donostia (San Sebastián), Gipuzkoa, as Gaztetxulo, within the orbit of Irutxulo, the magazine of Bageraren, a Donostia Basque-language association. Its founders saw a gap: apart from music magazines and the occasional newspaper supplement, there was almost nothing in the Basque-language press aimed at young people, and no general-interest magazine covering all kinds of topics for a youth readership. For its first year the magazine was distributed only in Donostia. Seeing that the same gap existed across the whole Basque Country, the project took a leap in October 2000 and began distribution across the seven historical territories. From then on, compared with the Donostia-only edition, the magazine became thicker, covered Basque-wide topics, and was available not only by subscription but also at many newsstands across the Basque Country. The biggest transformation arrived in 2007: Gaztetxulo changed its name to Gaztezulo, completely redesigned the magazine, and launched a website, gaztezulo.com. This was a major change. On one hand, the magazine adopted a more modern and bolder design. On the other, without forgetting the youngest segment, it began to address older readers (for example those aged 25–26 and above). And finally, and above all, it immersed itself in the internet world. Today Gaztezulo is not merely a monthly magazine: it aims to be a complete communication project, and the network is an essential tool for that goal. Through it, the project stays in contact with young people, lets young people connect with one another, and allows them to access all kinds of information and resolve doubts. Gaztezulo.eus is not a complement to the magazine: it has its own identity and is one of the pillars of the project. The electronic weekly Gaztezuloflash is also part of the project. In 2010, marking the magazine's 10th anniversary, a special issue (number 111) was published; around the anniversary the Gaztezulo Saria began to be awarded, with the first prize going to Gorka Urbizu. That year the magazine had a five-person team and 7,000 subscribers, and distributed around 16,000 copies per month. In 2011 it was awarded the Argia Saria for written press. Since the beginning of 2015 the website address has been Gaztezulo.eus. In November 2018 the magazine reached its 200th issue, and two main actions were carried out. First, a special 200th issue, with Altsasuko Gurasoak as protagonists. Besides being special, the magazine was thicker — growing from 62 pages to 104 — and leading figures in sport, journalism, cinema, television, radio, fashion, performing arts, photography, comics, gender diversity, bertsolaritza, music, cooking and literature contributed their own grain of sand to turn this 200th issue into a small collector's treasure. Second, a GAZTEZULO200 party was organized at the Kafe Antzokia in Bilbao, with musicians Zea Mays, Xabi Solano, Zuriñe Hidalgo, Jon Basaguren, Xabi Bandini, Liher and Aneguria performing. Gaztezulo continues as an active Basque-language youth media brand, combining a print monthly, the Gaztezulo.eus website, the Gaztezuloflash weekly and cultural events, and remains closely linked to Basque-language youth culture and the association Bageraren.

• 2018

  200th issue published as a special, expanded edition (62 to 104 pages) featuring Altsasuko Gurasoak; GAZTEZULO200 party held at Kafe Antzokia in Bilbao.

• 2015

  Website address becomes Gaztezulo.eus.

• 2011

  Awarded the Argia Saria for written press.

• 2010

  10th anniversary: special issue (no. 111) published; Gaztezulo Saria established, first awarded to Gorka Urbizu; 7,000 subscribers and ~16,000 copies per month.

• 2007

  Renamed from Gaztetxulo to Gaztezulo; magazine redesigned and website gaztezulo.com launched.

• 2000

  In October, distribution expands to the whole Basque Country across the seven historical territories.

• 1999

  Gaztezulo founded in Donostia as Gaztetxulo, within Bageraren's Irutxulo magazine; distributed only in Donostia for the first year.

A Basque-language youth magazine and communication project filling the gap for general-interest youth media in Euskara, spanning print, web and live events.

• Gaztezulo monthly magazine

  Basque-language general-interest youth magazine, available by subscription and at newsstands across the Basque Country.

• Gaztezulo.eus

  The project's website, with its own identity and a pillar of the communication project.

• Gaztezuloflash

  Electronic weekly newsletter of the project.

• Gaztezulo Saria

  Award established around the magazine's 10th anniversary; first winner Gorka Urbizu.

1. 1Gaztezulo official websitegaztezulo.eus
2. 2Gaztezulo — Wikipedia (Basque)eu.wikipedia.org
3. 3Gaztezulo — Wikidatawikidata.org