Print, Power, & the Rebel Mind: Why Independent Magazines Are Leading the Revolution

By Chele Sellman, Editor in Chief of NFM

Let’s get one thing straight: indie magazines aren’t “making a comeback.”We never left. You just finally caught up.

In a world of hot takes, clickbait, and AI-churned fluff, something real has been bubbling beneath the surface—and it’s boiling over. The New York Times just called it a “revenge” of the niche magazine, but at NFM, we’ve been knee-deep in rebellion since day one. Our hands are already ink-stained. Our headlines already burn.

This isn’t just a renaissance. It’s a reckoning.

The Era of Curated Chaos: The Rise of Centrist Voices in Media

We live in a time of extremes. Left vs. Right. Loud vs. Louder. But somewhere in the middle—between the noise and the narcissism—there’s a space where thought lives. That’s where I sit. Not on a fence. On a throne.

Call it centralist, call it balanced, call it old-school journalism with fresh acrylics and a Virgo rising. I call it necessary.

Because here’s the truth nobody wants to say out loud: People are starving for honesty. Not echo chambers. Not curated outrage. Just real, intelligent, fashion-forward storytelling that speaks to your mind and your spirit.

Indie mags like NFM don’t run on party lines. We run on purpose. And that purpose? To challenge, to elevate, to create beauty with a bite.

Opinion Is Not the Enemy

I've been reluctant to unleash my voice as a columnist, an opinion writer, a truth-bearer. Why? Because having a central view in a polarized world often means you get hit from both sides. But I’m over it.

Being a woman with opinions? Already threatening. Being a woman with a platform? Revolutionary. Being a woman with a Scorpio Mercury in the 3rd house? Absolutely f***ing lethal.

I’m not here to coddle the status quo. I’m here to dress it in sequins, march it onto the runway, and expose every threadbare stitch until it begs to be remade.

Print Media is Dangerous Again - Why Independent Magazines Matter in 2025

Independent magazines aren’t just coffee table props. We’re cultural laboratories. We’re the R&D department for the fashion, art, and ideas that will shape the next decade.We don’t just cover culture—we’re carving it.

And unlike the corporations who dress up propaganda with glossy paper, we’re not owned. We’re self-made. Self-funded. Self-aware.

We call our advertisers supporters because they don’t just buy space. They invest in disruption. In imagination. In us.

The NFM Manifesto

We are not mass-produced. We are not algorithms. We are not afraid.

We are here to shake tables, not just set them.

So if you’re reading this—good. You're exactly the kind of mind we want in this rebellion. Welcome to the new age of indie. It’s fierce, it's fashionable, and it’s finally being heard.

Coming soon to NFM:

→ My new opinion column: “Center Stage”

→ Our July Made in America issue: Independence with edge.

→ August’s Seahawks Gala: 90s Grit. 50s Lit. All power.

→ And more fearless journalism for those who live fashionably loud.

Are you a rebel, too? Do you have a story that dares to be told, a voice the world keeps underestimating, or a vision that refuses to blend in?

We want to hear from you. I want to hear from you!

Pitch your features, personal essays, or collaborations to: Chele@nfmmag.com

Nfm isn’t just a magazine. It’s a movement. And if it’s new, it’s here.