10 of the oldest newspapers in the world.
(Baonghean.vn) - Newspapers have existed in the world for a very long time. However, few people know how the first newspapers were published. Let's explore 10 of the oldest newspapers in the world below.
1. The Belfast News Letter
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| Founded in 1737, this is a daily newspaper published Monday through Saturday in Northern Ireland. The first issue was printed by the Joy family in Belfast, the largest capital of Northern Ireland. Initially, the print quality, ink, and readership were quite "poor" and "modest." Later, through the efforts of the newspaper, the print runs improved not only in quantity and quality but also attracted a much larger readership. Today, The Belfast News Letter remains an indispensable part of life for the people of beautiful Northern Ireland. |
2. Wiener Zeitung
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| The Austrian newspaper Wiener Zeitung is considered the most famous newspaper in Europe and continues to thrive to this day. In its early days, under the name Wiennerisches Diarium, it served as the official mouthpiece of the Austrian Republic government, with its first edition published on August 8, 1703. Wiener Zeitung specializes in news covering the political, cultural, economic, and social life of Austria. |
3. London Gazette
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| Officially launched to the public on November 7, 1665, the London Gazette was initially called the Oxford Gazette, because it was "born" during a time when England was in the throes of a pandemic, so few people were "interested" in keeping up with current events and news. When the pandemic ended, the King of England returned to London and ordered the newspaper to resume printing, reporting on community affairs, royal announcements, and entertainment and sports throughout the kingdom. |
4. Merkuriusz Polski Ordynaryjny
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| This was Poland's first printed newspaper, appearing in 1661. At a time when Poland was facing hardship, with scarce resources and impoverished people, King John Casimir (1609-1672) and his wife decided to sponsor its publication. As a result, the newspaper began publishing regularly every week, providing political, commercial reform, and military information about Poland and Europe, giving the people a comprehensive overview. For various reasons, the newspaper later ceased publication. |
5. Haarlems Dagblad
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| Founded in 1656 in the city of Haarlem, Netherlands, the Haarlem Dagblad is one of the oldest newspapers still in operation today. It can be said that it was the most successful newspaper in Europe, inspiring many other newsrooms to emulate its clear content presentation and professional style. |
6. Post-och Inrikes Tidningar
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| This is the official "mouthpiece" of the Swedish government, specializing in announcements, important information, bankruptcy news, auctions, and advertisements. In 1645, Queen Christina (1626–1689) and Prime Minister Axel Oxenstierna conceived the idea of a means of delivering news about the country and the world to a wider audience. The idea began to operate systematically when all post offices in Sweden collected all information and events into a series, then packaged them into a single newspaper. Since July 1, 2007, the editor-in-chief decided to abandon the "digitization" of the newspaper because he saw a bleak future for it if it continued to only "release" news online, and considered it a "cultural disaster" for turning its back on loyal readers who had followed the handwritten print edition. |
7. La Gazette
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| La Gazette, or more accurately, Gazette de France, was a French newspaper founded in 1631. Amidst social turmoil and rising revolutions, handwritten news reports from across France were quickly met with indifference and apathy from readers. After much effort, the newspaper gained popularity and played a role in changing the monopolistic views and policies of the French royalist faction. The newspaper officially ceased operations in 1915. |
8. Courante Uyt Italien, Duytslandt
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| This first weekly newspaper in the Netherlands gained immense popularity among readers during its early years, from 1618 to 1629. Although the newspaper's information wasn't printed alongside the news, readers were drawn to it because of the useful and truthful information it provided. |
9. Avisa Relations oder Zeitung
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| Officially founded in 1609 – during the era of the Holy Roman Empire, in the town of Wolfenbüttel, Germany – this periodical newspaper specialized in reporting on world affairs, government news, policy changes, and national discussions. Lucas Schulte was the newspaper's owner. |
10. The Relation
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| The Relation – dubbed “a news repository for everyone” – was the winner of a competition organized by the World Press Association to find the earliest newspaper in the world. Meanwhile, Avisa Relation oder Zeitung came in second. By printing and publishing a “treasure trove” of information and news for the public good, announcing national reforms, and insights into a changing world, its editor, Johann Carolus (1575–1634), truly won the hearts of readers nationwide at the time. This newspaper was printed in German and founded in 1605 – during the era of the Holy Roman Empire – in Strasbourg, the capital of the Alsace region in northeastern France. |
Kim Ngoc
(Synthetic)
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