The newspaper synonym ‘gazette’ comes from a Renaissance-era Venetian currency, the gazetta. One of these small coins was the price a citizen paid in 1556 for the Notizie scritte, official printed announcements of government affairs.
Our project’s digitization efforts encompass the years 1890-1920; the period known as the “Golden Age” of print media. Newspapers had their widest readership and greatest influence during this era.
Increasingly, the Web is the contemporary medium of choice for accessing newspaper content. According to the Newspaper Association of America, newspaper Websites draw over one-third (37%) of all Web users—an average monthly unique audience of 72 million as of 2009.
According to 2008 figures collected by the World Association of Newspapers, the top newspaper by circulation is the Japanese-language Yomiuri Shimbun, with an average daily circulation of 14,067,000. (This is about 6 times the circulation of USA Today!) In fact, the top five papers by circulation are all from Japan. While no one disputes that Japan is a nation of dedicated newspaper readers, some have claimed that the circulation numbers of Japanese papers are routinely inflated by “Oshigami,” the institutionalized process of circulation exaggeration.
What are the oldest newspapers still being published today?
Oldest in the World: Post- och Inrikes Tidningar (Sweden), began 1645
Oldest in English Language: The London Gazette (UK), began 1665
Oldest in the United States: The Hartford Courant (CT), began 1764
Oldest in Oregon: The Portland Oregonian, began 1850
