Old news!?!?

Post Och Inrikes Tidningar is a Swedish newspaper that has been published non-stop since 1645. This is one of the oldest newspapers that is still in circulation in the world. Interesting ah? But how much do we know about the history of the newspapers?

Well, the first newspaper recorded in history is Acta Diurna, a Roman newspaper “published” around 59 B.C. In this periodical, Julius Caesar informed the public about the latest news and events coming up. It also had information on scandals, trials, and executions. In China, the government during the Han dynasty (202 B.C. – 221 A.D) also printed news-sheets that they called “tipao.” These were reproduced by wooden carvings and had official announcements and news for the Chinese bureaucrats and officials.

According to the World Association of Newspapers, the oldest newspaper that is still published in the United States is the Hartford Courant. This newspaper started to be published in 1764 in Connecticut. Other old newspapers in this country are Northampton Daily Hampshire Gazette (1786), the Berkshire Eagle (1789), and the Norwich Bulleting (1791), all of them from the East Coast.

For more information on the history of the newspapers visit the following links:

World Association of Newspapers. Newspapers a brief history.
http://www.wan-press.org/article2821.html?var_recherche=oldest+newspaper

Hartford Courant information in Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hartford_Courant