Press in Sub- Continent

1
Press in Sub- Continent

• MCOM 309 Media History

2
First newspapers

• The first printed newspaper of sub-continent
  appeared in 1780, Hicky Gazette, published by
  James August Hicky.
• November 1781, a newspaper with name of India
  Gazette was introduced which was pro Government
  and against Hickey
• With this haphazard changing scenario, many new
  newspapers came on the scene. Some supported the
  government and others strived for freedom

3
Indian World

• William Duane was one of those editors who
  struggled hard for freedom of press.
• He was a fanatical editor of Bengal Journal, but
  the government violently removed him with force.
• He started his own newspaper, Indian World
  which was more authentic and openly critical to
  East India Company.
• The British released two consecutive newspapers
  to combat it, but failed.

4
Indian World

• Circulation of Indian World increased more than
  expectations.
• It was alarming for the Company that this Indian
  paper could get to England and may defame the
  Company in England.
• William Duane once criticized on judiciary
  therefore, he was exiled and his investment of
  thirty thousand was seized by force.
• He was a valiant journalist. He went to America
  through England and continued his practice.

5
Progress Development

• Within twenty years of the installation of
  printing press in sub-continent, dozens of
  (English language) newspapers and periodicals
  appeared in the cities of Calcutta, Bombay and
  Madras.
• Readership was limited to British because of
  language.
• These newspapers in general included poetry,
  tales, and short compositions, translated Persian
  stories and sometime even the translated odes of
  native-poets Sadi and Hafiz.
• They brought to light the culture, qualities and
  mischief of the British residents of that time.

6
Newspapers of Lahore

• First Urdu newspaper of Lahore was Koh-e-Noor,
  started in 1850.
• Continued for more than half a century.
• Munshi Harsukh Raey was its founder who was
  specially called by the British after invasion in
  Punjab.
• He was financially supported by British in
  establishing a printing press and a newspaper.
• It was a pro Government newspaper, but keeping
  the idea of freedom under the umbrella of force,
  it sometime criticized the government also.

7
Newspapers of Lahore

• It provided not only news and views, but enormous
  educative material for educators.
• Koh-e-Noor had largest circulation in all the
  Urdu papers of the sub-continent.
• In fifty years of its existence, a various
  editors worked for its betterment.
• The second chief newspaper of Lahore was
  Darya-e-Noor which could not continue because
  it openly condemned the British rule. It had a
  very short but lively life.

8
Characteristic of Urdu Journalism

• In early stages of journalism, the readership of
  Urdu newspapers was not very remarkable.
• Statistical information tells that Koh-e-Noor had
  highest circulation with three hundred and fifty
  copies a day.
• Syed-ul-Akhbar had the lowest circulation of only
  twenty seven copies.
• Majority of the newspapers produced nearly fifty
  copies per day.
• Some papers even sold two hundred copies because
  the British used to take fifty to hundred copies
  for officials and schools on permanent basis.

9
Characteristic of Urdu Journalism

• The reason behind low readership was that most
  newspapers at that time cost fifty cents (8
  aaney) per copy. We can safely assume that only
  well-off people were able to afford.
• Secondly, literacy rate was considerably low.
• At least forty customers were required to make
  self-govern (independent) a weekly.
• Regional, national and international news were
  published.
• News of educational reforms had exceptional
  emphasis in Urdu newspapers.

10
Characteristic of Urdu Journalism

• Sources of news were other hand-written news
  sheets of emperors stringers, English newspapers
  and contemporary Urdu and Persian newspapers.
• Editorials were not included.
• Notes or comments were given at the end of
  columns.
• Editors suggestions and interpretations were
  also put in under separate column.
• Newspapers were not very goof-looking or
  impressive.
• Pictures were not used, however, a little bit
  hand-made pictures were printed sometimes.

11
Characteristic of Urdu Journalism

• Newspapers had no well arrange material in order
  or sequence.
• Koh-e-Noor was the only Urdu newspaper, in which
  material was arranged in a definite series.
• One most enhanced quality of Koh-e-Noor was
  printing of annual Index, through which concerned
  news items could be easily searched out.
• Not all Urdu newspapers criticized the
  government.