A newspaper carries great significance no matter how much the trends and scenarios change. On 29th January, each year, Indian newspaper Day is observed. The first-ever newspaper in India was called ‘Hickey’s Bengal Gazette’, also known as ‘Calcutta General Advertiser’, which was a weekly English newspaper started by an Irishman. It was printed on 29th January, 1780 in Kolkata which was the capital of India at that time.
Hickey’s Bengal Gazette was the first newspaper to be printed in Asia. Its publication was stopped in 1782 as the British were aware of the damage the newspapers could do to their regime.
Founded by an Irishman named James Augustus Hickey, the newspaper was known for expressing everything freely in an unbiased manner which didn’t go down well with the British.
Hickey’s Bengal Gazette was a weekly newspaper but its inception started the much needed change. News started reaching every household and it was a major step towards brining the common man closer to the ones in power.
The paper was largely in the format of a tabloid and Hickey used it to poke fun at various East India Company officials with whom he had personal differences. Initially, the paper took a neutral stance on issues. But later, he changed his stance and started ridiculing the Company and its officials. He often used innuendoes and made-up names to talk about real-life personalities. His paper was much-read by colonial officials in Calcutta and they did not take kindly to his writings.
Hickey accused the East India Company of corruption and inefficiency. He also targeted the Governor-General Warren Hastings and accused him of maladministration. He even accused Hasting’s wife of corruption. He was promptly sued for libel and sentenced to prison.
Hickey continued to publish his paper from jail and he further accused Hastings and company of corruption through his writings. Fresh lawsuits were filed against him. Then, another rival paper, the India Gazette, which was funded by Hastings, started circulation. The Bengal Gazette could not stand up to the competition and it was soon driven out of business. It ceased publication on March 23, 1782. Even though short-lived, Hickey’s Bengal Gazette provided inspiration for later educated Indian reformers to start their own newspapers with more serious anti-colonial and nationalistic sentiments.
Many other newspapers were published in the 18th century like the Calcutta Gazette, Bengal Journal, Oriental Magazine of Calcutta, Bombay Herald, etc. The Bombay Samachar, which was started in 1822, is the oldest newspaper in Asia still in print. It is in the Gujarati language. The Bombay Times was started in 1838 and continues its run as the Times of India.
Today, India is the second-largest newspaper market in the world. There are over 1 lakh publications in the country in English and various other languages. Newspapers have contributed in its own way to the freedom struggle and in the progress of the country post-independence in the form of spreading information and knowledge, and also by keeping alive public opinion on various issues.
Newspapers carrying visuals and research backed powerful articles played a major role in transforming the way people perceived everything. It became easier for the public to analyze what was beneficial for them and what was not.
On 29th January, it is important to pay tributes to the print media industry which plays a huge role in erasing myths and inspiring younger generations to bring a positive change in the society.
