Difference between revisions of "The Times (London)" - New World Encyclopedia
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'''''The Times''''' is a national [[newspaper]] published daily in the [[United Kingdom]] since 1785, and under its current name since 1788. For much of its history it has been regarded as Britain's [[newspaper of record]] and preserved in the [[British Library]]'s newspaper library in that capacity. It has played an influential role in politics and shaping public opinion about foreign events. | '''''The Times''''' is a national [[newspaper]] published daily in the [[United Kingdom]] since 1785, and under its current name since 1788. For much of its history it has been regarded as Britain's [[newspaper of record]] and preserved in the [[British Library]]'s newspaper library in that capacity. It has played an influential role in politics and shaping public opinion about foreign events. | ||
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== History == | == History == | ||
| − | ''The Times'' was founded by [[John Walter]] in 1785 as ''The Daily Universal Register''. Unhappy with ''Universal'' being universally ignored by the public | + | ''The Times'' was founded by [[John Walter]] in 1785 as ''The Daily Universal Register''. Unhappy with ''Universal'' being universally ignored by the public, Walter changed the title after 940 editions on January 1, 1788 to ''The Times''. John Walter was also the first editor of the paper. He resigned in 1803, handing ownership and editorship to the second [[John Walter (second)|John Walter]]. The first John Walter had already spent sixteen months in [[Newgate prison]] for [[libel]] printed in ''The Times'', but his pioneering efforts to obtain European news, especially from [[France]], helped build the paper's reputation among policy makers and financiers. |
''The Times'' used contributions from significant figures in the fields of politics, science, literature, and the arts to build its reputation. For much of its early life, the profits of ''The Times'' were very large and the competition minimal, so it could pay far better than its rivals for information or writers. | ''The Times'' used contributions from significant figures in the fields of politics, science, literature, and the arts to build its reputation. For much of its early life, the profits of ''The Times'' were very large and the competition minimal, so it could pay far better than its rivals for information or writers. | ||
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''The Times'' was the first newspaper to send special correspondents abroad{{cite needed}}, and it was the first to send [[war correspondent]]s to cover particular conflicts. [[W. H. Russell]], the paper's correspondent with the army in the [[Crimean War]], was immensely influential<ref>Philip Knightley, ''The First Casualty: The War Correspondent as Hero, Propagandist, and Myth-maker from the Crimea to the Gulf War II''</ref> with his dispatches back to England. | ''The Times'' was the first newspaper to send special correspondents abroad{{cite needed}}, and it was the first to send [[war correspondent]]s to cover particular conflicts. [[W. H. Russell]], the paper's correspondent with the army in the [[Crimean War]], was immensely influential<ref>Philip Knightley, ''The First Casualty: The War Correspondent as Hero, Propagandist, and Myth-maker from the Crimea to the Gulf War II''</ref> with his dispatches back to England. | ||
| − | In other events of the [[19th century]], ''The Times'' opposed the repeal of the [[Corn Laws]] | + | In other events of the [[19th century]], ''The Times'' opposed the repeal of the [[Corn Laws]] until the number of demonstrations convinced the editorial board otherwise, and only reluctantly supported aid to victims of the [[Irish Potato Famine]]. During the [[American Civil War]], ''The Times'' represented the view of the wealthy classes, favouring the secessionists, but it was not a supporter of slavery. Its support of individual politicians was internally driven and did not pander to public opinion{{cite needed}}. |
The third [[John Walter (third)|John Walter]] had succeeded his father in 1847. Though the Walters were becoming more conservative, the paper continued as more or less independent. From the 1850s, however, ''The Times'' was beginning to suffer from the rise in competition from the [[penny press]], notably ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' and ''[[The Morning Post]]''. | The third [[John Walter (third)|John Walter]] had succeeded his father in 1847. Though the Walters were becoming more conservative, the paper continued as more or less independent. From the 1850s, however, ''The Times'' was beginning to suffer from the rise in competition from the [[penny press]], notably ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' and ''[[The Morning Post]]''. | ||
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In 1967, members of the [[Astor family]] sold the paper to Canadian publishing magnate [[Roy Thomson]], and in the same year it started printing news on the front page for the first time. (Previously, the paper's front page featured small advertisements, usually of interest to the moneyed classes in British society.{{cite needed}}) The [[Thomson Corporation]] merged it with ''[[The Sunday Times (UK)|The Sunday Times]]'' to form [[News International#Times Newspapers|Times Newspapers Limited]]. | In 1967, members of the [[Astor family]] sold the paper to Canadian publishing magnate [[Roy Thomson]], and in the same year it started printing news on the front page for the first time. (Previously, the paper's front page featured small advertisements, usually of interest to the moneyed classes in British society.{{cite needed}}) The [[Thomson Corporation]] merged it with ''[[The Sunday Times (UK)|The Sunday Times]]'' to form [[News International#Times Newspapers|Times Newspapers Limited]]. | ||
| − | An industrial dispute left the paper shut down for nearly a year ( | + | An industrial dispute left the paper shut down for nearly a year (December 1, 1978–November 12, 1979). |
The [[Thomson Corporation]] management were struggling to run a business under the grip of the print unions at the height of Union powers. Union demands was increasingly difficult to meet. Management were left with no choice but to save both titles by finding a buyer who was in a position to guarantee the survival of both titles, and also one who had the resources and was committed to funding the inevitable migration to technology-based printing. | The [[Thomson Corporation]] management were struggling to run a business under the grip of the print unions at the height of Union powers. Union demands was increasingly difficult to meet. Management were left with no choice but to save both titles by finding a buyer who was in a position to guarantee the survival of both titles, and also one who had the resources and was committed to funding the inevitable migration to technology-based printing. | ||
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Both papers had their survival guaranteed and it marked a significant own goal for the radical elements within the Trade Union movement. | Both papers had their survival guaranteed and it marked a significant own goal for the radical elements within the Trade Union movement. | ||
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In 1981, ''The Times'' and ''The Sunday Times'' were purchased from Thomson by Rupert Murdoch's News International. | In 1981, ''The Times'' and ''The Sunday Times'' were purchased from Thomson by Rupert Murdoch's News International. | ||
| − | Murdoch soon began making his mark on the paper, replacing its editor, [[William Rees-Mogg]], with [[Harold Evans]] in 1981. One of his most important changes was in the introduction of new technology and efficiency measures. In March–May 1982, following agreement with print unions, the hot-metal Linotype printing process used to print ''The Times'' since the 19th century was phased out and replaced by computer input and photo-composition. This allowed the staff of the print rooms of ''The Times'' and ''The Sunday Times'' to be reduced by half<!--from 375 to 186—>{{cite needed}}. However, direct input of text by journalists ("single stroke" input) was still not achieved, and this was to remain an interim measure until the [[Wapping dispute]] of 1986, which saw ''The Times'' move from its home at New Printing House Square in Gray's Inn Road (near [[Fleet Street]]) to new offices in [[Wapping]]<ref>Alan Hamilton, "The Times bids farewell to old technology". ''The Times'', | + | Murdoch soon began making his mark on the paper, replacing its editor, [[William Rees-Mogg]], with [[Harold Evans]] in 1981. One of his most important changes was in the introduction of new technology and efficiency measures. In March–May 1982, following agreement with print unions, the hot-metal Linotype printing process used to print ''The Times'' since the 19th century was phased out and replaced by computer input and photo-composition. This allowed the staff of the print rooms of ''The Times'' and ''The Sunday Times'' to be reduced by half<!--from 375 to 186—>{{cite needed}}. However, direct input of text by journalists ("single stroke" input) was still not achieved, and this was to remain an interim measure until the [[Wapping dispute]] of 1986, which saw ''The Times'' move from its home at New Printing House Square in Gray's Inn Road (near [[Fleet Street]]) to new offices in [[Wapping]]<ref>Alan Hamilton, "The Times bids farewell to old technology". ''The Times'', May 1, 1982, pg. 2, col. C.</ref>. |
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In November 2003, News International began producing the newspaper in both broadsheet and compact sizes. On [[13 September]] [[2004]], the weekday broadsheet was withdrawn from sale in [[Northern Ireland]]. Since [[1 November]] [[2004]], the paper has been printed solely in compact format. Whilst the newspaper published dual editions, some claimed{{cite needed}} that the compact version featured more [[sensationalist]] stories than the broadsheet, such as [[celebrities]] on the front page. This was denied by management at News International{{cite needed}}. | In November 2003, News International began producing the newspaper in both broadsheet and compact sizes. On [[13 September]] [[2004]], the weekday broadsheet was withdrawn from sale in [[Northern Ireland]]. Since [[1 November]] [[2004]], the paper has been printed solely in compact format. Whilst the newspaper published dual editions, some claimed{{cite needed}} that the compact version featured more [[sensationalist]] stories than the broadsheet, such as [[celebrities]] on the front page. This was denied by management at News International{{cite needed}}. | ||
The [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] announced plans to launch [[litigation]] against ''The Times'' over an incident in which the newspaper claimed that Conservative election strategist [[Lynton Crosby]] had admitted that his party would not win the 2005 [[General Election]]. ''The Times'' later published a clarification, and the litigation was dropped. | The [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] announced plans to launch [[litigation]] against ''The Times'' over an incident in which the newspaper claimed that Conservative election strategist [[Lynton Crosby]] had admitted that his party would not win the 2005 [[General Election]]. ''The Times'' later published a clarification, and the litigation was dropped. | ||
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==''The Times'' today== | ==''The Times'' today== | ||
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===Circulation=== | ===Circulation=== | ||
The certified average [[Newspaper circulation|circulation figures]] for November 2005 show that ''The Times'' sold 692,581 copies per day. This was the highest achieved under the current editor, [[Robert James Thomson|Robert Thomson]], and ensured that the newspaper remained ahead of ''The Daily Telegraph'' in terms of full rate sales, although ''The Daily Telegraph'' remains the market leader for broadsheets, with a circulation of 905,955 copies, owing to over 300,000 discount subscribers each day. [[Tabloid newspapers]], such as ''[[The Sun (newspaper)|The Sun]]'', at present outsell both papers with a circulation of around 3,274,855, with their far broader appeal and content. | The certified average [[Newspaper circulation|circulation figures]] for November 2005 show that ''The Times'' sold 692,581 copies per day. This was the highest achieved under the current editor, [[Robert James Thomson|Robert Thomson]], and ensured that the newspaper remained ahead of ''The Daily Telegraph'' in terms of full rate sales, although ''The Daily Telegraph'' remains the market leader for broadsheets, with a circulation of 905,955 copies, owing to over 300,000 discount subscribers each day. [[Tabloid newspapers]], such as ''[[The Sun (newspaper)|The Sun]]'', at present outsell both papers with a circulation of around 3,274,855, with their far broader appeal and content. | ||
===Image=== | ===Image=== | ||
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Long considered the UK's newspaper of record, ''The Times'' is seen by some as a serious publication with high standards of journalism. Others, [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,23110-1969162,00.html including employees of The Times] feel it has gone downmarket since being acquired by Murdoch; they cite its coverage of celebrities as evidence, though this increased coverage of and emphasis on celebrity- and sports-related news is rarely given prominence on the front page. It is not without trenchant critics, however: [[Robert Fisk]]<ref>Robert Fisk, 2005. ''The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East''. London: Fourth Estate, pp329-334. ISBN 1-84115-007-X</ref>, seven times [[British International Journalist of the Year]], resigned as foreign correspondent in 1988 over what he saw as political censorship of his article on the shooting down of [[Iran Air Flight 655]] in July of that year. | Long considered the UK's newspaper of record, ''The Times'' is seen by some as a serious publication with high standards of journalism. Others, [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,23110-1969162,00.html including employees of The Times] feel it has gone downmarket since being acquired by Murdoch; they cite its coverage of celebrities as evidence, though this increased coverage of and emphasis on celebrity- and sports-related news is rarely given prominence on the front page. It is not without trenchant critics, however: [[Robert Fisk]]<ref>Robert Fisk, 2005. ''The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East''. London: Fourth Estate, pp329-334. ISBN 1-84115-007-X</ref>, seven times [[British International Journalist of the Year]], resigned as foreign correspondent in 1988 over what he saw as political censorship of his article on the shooting down of [[Iran Air Flight 655]] in July of that year. | ||
Revision as of 01:56, 5 January 2007
| ' | |
|---|---|
| Type | Daily newspaper |
| Format | Compact (Tabloid) |
| Owner | News International |
| Editor | Robert Thomson |
| Founded | 1785 |
| Political position | Centre-right |
| Headquarters | Wapping, London |
| Website: www.timesonline.co.uk | |
The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom since 1785, and under its current name since 1788. For much of its history it has been regarded as Britain's newspaper of record and preserved in the British Library's newspaper library in that capacity. It has played an influential role in politics and shaping public opinion about foreign events.
History
The Times was founded by John Walter in 1785 as The Daily Universal Register. Unhappy with Universal being universally ignored by the public, Walter changed the title after 940 editions on January 1, 1788 to The Times. John Walter was also the first editor of the paper. He resigned in 1803, handing ownership and editorship to the second John Walter. The first John Walter had already spent sixteen months in Newgate prison for libel printed in The Times, but his pioneering efforts to obtain European news, especially from France, helped build the paper's reputation among policy makers and financiers.
The Times used contributions from significant figures in the fields of politics, science, literature, and the arts to build its reputation. For much of its early life, the profits of The Times were very large and the competition minimal, so it could pay far better than its rivals for information or writers.
In 1809, John Stoddart was appointed general editor, replaced in 1817 with Thomas Barnes. Under Barnes and his successor in 1841, John Thadeus Delane, the influence of The Times rose to great heights, especially in politics and amongst the City of London. Peter Fraser and Edward Sterling were two noted hacksTemplate:Cite needed and gained for The Times the pompous/satirical nickname 'The Thunderer' (from "We thundered out the other day an article on social and political reform.").
The Times was the first newspaper to send special correspondents abroadTemplate:Cite needed, and it was the first to send war correspondents to cover particular conflicts. W. H. Russell, the paper's correspondent with the army in the Crimean War, was immensely influential[1] with his dispatches back to England.
In other events of the 19th century, The Times opposed the repeal of the Corn Laws until the number of demonstrations convinced the editorial board otherwise, and only reluctantly supported aid to victims of the Irish Potato Famine. During the American Civil War, The Times represented the view of the wealthy classes, favouring the secessionists, but it was not a supporter of slavery. Its support of individual politicians was internally driven and did not pander to public opinionTemplate:Cite needed.
The third John Walter had succeeded his father in 1847. Though the Walters were becoming more conservative, the paper continued as more or less independent. From the 1850s, however, The Times was beginning to suffer from the rise in competition from the penny press, notably The Daily Telegraph and The Morning Post.
In 1922, John Jacob Astor, a son of the 1st Viscount Astor, bought The Times from the Northcliffe family estate. The paper gained a measure of notoriety in the 1930s with its advocacy of German appeasement; then-editor Geoffrey Dawson was closely allied with those in the government who practised appeasementTemplate:Cite needed, most notably Neville Chamberlain.
In 1967, members of the Astor family sold the paper to Canadian publishing magnate Roy Thomson, and in the same year it started printing news on the front page for the first time. (Previously, the paper's front page featured small advertisements, usually of interest to the moneyed classes in British society.Template:Cite needed) The Thomson Corporation merged it with The Sunday Times to form Times Newspapers Limited.
An industrial dispute left the paper shut down for nearly a year (December 1, 1978–November 12, 1979).
The Thomson Corporation management were struggling to run a business under the grip of the print unions at the height of Union powers. Union demands was increasingly difficult to meet. Management were left with no choice but to save both titles by finding a buyer who was in a position to guarantee the survival of both titles, and also one who had the resources and was committed to funding the inevitable migration to technology-based printing.
Several suitors appeared, including Robert Maxwell, Tiny Rowland and Lord Rothermere; however, only one buyer was in a position to fulfill the full Thomson remit. That buyer was the Australian media baron Rupert Murdoch.
Both papers had their survival guaranteed and it marked a significant own goal for the radical elements within the Trade Union movement.
In 1981, The Times and The Sunday Times were purchased from Thomson by Rupert Murdoch's News International.
Murdoch soon began making his mark on the paper, replacing its editor, William Rees-Mogg, with Harold Evans in 1981. One of his most important changes was in the introduction of new technology and efficiency measures. In March–May 1982, following agreement with print unions, the hot-metal Linotype printing process used to print The Times since the 19th century was phased out and replaced by computer input and photo-composition. This allowed the staff of the print rooms of The Times and The Sunday Times to be reduced by halfTemplate:Cite needed. However, direct input of text by journalists ("single stroke" input) was still not achieved, and this was to remain an interim measure until the Wapping dispute of 1986, which saw The Times move from its home at New Printing House Square in Gray's Inn Road (near Fleet Street) to new offices in Wapping[2].
In November 2003, News International began producing the newspaper in both broadsheet and compact sizes. On 13 September 2004, the weekday broadsheet was withdrawn from sale in Northern Ireland. Since 1 November 2004, the paper has been printed solely in compact format. Whilst the newspaper published dual editions, some claimedTemplate:Cite needed that the compact version featured more sensationalist stories than the broadsheet, such as celebrities on the front page. This was denied by management at News InternationalTemplate:Cite needed.
The Conservative Party announced plans to launch litigation against The Times over an incident in which the newspaper claimed that Conservative election strategist Lynton Crosby had admitted that his party would not win the 2005 General Election. The Times later published a clarification, and the litigation was dropped.
The Times today
Circulation
The certified average circulation figures for November 2005 show that The Times sold 692,581 copies per day. This was the highest achieved under the current editor, Robert Thomson, and ensured that the newspaper remained ahead of The Daily Telegraph in terms of full rate sales, although The Daily Telegraph remains the market leader for broadsheets, with a circulation of 905,955 copies, owing to over 300,000 discount subscribers each day. Tabloid newspapers, such as The Sun, at present outsell both papers with a circulation of around 3,274,855, with their far broader appeal and content.
Image
Long considered the UK's newspaper of record, The Times is seen by some as a serious publication with high standards of journalism. Others, including employees of The Times feel it has gone downmarket since being acquired by Murdoch; they cite its coverage of celebrities as evidence, though this increased coverage of and emphasis on celebrity- and sports-related news is rarely given prominence on the front page. It is not without trenchant critics, however: Robert Fisk[3], seven times British International Journalist of the Year, resigned as foreign correspondent in 1988 over what he saw as political censorship of his article on the shooting down of Iran Air Flight 655 in July of that year.
Readership profile and image
The British Business Survey 2005 named The Times as the UK's leading daily newspaper for business people. This independent survey was sponsored by The Financial Times, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Economist, and The Times.
The latest figures from the national readership survey show The Times to have the highest number of ABC1 25–44 readers and the largest numbers of readers in London of any of the "quality" papers.
Supplements
Times 2 / T2
T2 is The Times's main supplement, featuring various lifestyle columns. On 5 September 2005, it relaunched as Times 2 and is now and aimed at women, describing itself as The thinking woman's daily supplement. It has an image of the day and a modern morals column, where people ask Joe Joseph if they lead moral lives. However, the supplement continues to be popular with male readers, it containing a sudoku puzzle and a simpler, concise crossword.
Crème
Crème is the newspaper's supplement for "PAs, secretaries, executive assistants and anyone who works in administrative support."[4] It is read by more secretaries than The Guardian and The Evening Standard[5].
The Times Magazine
The Times Magazine accompanies the newspaper on Saturday, and features columns touching on various subjects such as celebrities, fashion and beauty, food and drink, homes and gardens or simply writers' anecdotes. Notable contributors include Gordon Ramsay, one of Britain's highest profile chefs, and Giles Coren, Food And Drink Writer of the Year in 2005.
The Knowledge
The Knowledge is supplied in the newspaper on a Saturday. This includes information on 'Arts & Entertainment' and 'TV & Radio', by going into detail about whats on and what is worthwhile going to see. It is usuall split up into sections of 'Starts' , 'Screen' which includes film, DVD, Internet and Games. 'Stages' which is further split into Theatre, Dance, Opear and Comedy. 'Sounds' which informs us about Music, Clubs, Concerts and 'Sights' further sectioned into Museums, Galleries, Events and Kids.
Body and Soul
Body and Soul is complementary with Saturdays Times, this is a useful weekly guide to a better lifestyle. It also includes a pull out named The Times Money
Notes and references
- ↑ Philip Knightley, The First Casualty: The War Correspondent as Hero, Propagandist, and Myth-maker from the Crimea to the Gulf War II
- ↑ Alan Hamilton, "The Times bids farewell to old technology". The Times, May 1, 1982, pg. 2, col. C.
- ↑ Robert Fisk, 2005. The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East. London: Fourth Estate, pp329-334. ISBN 1-84115-007-X
- ↑ http://www.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,8247,00.html
- ↑ NRS, April 04 – March 05
External links
- Official website, including a Style Guide
- Driving section including news, reviews and opinion from Jeremy Clarkson.
- Wapping: legacy of Rupert's revolution, January 15, 2006 - The Observer - Three views of the industrial dispute twenty years on.
Credits
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