Name –Prabhpreet Jhangra BJMC- 2nd,Morning Enrollment No. - 02814202410

NEWSPAPERS IN BOMBAYAlthough the first printing press was imported into Bombay as early as 1670 by the Parsi businessman Bhimjee Parikh, it was more than a hundred years before the first newspaper was printed.The first newspapers in Bombay were owned and printed by Parsis, who already owned the technological and financial basis for such ventures. The first English newspaper in Bombay was printed by Rustomji Keshaspathi in 1777.

The first vernacular newspaper in Bombay was the Gujarati daily Mumbai Samachar, published in 1822 by Fardoonjee Marzban. Although not the first newspaper in an Indian language (that distinction was held by the Bengali newspaper Sangbad Kaumudi, published from Calcutta) Mumbai Samachar is still being published, and is India's oldest newspaper. The first Marathi daily Dig-Dursan appeared in 1837, and the first Hindu-Gujarati newspaper, Vartaman in 1849 (in Ahmedabad).

Initially the newspapers concentrated on social issues. In 1851 Dadabhai Naoroji started the first political paper-- Rast Goftar. In later years, when K. N. Kabraji became the publisher, he stopped all political commentary and had a public exchange of letters with Naoroji in which each accused the other of deviating from the original agenda.

In 1878 the Government of India passed the Censorship Act. Protests from the press had no effect. Four years later, in 1882, the newspaper Kaiser-i-Hind was founded by Framjee Cowasji Mehta. This became a platform for the fledgling Congress from its inception in 1885. The leading British newspaper of this time was the Times of India.

Bombay, now Mumbai surprisingly was a late starter – The Bombay Herald came into existence in 1789. Significantly, a year later a paper called the Courier started carrying advertisements in Gujarati.The first media merger of sorts: The Bombay Gazette, which was started in 1791, merged with the Bombay Herald the following year. Like the Madras Courier, this new entity was recognised as the publication to carry “official notifications and advertisements”.

- In 1789 ‘Bombay Herald’, first newspaper in Bombay and it’s a weekly.

- In 1790 ‘Bombay Courier’, second newspaper in Bombay and founded Lukensh Burner by employees of east India Company. Bombay courier later renamed as ‘Bombay Times’ and in 1791, first newspaper published Indian language advertisements in Gujarati.- Form Bombay Times two newspapers were originated, India Times and

Bombay Gazette. In 1791 Bombay Gazette newspaper gave importance to Letters to the Editor.

Name –Prabhpreet Jhangra BJMC- 2nd,Morning Enrollment No. –02814202410

NEWSPAPERS IN MADRAS Madras was the second place from where; media publishing’s started in the right earnest.The first paper to start was ‘The Madras Courier’ started in 1785 in the southern stronghold of Madras, which is now called Chennai. Richard Johnson, its founder, was a government printer. This was an officially recognized newspaper.

Madras got its second newspaper when, in 1791, Hugh Boyd, who was the editor of the Courier quit and founded the Hurkaru. Tragically for the paper, it ceased publication when Boyd passed away within a year of its founding. Hugh Boyd’s break-off from the entirely British-government owned Madras Courier brought Hurkaru on the paper map. This was an attempt to bring out a parallel paper to pose a challenge to the government mouthpiece. These and a few other attempts by British Publishers of newspapers to bring some news to the public that would not have passed government censure did not live long.

The Madras Courier continued without a competitor till1795 when R. Williams started the Madras Gazette Followed a few months later by the Indian Herald which was published without authority.It was only in 1795 that competitors to the Courier emerged with the founding of the Madras Gazette followed by the India Herald. The latter was an “unauthorised” publication, which led to the deportation of its founder Humphreys. The Madras Courier was designated the purveyor of official information in the Presidency.

Newspapers in Madras:

- In 1785, ‘Madras Courier’ the first newspaper came to Madras, it’s a four pages newspaper two pages for news, third page for reader’s forum and last page for advertisements, government decided to give advertisements.

- In 1795, Madras Gazette was started and it was a competition to Madras Courier.

- In 1795, first time in India censorship was applied to a newspaper ‘Madras Gazette’.

- To control the press, suddenly government passed ‘Censorship Act’ in 1795 in Madras (for particular newspapers). After 1799 the ‘Censorship Act’ was implemented to all newspapers in India. New laws to press, before publishing the news proof sheets of the content should submit to the government. Hence ‘Bengal Gazette’ newspaper banned.

Censorship was first introduced in Madras in 1795 when the Madras Gazette was required to submit all the general orders of the Government for scrutiny by the Military Secretary before publication. Free postage facilities were withdrawn and on both newspapers protesting, it was decided to impose the levy at the delivery end. In fact the proprietor of the Madras Courier, Richard Johnson, secured new presses, types and material through the good offices of the Government which recommended to the Hon’ble court of Directors that they should be transmitted to India free of duty.