Madras Courier
Owner(s)Richard Johnson
PublisherRichard Johnson
Founded12 October 1785
LanguageEnglish
Ceased publication1821
HeadquartersMadras, Madras Presidency, British India

The Madras Courier was an Indian English language newspaper that ran between 1785 and 1821.[1] It was the first newspaper to be published in Madras, Madras Presidency, British India. It was the leading newspaper of its time and was the officially recognized newspaper for printing government notifications.[1]

History

Madras Courier was found on 12 October 1785 by Richard Johnston, a British Army officer turned printer.[1] The transition in career path led him to establish the first newspaper in the Madras Presidency, following the Bengal Gazette, India's first newspaper, which was launched in Calcutta in 1780.[1] Hugh Boyd was its first editor.[2][3][4][5][6]

Functioning as a weekly publication, the Madras Courier gained official recognition for publishing government notifications.[1] It enjoyed the patronage of the British East India Company in its initial years.[1] The newspaper, according to Henry Davison Love's Vestiges of Old Madras (1640-1800), benefited from privileges such as postal waivers within the presidency and exemptions on freight charges for importing printing equipment.[1][7]

In contrast to the Bengal Gazette, which was critical of the East India Company and faced suppression, the Madras Courier avoided offending the company.[1] Nonetheless, it encountered controversies, such as debates over the legality of lotteries for public projects and accusations of libel.[1] The paper faced challenges with the rise of competitors such as the Madras Gazette and Government Gazette, leading to its closure in 1821.[1]

Contents

The newspaper typically encompassed four to six pages and featured a Latin motto, "Quicquid agunt homines" ("Whatever people do").[1] Its content included British news, letters to the editor, local Indian news, poetry, and advertisements. It initially released issues on Wednesdays, later switching to Thursdays.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l B.A, Pon Vasanth (24 November 2022). "The first newspaper of Madras Presidency had a 36-year run". The Hindu.
  2. ^ "Memories of The Mail". The Hindu. 11 June 2003. Archived from the original on 24 October 2003. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  3. ^ "A look at the changing scene". Press Trust of India. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  4. ^ A. Ganesan (1 January 1988). The Press in Tamil Nadu and the Struggle for Freedom, 1917-1937. Mittal Publications. pp. 4–. ISBN 978-81-7099-082-6.
  5. ^ "The English Press in Colonel India". S.M.A. Feroze. The Dawn. 22 April 2017. Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  6. ^ Gillies, Stewart. "Early Indian Newspapers". www.bl.uk. Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  7. ^ Henry Davidson Love. Indian Records Series Vestiges of Old Madras. Mittal Publications. pp. 359–. GGKEY:GE1U0JNYH0Q. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
Categories