po polsku
However, there was no source of systematic information. As printers realized the demand for quick and detailed information, flyer newspapers began appearing every few days, or even daily, during the Swedish Deluge from 1655 to 1660. These newspapers included correspondence from all over Poland, gradually resembling periodical press.
The true title of "press" can be attributed only to "Merkuriusz Polski," which debuted in 1661. It was not merely a response to market demand but a deliberate move by the royal court to rally the nation for reforms. In short, it was a political-propaganda investment. King John II Casimir and Queen Ludwika Maria aimed to sway the masses toward governmental reform and secure a successor for the throne during King John’s lifetime, hoping to avoid chaos in a future election.
"Merkuriusz Polski" was the brainchild of the Grand Marshal of the Crown, Łukasz Opaliński. The first editor-in-chief was Hieronim Pinocci, an Italian by birth and a Pole in name, who already had journalistic experience, as he had been preparing a weekly information bulletin for the court.
Responsibility for printing "MP" was assigned to Jan Aleksander Gorczyn, a printer in Kraków. The first issue of "Merkuriusz" was released on January 3, 1661. Its full title was the catchy "Merkuriusz Polski, dzieje wszystkiego świata w sobie zamykający, dla informacjej pospolitej" (Polish Mercury, encompassing the world`s events, for public information). It was published weekly for 41 weeks, with issues ranging from 8 to 12 pages, in a 20x17 format, using Schwabacher typeface with Latin content in Roman and Italic fonts. Editorial preference leaned toward foreign news, but domestic events were not neglected. Domestic news focused on successes in wars against Moscow and the Cossacks. (Renowned historian Jerzy Łojek, who authored the book from which this information is drawn, argued that the propagandistic role of "Merkuriusz" was, at best, ineffective.)
On May 14, 1661, "Merkuriusz" moved its editorial office to Warsaw, as the Sejm was in session, and the entire court relocated there. After the Sejm, it disappeared.
There was no significant demand for "MP." Its circulation ranged from 100 to 300 copies. Amusingly, Łojek honestly admits that even historians have no clear idea who read it, who its audience was, or what impact it had on public opinion in Poland. It is known, however, that it reached several European capitals. To overcome language barriers, the king commissioned Pinocci to publish an Italian edition. The first issue was released at the end of January 1661 under the title "Continuatione del Mercurio Polacco." Six or seven issues were published, containing only news from Poland.
After the fall of "Merkuriusz," the press returned to the format of flyer newspapers, but with much lower frequency than during the Swedish Deluge. Renewed activity occurred during King John III Sobieski’s campaign to Vienna. Noteworthy titles included "Awizy," "Wiadomości różne cudzoziemskie," and Poland’s first literary-poetic monthly, "Mercurius Polonicus praecipuorum Europae eventuum epitomen..." by Jerzy Aleksander Priami, as well as "Poczta Królewiecka" by Jan Dawid Cenkier.
Although some historians believe that "Merkuriusz Polski" was not the first periodical newspaper in Poland, attributing that title to the mysterious "Nowiny Polskie" from Gdańsk, no copies of this publication have ever been found.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
New articles in section History of the media
Havas. The history of the world's first news agency
Małgorzata Dwornik
The idea of two bankrupt Frenchmen in 1835 turned out to be brilliant: use information as a commodity. Along with translators, messengers, and correspondents, they hired a flock of carrier pigeons. These birds carried news from London to Paris in a single day. The product of L'Bureau Havas quickly became popular far beyond Europe.
România Liberă. 150 years of history of the Romanian press
Małgorzata Dwornik
On May 14, 1877, Romania officially declared independence from the Ottoman Empire, and just one day later, the newspaper România Liberă (Free Romania) appeared on the Bucharest market. Its founder, first director, and journalist was Dimitrie August Laurian, strongly supported by Professor Ştefan Mihăilescu.
El Mercurio de Valparaiso from Chile. The oldest Spanish language newspaper in the world
Małgorzata Dwornik
The first issue started a revolution in South America. It survived 200 years of turbulent history: headquarters fires, editorial office looting, economic crises, and dictatorship. Today, El Mercurio de Valparaiso holds a unique status in the Chilean media market. And the title of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
See articles on a similar topic:
Lietuvos Aidas. Lithuanian newspaper that was born three times
Małgorzata Dwornik
In Lithuania, Lietuvos Aidas is sometimes called "The School of the Nation". This newspaper laid the foundation for free Lithuanian journalism and greatly contributed to the restoration of statehood. It appeared in 1918, vanishing from the market for years, only to return and shape new directions.
History of Comcast. How a modest cable company became a media giant
Małgorzata Dwornik
In 1963, it had only 1,200 customers and a dream. Six decades later, it became the world's third-largest media powerhouse. Ralph J. Roberts risked it all to bet on cable television. Did he know what he was doing? The history of Comcast shows that... he knew exactly what he was doing.
History of MTV. A Music Channel Where Music Once Disappeared
Małgorzata Dwornik
On August 1, 1981, at exactly 12:01 p.m. Eastern Time (USA and Canada), a new cable television channel launched: Music Television. John Lack welcomed MTV’s first viewers with the words: Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll! The first music video aired was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles.
The Fourth Estate in America
Urszula Sienkiewicz
Success, prestige, power, but above all, big money - these are the first words associated with the world of media in the United States. Do American media truly wield such influence over business and politics in the USA that they can be called the "fourth estate" without hesitation?
