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:
Playboy. The history of a magazine entertaining... everyone
Małgorzata Dwornik
It was 1953 when young journalist Hugh Hefner took out a mortgage loan and convinced 45 shareholders to finance his idea for an erotic magazine named Stag Party. However, when STAG Publishing threatened to sue for trademark infringement, Hefner changed the name to PLAYBOY.
Yahoo! The history of the fallen giants of the internet
Małgorzata Dwornik
What began as an idea for a website directory to organize the chaos of the web became one of the first online market giants. Its story is one of a rapid rise and a painful collapse under its own weight. Though in September 2021, there was a glimmer of hope. Again.
The History of Television
BARD
In 1875, Ernest von Siemens constructed the first photocell. Two years later, Julian Ochorowicz, a Polish psychologist, developed the theoretical foundations of monochromatic television. In 1924, Scotsman John Baird transmitted an image over a distance. In Poland, we waited until 1952 for the first broadcast.
The Kyiv Independent. A Ukrainian outlet born from conflict
Małgorzata Dwornik
On November 12, 2021, journalists dismissed from the Kyiv Post launched a Twitter account and the @savekyivpost campaign to defend their rights. Ten days later, a new English-language online publication appeared in Ukraine: The Kyiv Independent. It became a valuable source of information about the war in Ukraine and is funded through crowdfunding.
