“The industry associated with the printing and distribution of news through newspapers and magazines called print media.”

Hand Written News sheets:

In the sub-continent, journalism started with preliminary handwritten news sheets, prepared by government news-writers during the Muslim rule. They were written, dated, appeared at regular and frequent intervals.

Collecting News:

News-writers or stringers were assigned in all the areas of the empire to collect news and assemble it in the paper for the court of King. Most prominent and honest individuals were designated for such posts, they earned good salaries and their appointment or abolition was solely, with the King himself.

Downfall Of Mughal:

With the downfall of Mughal rule, Britain started offensive invasion into the subcontinent. Wherever hatred for British surfaced, people started privately-owned secret handwritten papers in order to induce and stimulate more hatred against East India Company. In the revolution of 1857, such papers played an effective role.

Arrival of Print Media:

Over the past two or three centuries we had seen innovations, inventions and developments all around the world and almost in all fields of life which we are experiencing currently. Journalism and media are also one of those fields which came into existence, progressed with the passage of time and then proved their worth and importance for any nation and its common man’s life.

First Printed News Paper: Hicky Gazette

Indian World

The first ever printing press was set up by the British at Bombay in 1674.

In the end of eighteenth century, printing presses were installed at Madras and Calcutta.

The first printed newspaper of sub-continent appeared in 1780, with the name of “Hickey Gazette”, published by James August Hickey. The size of that paper was 12″ x 8″ with only 4 pages.

For the reason that James Augustus Hickey was against East India Company and always brought forth the corruption of Government, he was soon jailed. But, Hickey continued editing in the jail too.

So, in November 1781, a newspaper with name of “India Gazette” was introduced which was pro Government and against Hickey. With this haphazard changing scenario, many new newspapers came on the scene. Some supported the government and others strived for freedom

William Duane was one of those editors who struggled hard for freedom of press.

Earlier, he was a fanatical editor of Bengal Journal, but the government violently removed him with force. Soon, he started his own newspaper, “Indian World” which was more authentic and openly critical to East India Company.

The British released two consecutive newspapers to combat it, but failed. Interestingly, circulation of Indian World increased more than expectations

Jam-e-Jahan Numa

Maraat-ul-Akhbar

First printed Urdu newspaper was “Jam-e-Jahan Numa”, published in Calcutta in 1822 under the supervision of British. Its editor was Munshi Sada Sukh.

After some weeks, its language was changed into Persian because the circulation remained extremely low. Later, after two years, it was integrated with a four-page Urdu news sheet for the reason that some of the British officials had learned Urdu where on the other hand people could be mobilized to use Urdu language.

Jam-e- Jahan Numa featured news items from other hand-written news sheets of autonomous states, English newspapers and some of its own.

The first printed Persian newspaper “Marat-ul-Akhbar” appeared in Calcutta in 1822.

Its founder and editor was Raja Ram Mohan Raey. He was a spiritual leader of Hindus. He started Bengali newspapers also. His intention to start newspapers in general was to enhance the knowledge of common people and acquaint them with the policies, laws and line of action of the British government.

This newspaper had a short life but it was appreciated at the highest degree.

When journalism entered in other parts of sub-continent, several newspapers of regional languages also emerged.

For instance, Bengali, Hindi, Gujrati, Marhati and Tamil language newspapers.

These newspapers included short articles, ephemeral topics, some illustrations and service articles.

Urdu journalism started with Jam-e-Jahan Numa but in point of fact its history begins from 1836, when the father of Maulana Muhammad Hussain Azad, MaulviMuhammad Baqar started “Delhi Urdu Akhbar”. After that, a large number of Urdu newspapers emerged in corner-to-corner of the sub-continent. Some significant factors behind the progress of Urdu journalism were that:

In 1830, East India Company declared Urdu the official language of small government institutions and court of law.

After 1835, many newspapers of regional languages came at frontline.

Government intended to promote Western Studies in the sub-continent. Since, Urdu newspapers were appropriate medium for the purpose, the government used to purchase a certain quantity of newspapers for officials, schools and colleges. This setup financially supported some of the newspapers.

These were the four elements behind the growth and progress of Urdu journalism in sub-continent. Later, many new Urdu papers started in Delhi, Lahore, Sialkot, Multan, Gujaranwala, Gujarat, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Shimla, Ladhiana, Batala, Amratsar, Agra, Lukhnow, Banaras, Bombay, Breli, Aligarh and Madras. However, Delhi and Lahore are considered to be the mother land of Urdu journalism.

Newspapers of Delhi:

Newspapers of Delhi was the First “Delhi Urdu Akhbar” and second was “Syed-ul-Akhbar”. Delhi Urdu Akhbar continued for twenty one years. Maulvi Muhammad Baqar was its first editor. The first page of Delhi Urdu Akbar was used for the activities of Last Mughal Emperor Bahaddur Shah Zafar. Then the movement and actions of British residents and other officials were included.

Syed-ul-Akhbar came into being in the year 1837. Its founder was Syed Muhammad Kahan, real brother of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. After nine years, he died in young age and the paper continued in the editorship of Syed Ahmed Khan. But the name of editor was kept concealed. In 1950, Syed-ul-Akhbarwas closed because of financial problems.

Newspaper of Lahore:

First Urdu newspaper of Lahore was “Koh-e-Noor”, started in 1850. And, continued for more than half a century. Munshi Harsukh Raeywas its founder who was specially called by the British after invasion in Punjab.

It was a unique paper with matchless enhancements. It provided not only news and views, but enormous educative material for educators. Koh-e-Noor had largest circulation in all the Urdu papers of the sub-continent. In fifty years of its existence, a various editors worked for its betterment.

The second chief newspaper of Lahore was “Darya-e-Noor” which could not continue because it openly condemned the British rule. It had a very short but lively life.

Newspapers of Sialkot and Multan

After Lahore, the next important centre of Urdu journalism was Sialkot. Where, Munshi Dewan Chand started newspaper for the first time. He released six newspapers before the revolution of 1857. Among which “Chashma-e-Faiz” and “Victoria Paper” were very famous.

Victoria paper continued for fifty years. It is interesting to know that Sialkot had the largest circulation of newspapers. There are two main reasons, given by scholars, for increased distribution of newspapers in Sialkot. First is that the literacy and education acquisition was emphasized upon by the British. Secondly, the East India Company implemented juristic education reforms.

Multan is concerned, two or three newspapers started in the city before 1857. For the most part “Riyaz-e-Tor” was a famous paper

printing and publishing in Dhaka

It can not be said with certainty where the first printing press was set up in Bangladesh. It is conjectured that the first printing press in Bangladesh was in Rangpur during 1847, about 335 kilometres away from Dhaka.

The first printed piece from this printing press was a weekly newspaper named Rangapur Barttabaha in August, 1847. In addition the first two Bengali weekly newspapers were from Rangpur. Printing machine took more than sixty years to reach East Bengal or Dhaka from Kolkata.

The first English weekly newspaper, The Dacca News was printed and published from Dhaka in 1856. So, it is assumed that after nine years of Rangpur press, the first printing machine of Dhaka was established and the press was named 'Dacca Press'.

It is safe to say that journalism had its roots in the sub-continent since the Muslim rule. A perfect communication system did exist when the British invaded the sub- continent. It is true that British established printing presses and promoted literacy, but it was the endeavors of natives of sub-continent, that journalism prospered throughout from corner to corner. As journalism flourished, many broad-minded people of sub-continent entered into the arena of journalism

Even after the exclusion of Muslims from journalism in 1857, the Muslim press grew from scrap and fruitfully served the cause of independence.

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