Millions of people from around the world buy a newspaper every day. Some people read a broadsheet for its analysis of world events. Others just flick through a tabloid for the latest celebrity gossip or to glance at the horoscopes or TV listings. Whatever the reason, your paper can provide you with all sorts of useful entertaining information. In the past, newspapers played an even more important role, as they helped to improve literacy and encouraged people to fight for freedom and human rights.
The concept of newspapers can be traced as far back as ancient Rome, where each day handwritten notes would be put up around the city and its provinces. They would give news about government decisions, important marriages, births, deaths, and even the results of gladiatorial contests. Printed reports of news events started to appear in the 16th century, and by the late 18th century newspapers were common in Europe and the USA. In fact, many newspapers which are still going strong today, like the Observer and the Times in London, date back to that period. As printing technology has improved, newspapers have been able to increase circulation, and now individual newspapers can sell millions of copies. Even with the introduction and development of other media, such as TV and radio, newspapers still play an important part in our lives.
400th birthday of the newspaper
