The first domestic newspaper

On January 13, Russian Press Day is celebrated in Russia. It was on this day more than 300 years ago that the first domestic periodical – the Vedomosti newspaper – appeared. Since then, a lot has changed: from the technique of printing to the format of publications. For more than four centuries, not only the circulation of domestic newspapers and magazines has grown significantly, but also their quality. Now Russian publications are published in 102 languages and are among the best media in the world.

Today we decided to collect for you the most interesting facts about the first Russian printed products.

1. The first newspaper did not have a clear name. It did not have a specific release date, and the format differed from release to release. Each new issue had a new name, circulation and price.

2. The publishing editor, author of articles and sometimes even critic of some publications of the first Russian newspaper was Peter I. An enlightened and far-sighted emperor appreciated the power of the printed word. He directly participated in the creation of articles, wrote and edited texts, rejected unnecessary and compiled the main agenda. It was his pen that published a report on the battle of Poltava on June 27, 1709.

3. The creation of Vedomosti played not only an educational, but also an important strategic role. The first issue was published in 1703, at a time when our troops suffered a series of significant defeats in the Northern War, and the army needed support more than ever, and the people in the belief in victory. "Vedomosti" with its positive news from the fronts and rear helped people believe in the imminent end of hostilities and victory over the army of Charles XII.

4. The reforming tsar understood that it would be very difficult to instill in society the habit of reading periodicals. In order for the information presented in Vedomosti to reach readers in a timely manner, the emperor created a kind of reading circle. Residents of Moscow had the opportunity to visit a special restaurant and discuss fresh news from Vedomosti over lunch or a cup of coffee. At the same time, tea and desserts for newspapers in these establishments were served completely free of charge.

5. However, "Vedomosti" was not the first periodicals in Russia. A century before the creation of Peter’s newspaper, the first domestic handwritten edition appeared – “Kuranty”. Unlike Vedomosti, this newspaper was intended only for a limited number of people and was of the highest secrecy. "Currants" were published in a single copy. Materials for them were collected by various informants, and the main reader, or rather, the listener, was Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich.