A Brief History of the News of the World

The News of the World is part of News Group Newspapers; a subsidiary of News International, owned by the News Corporation group under world-media tycoon, Rupert Murdoch. It is printed on Sundays in tabloid format and as of December 2008, it is the highest-selling Sunday newspaper in the UK, with an average weekly circulation of 2,987,730 copies. The News of the World is generally considered to have a centre-right political stance, but it supported the Labour Party under Tony Blair during his last three General Election wins. (1997, 2001 and 2005.)

The News of the World was founded by John Browne Bell and the first edition of the paper was published on 1st October 1843, in broadsheet format. The opening editorial announced:

“The general utility of all classes is the idea with which this paper originated. To give to the poorer classes of society a paper that would suit their means, and to the middle, as well as the rich, a journal, which from its immense circulation, should command their attention, have been the influencing motives that have caused the appearance of ‘The News of the World‘”

The newspaper was sold at the low and affordable price of three pence. The aim was to secure a circulation amongst the poor, as well as the rich, given that the working classes were newly literate as a result of Victorian education reforms. The first edition went on to declare:

“It will seek for the patronage of no party- it will conceal neither the merits nor the faults of any party, but it will aim alone at doing good service to old England, by maintaining her glory and security, the prosperity of all classes of the people”

The Carr family had a long association with the News of the World. In 1891, the newspaper was acquired by a syndicate including Lascelles Carr - the editor and part-proprietor of the Western Mail newspaper in Cardiff - and his relative Sir Charles J. Jackson. Lascelles Carr was the uncle and father-in-law of Sir Emsley Carr, who was appointed editor in 1891; a position he held for over 50 years until his death in 1941.

The News of the World became the biggest selling English-language newspaper in the world under the Carr ownership and had an average circulation of 8,441,966 copies in 1950. The News of the World gained further popularity when it was merged with The Empire News on 23rd October 1960. The Empire News had been a Sunday newspaper for citizens of the British Empire or Commonwealth, with a circulation of over 2.5 million copies in the 1950s.

Rupert Murdoch bought the News of the World in 1969, after he had gained the support of then-Chairman Sir William Carr and the rest of the Carr family. Robert Maxwell had also bid for the newspaper, backed by the family of the late Sir Charles J. Jackson, but was unsuccessful. Sir William Carr remained Chairman until June 1969, when he was succeeded by Rupert Murdoch due to ill-health.

Rupert Murdoch acquired The Sun on 15th November 1969, which he would market as the daily sister paper to the News of the World. The two newspapers have remained sister papers to the present day and they are both still owned by the News Corporation Group, under Rupert Murdoch.

There were a number of important developments for the News of the World in the 1980s. “Sunday” became the first colour magazine to be published alongside the newspaper on 6th September 1981. The News of the World changed from broadsheet to tabloid format on 20th May 1984. Finally, Wendy Henry became the first ever female editor of the paper in 1987.

News of the World Supplements

The leading newspaper supplement in the News of the World is currently “Score”, a football section that is published weekly during the football season. The paper also comes with the weekly glossy magazine, “Fabulous”.

“Fabulous” replaced the “Sunday” and “Big on TV” magazines on 3rd February 2008. It contains real life stories and celebrity interviews, in addition to a variety of features on topics such as body and soul, fashion, beauty and lifestyle. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and astrologer “Mystic Meg” have both been written popular columns in the “Fabulous” magazine, and it also includes seven-day television listings.