|
The ''Novascotian'' was a newspaper published in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It became one of the most influential voices in the British North American colonies in its nearly one century of existence. The paper was founded as the ''Nova Scotian'' or ''Colonial Herald'' by George R. Young, in 1824. Joseph Howe took control of it in 1827, establishing the paper's motto: "The free constitution which guards the British press." Published as a weekly, the paper played a key role in the intellectual and political life of Nova Scotia. A letter published in the ''Novascotian'' in 1835 led to charges of libel against Howe. When acquitted, he proclaimed: "the Press of Nova Scotia is free." With a circulation of 3000 subscribers, the ''Novascotian'' became the leading provincial newspaper in the 1840s. A well-known contributor was Thomas Chandler Haliburton, creator of the immensely popular character Sam Slick. Howe's entry into politics necessitated selling the paper. Nevertheless, the ''Novascotian'' remained a liberal voice in the province until the First World War, reaching a peak circulation of 20,000. Later it was published as the ''Nova Scotian'' and then ''Nova Scotia's Farm and Home Journal''. It was discontinued in the 1920s after years of dwindling circulation following a change of its political allegiances to the Union Government. The name ''Novascotian'' is still in use. It is now printed as a human interest section of The Chronicle-Herald newspaper of Halifax. ==The early years, 1824-1931== The paper was founded as the ''Novascotian'' or ''Colonial Herald'' by George R. Young in 1824.〔Chisolm, 3.〕 Young had a very respectable circulation due to the ability of he and his writers as well as the great newspaper industry emerging at the time.〔 Towards the end of 1827, Young was showing waning interest in the running of his newspaper, because he wanted to become a lawyer,〔 so on January 3, 1828, he sold the ''Novascotian'' to Joseph Howe for 1050 pounds, making Howe the sole editor and owner.〔 The initial reaction to Howe running the ''Novascotian'' was poor. Many of its readers withdrew their subscriptions, believing that Howe was too young, unskilled and inexperienced to run an newspaper.〔 Howe indeed was only 23 years old when he purchased the ''Novascotian'' and had had no regular education as it had not been possible for him to walk to school in the winter.〔Chisolm, 2.〕 However, Howe had been working in the office of the ''Royal Gazette'' since he was 13 years old, and during the months he could not go to school he had books to study, and his father, who for many years worked in the offices of the King's Printer and Postmaster-General of the Lower Provinces, to talk to.〔 Howe overcame the difficulties he faced with the ''Novascotian'', due to his willingness to travel, network and expand his own knowledge: * Howe read British, foreign, and colonial newspapers daily.〔 * Howe reported on the debates in the House of Assembly and important trials in the courts with his own hand.〔 * Howe was in a position to mingle with nearly all the public men of the day.〔 * Howe travelled all over inland districts and to seaport towns, taking in the surroundings and making many acquaintances.〔Chisolm, 4.〕 * Howe read political literature of all countries which expressed their opinions in English.〔 It was with this gained knowledge that Howe moved to shape his newspaper. Howe had a vision for the ''Novascotian''; it was his mission to, "furnish the readers all that properly came under the heading of news, whether British, Colonial, American, or European."〔Beck (1964), 3.〕 Howe wanted to get all of the news to the people. He did not want the ''Novascotian'' to have an affiliation with any one political party or government because it was for the people.〔 Howe's critics would have appeared to have been correct during the first year of Howe's ''Novascotian'', because he had started it with almost no politics or editorial commentary. There were, however, some interesting submissions which had shown some promise. On July 24, 1828 Howe introduced "Western Rambles", a series which gave the ''Novascotians readers an insight into the Western part of their own country. The series ran until October 9, 1828.〔〔Beck (1964), 206.〕 From December 1829 until August, 1831, Howe "Eastern Rambles", a series that presented a perspective from the Eastern part of British North America.〔〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Novascotian」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|