The Guardian

Quick Facts: Who was The Guardian?

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The Guardian

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A venerable British daily newspaper, founded in 1821 and dedicated to journalistic independence.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Guardian is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as The Manchester Guardian and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, The Guardian Weekly, The Guardian is part of the Guardian Media Group, owned by the Scott Trust Limited. The trust was created in 1936 to "secure the financial and editorial independence of The Guardian in perpetuity and to safeguard the journalistic freedom and liberal values of The Guardian free from commercial or political interference".

Career & Major Achievements

The trust was converted into a limited company in 2008, with a constitution written so as to maintain for The Guardian the same protections as were built into the structure of the Scott Trust by its creators. Profits are reinvested in its journalism rather than distributed to owners or shareholders. It is considered a newspaper of record in the UK.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The editor-in-chief Katharine Viner succeeded Alan Rusbridger in 2015. Since 2018, the paper's main newsprint sections have been published in tabloid format. In July 2021, the latest month for which figures are available, its print edition had a daily circulation of 105,134.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1821: 1821 Milestone — It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as The Manchester Guardian and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London.
2. 1936: 1936 Milestone — The trust was created in 1936 to "secure the financial and editorial independence of The Guardian in perpetuity and to safeguard the journalistic freedom and liberal values of The Guardian free from commercial or political interference".
3. 2008: 2008 Milestone — The trust was converted into a limited company in 2008, with a constitution written so as to maintain for The Guardian the same protections as were built into the structure of the Scott Trust by its creators.
4. 2015: 2015 Milestone — The editor-in-chief Katharine Viner succeeded Alan Rusbridger in 2015.
5. 2018: 2018 Milestone — Since 2018, the paper's main newsprint sections have been published in tabloid format.
6. 2021: 2021 Milestone — In July 2021, the latest month for which figures are available, its print edition had a daily circulation of 105,134.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: The Guardian

True or False: “The Scott Trust was established to ensure the financial and editorial independence of The Guardian in perpetuity.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): The Trust's primary purpose, created in 1936, was explicitly to safeguard the paper's journalistic freedom from commercial or political interference.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aleksey Pisemsky — Historical peer (Born in 1821) (1821): A prominent Russian novelist and dramatist, contemporary to Turgenev and Dostoyevsky.
• Arthur Cayley — Historical peer (Born in 1821) (1821): Pioneering English mathematician, instrumental in founding modern algebra and group theory.
• Abraham Flexner — Historical peer (Died in 1959) (1959): Pioneering American educator known for reforming US and Canadian medical and higher education.
• Ahlam Mosteghanemi — Historical peer (Born in 1959) (1959): Pioneering Algerian poet and novelist, celebrated for her evocative Arabic literature.
• A. E. Housman — Historical peer (Died in 1936) (1936): English classicist and poet, renowned for his scholarship and melancholic verse.
• A. S. Byatt — Historical peer (Born in 1936) (1936): Acclaimed English novelist, poet, and critic known for complex literary works.
• Ahn Jae-hwan — Historical peer (Died in 2008) (2008): South Korean actor known for roles in films like Beautiful Temptation and Show Show Show.
• Aimé Césaire — Historical peer (Died in 2008) (2008): Afro-Martinican poet, politician, and founder of the Négritude movement.
• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Historical peer (Died in 2015) (2015): Visionary aerospace engineer, scientist, and former President of India.
• Abdullah of Saudi Arabia — Historical peer (Died in 2015) (2015): King of Saudi Arabia, known for his role in modernizing the kingdom's governance.

Frequently Asked Questions about The Guardian