ABOUT THE GUARDIAN
Known for serving as an online news source for approximately 30.4 million people, the ubiquitous news site did not always hold this status. Its legacy first began in 1821 thanks to John Edward Taylor, the founder of the Manchester Guardian. This newspaper was initially created to promote liberal interests following the Peterloo Massacre in England. Because Taylor maintained passionate towards recognition as an independent and selfless newspaper, editor CP Scott started to emulate this passion. When Taylor passed away, the ownership of the newspaper became Scott's, which eventually gained international acknowledgement. The Guardian remained under the influence of the Scott family until 1944, when the newspaper was then owned by the AP Wadsworth. Around this time, the newspaper faced challenges due to lack of resources and money compared to the Times and the Daily Telegraph. In order to maintain stability between its competitors, the Guardian advertised the Daily telegraph on the front page calling it “ ‘the paper you can trust’, and “provides all you can want in a newspaper”. Shortly after, the editor of the Guardian moved to England, putting the existence of the newspaper into question. The idea of merging with another news platform was suggested, but the founder’s initial goal of gaining independence would be violated and the initial goal of gaining independence would demolish. Luckily, the editor at this time, Alastair Hetherington, continued to work towards the goal of independence. The newspaper began to thrive, especially with its involvement in politics during the late 70’s and early 80’s. Although, as every product in a market full of hungry consumers, competition arose once again with the launch of the Independent in 1986. The Guardian, along with the Times and the Telegraph, initiated a competitive “frenzy” to appeal to more readers and prevent the loss of a audience. During the late 90’s, the improvement of the quality and innovation of the Guardian’s did not fail to go unnoticed, through its consistent breaking big stories and contribution to the downfall of the conservative government. Finally, in 1995 an online publication of the Guardian was launched, allowing the news source to gain over 2.4 million users, making it “the most popular UK newspaper website.” Not only did the internet allow for the Guardian to reach a larger audience, but it allowed it to partner up with other platforms, such as WikiLeaks, to further their involvement in politics and appeal to the population. Currently, the Guardian holds the position of the world’s third most read newspaper website worldwide. The Guardian credits their “digital first” strategy implemented in 2011. This strategy allowed online users to reach news as soon as possible, which continues to occur in present times. The successful news source updates users with the most recent stories all seven days of the week. The British online newspaper continues to prosper and reach over 300,000 more people than its old competitor, The Sunday Time. None of this would have been possible without sticking to the core values of independence and selflessness, the committed editors, the internet, and the consistent users who turned to Guardian for the most recent, and reliable news. |