Western Mail (Wales)

Western Mail
Type Daily newspaper
Format Compact
Owner(s) Trinity Mirror
Editor Alan Edmunds
Founded 1869
Political alignment Populist
Headquarters Six Park Street,
Cardiff
Circulation 16,754 (2015)[1]
Website www.walesonline.co.uk
Front page of the earliest surviving copy of the Western Mail; 1 May 1869

The Western Mail is a daily newspaper published by Media Wales Ltd in Cardiff, Wales owned by the UK's largest newspaper company, Trinity Mirror. The Sunday edition of the newspaper is published under the title Wales on Sunday.

It describes itself as "the national newspaper of Wales" (originally "the national newspaper of Wales and Monmouthshire"), although it has a very limited circulation in North Wales.[2] The paper was published in broadsheet format until 2004, when it became a compact. As of 2015 it has an average circulation of 16,754.[1]

History

The Western Mail was founded in Cardiff in 1869 by John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute as a Conservative penny daily paper designed to promote the Marquess' political aspirations.[3] Henry Lascelles Carr (1841–1902), editor since 1869, bought the paper with Daniel Owen in 1877. Under Carr, and later William Davies, the paper became influential in Wales.[3] Historically in South Wales the Western Mail has always been associated with its original owners, the coal and iron industrialists. Often this led to the paper being regarded with a considerable degree of enmity, especially during the strikes in the coal industry of the 20th century. This association between newspaper and its owner was so strong there is still a degree of distrust of the paper in South Wales.

In contrast, and particularly following devolution, the newspaper has adopted a populist, localist, pro-Wales stance, mainly in trying to find a Welsh focus on major news stories. The newspaper has also stressed the community issues such as the closure of Welsh schools.[4] The newspaper devotes a great deal of its coverage to Welsh rugby.

The paper has varied the amount of space given over to Welsh language coverage, but currently at least two full pages of Welsh are provided in the Saturday supplement.

In the 1950s Donald Woods, who later participated in the South African anti-apartheid movement and who publicised the events surrounding the secret death of activist Steve Biko, was employed as a reporter.[5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Regional Publications, Combined Total Circulation Certificate: July to December 2015" (PDF). abc.org.uk. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  2. ↑ Minutes of the Welsh Local Government Association Co-ordinating Committee, 26 March 2004
  3. 1 2 Davies, John; Jenkins, Nigel; Menna, Baines; Lynch, Peredur I., eds. (2008). The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. p. 616. ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6.
  4. ↑ Harry Kretchmer (19 July 2002). "Closing doors for the last time". Western Mail. p. 3 (features).
  5. ↑ "Donald Woods". telegraph.co.uk. 20 August 2001. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
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