Reflecting on the Literary Impact of Malayala Manorama
(Photo copyright unknown but acknowledged) Malayala Manorama, Written Media in India. 1980 marked the bicentenary of Indian journalism. The first newspaper on modern lines appeared in Calcutta on the 27th of January 1780. It was called the "BENGAL GAZETTE" and was published by an Englishman. It was an outspoken political and commercial weekly. It displeased the officials and was shut down within a year. The "INDIAN GAZETTE" started the same year but played safe. The "CALCUTTA GAZETTE" appeared in 1874. Other journals that followed were the "CALCUTTA CHRONICLE" (1875), the "MADRAS COURIER" (1875) and the "BOMBAY HERALD" (1879), all of which were careful not to be critical of the colonial masters. There are over 40 newspapers in India which are centenarians. The oldest surviving vernacular daily called "BOMBAY SAMACHAR" is published in the Gujarati language. It was established in 1822. Amongst the centenarians are t...