The European, billed as "Europe's first national newspaper", was a British weekly newspaper founded by Robert Maxwell.[1] It was published from 11 May 1990 until December 1998.
 Front page of the first issue | |
| Type | Weekly newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Owner(s) | Robert Maxwell (1990–91) Barclay Brothers (1992–98) |
| Launched | 11 May 1990 |
| Political alignment | Pro-Europeanism Pan-European identity |
| Language | English |
| Ceased publication | 14 December 1998 |
| City | London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| OCLC number | 25062933 |
History
editMaxwell founded the paper in the fervour which immediately followed the destruction of the Berlin Wall and collapse of the Iron Curtain.[2] The name was a reflection of the feelings of pan-European unity which were brought on by the historic changes, an ideal which Maxwell wholeheartedly supported.[3] According to Time magazine, Maxwell originally envisaged a daily with a circulation of 650,000, but by the launch date plans had been cut down to a more realistic weekly with a circulation of 225,000.[4] In the event, the circulation peaked at 180,000, over half of which was British.
According to British academic James Dennison, 'Its first issue featured contributions from Margaret Thatcher, Wilfried Martens, Jacques Santer, Mário Soares and the President of the Bundesbank as well as polls showing majority support for a single currency (in the United Kingdom and others, but not Germany or Denmark), soft anti-Americanism, new pan-European Ecu-denominated financial indices and coverage of the disintegration of the eastern bloc.'[2]
Following Maxwell's death, the Barclay brothers bought the newspaper in 1992, investing an estimated $110 million and in 1996 transforming it into a high-end tabloid format oriented at the business community edited by Andrew Neil.
In 1996, The European had a staff of 70 in London, 3 in Brussels, 1 in Paris, 1 in Berlin, 1 in Moscow, as well as a network of 100 freelance writers throughout Europe.[citation needed]
Among the newspaper's innovations was a weekly short fiction contribution from published and previously unpublished writers.
The New European (a pro-EU newspaper founded in 2016 following the Brexit referendum) is partially inspired by The European's experience.
Editors
edit- 1990: Ian Watson
- 1991: John Bryant
- 1992: Charles Garside
- 1993: Herbert Pearson
- 1994: Charles Garside
- 1996: Andrew Neil
- 1998: Gerry Malone
Contributors (partial list)
edit- Nigel Cox
- Jean Cavé
- Bronwyn Cosgrave
- Jean Schalit
- Roger Faligot
- Peter Millar
- Jane Mulvagh
- Stephanie Theobald
- Peter Ustinov
- Mark Porter
- Walter Ellis
- Anne-Elisabeth Moutet
- Tim Walker, later to work on The New European[5]
- Teodor Troev, later a Financial Times contributor
- Yaroslav Trofimov
References
edit- ^ Michał Jacuński (Fall 2008). "The role of European political parties in closing the communication gap within the European Union. A critical view" (PDF). Central European Journal of Communication. 1 (1). Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ a b Dennison, James (1 August 2024). "Europhoria! Explaining Britain's pro-European Moment, 1988-92". Retrieved 1 November 2024.
- ^ Cusack, Andrew (21 July 2008). "The life & death of The European: An idea before its time or the mad dream of a master swindler?". Norumbega. Archived from the original on 3 August 2008. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ Time, 15 May 1990.
- ^ "The European: A newspaper from the past that still reflects present day problems". 12 February 2020.
Further reading
edit- Robert Maxwell's The European, Magforum.com