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THE FINANCIAL TIMES ARCHIVE: BACK ISSUE NEWSPAPERS
A thriving business for centuries, newspapers have been at the forefront of journalism for generations. The history of a country’s newspaper is always deeply intertwined with the history of the country itself. It is a cultural phenomenon, the importance of which can not be exaggerated. To those wishing to learn more about the past, newspapers are an excellent starting point. They are written in understandable and easy to digest language, newspapers were meant for the common people after all. Newspapers such as The Financial Times made it easier even for normal people to become involved in business and economics.
The History
Launched in 1888, The Financial times was originally named The London Financial Guide. As a business-focused daily newspaper, it only consisted of four pages an issue in its early days. The paper began to print on its distinctive salmon pink paper to distinguish itself from its only rival, The Financial News, on 2 January 1893. Eventually, The Financial Times and The Financial News merged to create a single six-page newspaper in 1945. The Financial Times came to the European continent on 1 January 1979, printed in Frankfurt. The newspaper then launched a magazine on the luxury lifestyle, named How To Spend It, in 1994. The first attempt at an online presence occurred with the launch of FT.com on 13 May 1995. The website later went under development with the addition of stock prices the following year. A U.S edition was introduced in 1997, pushing the paper to become the first UK newspaper to sell more copies abroad than at home. A German edition, The Financial Times Deutschland, was also introduced in the year 2000. However, it accumulated massive losses of €250 million, forcing it to shut down in 2012. Subscription services were introduced in 2002, another huge success for the newspaper. In 2007, The Financial Times became ‘refreshed’ and adopted the slogan ‘We Live in Financial Times’.
Highlights and curiosities about “The Financial Times”
- When first printed on its characteristic salmon-pink paper, it was actually cheaper than using paper that had been bleached white. In the modern day it is the opposite, the paper has to be dyed pink which is more expensive than plain white.
- The Lex column is a famous part of The Financial Times newspaper that first made an appearance on 1 October 1945. This back page column showcases opinions and analysis from distinguished alumni.
- The Financial News had been the rival newspaper for 57 long years until they finally merged together.
- The monthly magazine How To Spend it also has an online counterpart, howtospendit.com, launched in 2009.
- Since 2010, The Financial Times has been available on Bloomberg Terminal. This is a complex computer system that can be used to analyse market data and trade electronically.
- The modern version of the newspaper is split into two separate sections. The first half of the newspaper deals with economics and finance, both in the UK and internationally. Financial data and information about markets are included in the second section.
- Of 475 journalists in total working on the newspaper worldwide, only an estimated 110 of these are not in the UK.
How to explore The Financial Times archive and get The Financial Times back issues
To find back issues of The Daily Mail or to check availability of the newspaper, follow these steps:
- Visit the archive page
- Pick out the relevant date.
- Choose your desired package.
