What Is the World's Oldest Surviving Newspaper? The Real Answer Depends on How You Define It
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The question what is the world's oldest surviving newspaper sounds simple-until you dig into the details. There isn’t one clear winner. The answer changes depending on whether you care about language, frequency, content type, or just pure survival. If you’re looking for a quick answer, here’s the breakdown: the Gazzetta di Mantova from Italy, started in 1664, is the oldest newspaper still running anywhere in the world. But if you’re asking about English-language newspapers, the story gets more complicated-and more interesting.
The London Gazette: The Oldest English-Language Publication
The London Gazette began life as the Oxford Gazette on November 7, 1665. It was born out of necessity: the royal court fled London during the Great Plague and set up temporary operations in Oxford. Henry Muddiman, the official printer to the Crown, started publishing government notices twice a week. When the court moved back to London in 1666, the paper followed-and changed its name to the London Gazette.
It’s been published every single week since then. No breaks. No cancellations. Not even during wars, strikes, or pandemics. That makes it the oldest continuously published English-language periodical in existence. But here’s the catch: it’s not a newspaper in the way you or I think of one. It doesn’t report on sports, politics, or celebrity gossip. It publishes official notices-appointments, bankruptcies, military promotions, royal decrees. Think of it as the government’s bulletin board, printed on paper.
The British Library and the Museum of Oxford both classify it as a government gazette, not a general news paper. So while it holds the record for longevity, it doesn’t count as a newspaper if you’re looking for actual journalism.
Berrow’s Worcester Journal: The Oldest General News Paper
If you want the oldest English newspaper that actually reported news-real stories about people, events, and local happenings-then the winner is Berrow’s Worcester Journal. It started in 1690 as the Worcester Postman. By 1709, it had settled into its current name and format, becoming the first English-language publication to consistently deliver non-government news to the public.
Unlike the London Gazette, the Worcester Journal included local events, market prices, ship arrivals, and even occasional letters from readers. It wasn’t just official announcements-it was community news. The News Media Association calls it “the oldest surviving English newspaper,” and they mean it in the truest sense: a paper written for the public, not just for the government.
Today, it’s still printed, though now only every two weeks. Print circulation has dropped from 10,000 in the 1990s to about 5,000 today. But it’s still there, with archives going back to 1709, digitized in partnership with the British Library. It’s a quiet survivor, a living link to the early days of independent journalism in England.
The Belfast News Letter: The Oldest Daily
Now, if you’re asking for the oldest daily English-language newspaper still running, the answer is the Belfast News Letter. It first appeared in September 1737, making it 288 years old as of 2025. It’s been published every weekday without interruption since then.
Unlike the London Gazette, it reported on politics, trade, crime, and local events. Unlike the Worcester Journal, it came out every day, not once a week. That’s what makes it unique. The UK government confirmed this in May 2025, when it announced the digitization of 300 years of its archives. Rebecca Harris, the Cabinet Office Minister, called it “the world’s oldest English language general daily newspaper still in circulation.”
Its survival is remarkable. While most historic papers folded under digital pressure, the Belfast News Letter adapted. It now has 1.2 million monthly online readers-far more than its print audience of 28,000 weekly readers. It got a £2 million grant from the UK government in 2025 to build its digital platform. It’s not just surviving-it’s evolving.
Why the Confusion? It’s All About Definitions
People argue about this because they’re asking different questions. One person wants the oldest paper ever. Another wants the oldest one that reports news. A third wants the oldest daily. All are valid.
- Oldest newspaper overall? Gazzetta di Mantova (1664, Italian)
- Oldest English-language publication? London Gazette (1665)
- Oldest general news newspaper? Berrow’s Worcester Journal (1709)
- Oldest daily English-language newspaper? Belfast News Letter (1737)
Media historian Dr. Ruth Cowley from Cardiff University puts it simply: “The Belfast News Letter represents the true lineage of daily journalism as we understand it today-with news, ads, and opinion. The Gazette? That’s a legal document.”
Even back in the 1600s, newspapers were risky. England had strict censorship laws. The first English news sheets, called corantos, were printed in Amsterdam and smuggled into England. One printer, Thomas Archer, was jailed in 1621 for publishing unauthorized news. So the fact that any of these papers survived-let alone thrived-is a miracle.
What Happens to These Papers Today?
Three different survival stories.
The London Gazette doesn’t need to worry. It’s funded by the government. No ads. No subscriptions. Just official business. Its entire archive is free online.
The Belfast News Letter is the most modern. It’s digital-first. Its print edition is shrinking, but its website and social media are booming. It has over 87,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter) and regularly breaks stories that get shared nationwide.
The Berrow’s Worcester Journal is hanging on. It’s a local lifeline for Worcester and surrounding towns. But print revenue is down 8.7% every year since 2020. It’s now bi-weekly. Its future depends on community support and grants. The British Library’s digitization project, finishing in 2026, will help preserve its legacy-even if the print version fades.
Final Answer: It Depends
So, what is the world’s oldest surviving newspaper? If you mean any newspaper, anywhere, it’s the Gazzetta di Mantova. If you mean English-language, and you include government bulletins, it’s the London Gazette. If you mean a paper that actually reported news to the public, it’s the Berrow’s Worcester Journal. And if you mean a daily paper with regular news reporting, it’s the Belfast News Letter.
There’s no single answer because newspapers weren’t born the same way. They evolved from official notices to community voices to digital platforms. Each of these papers tells a different part of that story. The real winner isn’t the oldest-it’s the one that kept adapting.
Is the London Gazette considered a real newspaper?
Technically, no. The London Gazette is a government publication, not a news newspaper. It publishes official notices like appointments, bankruptcies, and royal proclamations. It doesn’t report on politics, sports, or crime like a regular newspaper. Historians and institutions like the British Library classify it as a gazette, not a newspaper.
What makes the Belfast News Letter the oldest daily newspaper?
The Belfast News Letter has been published every weekday since 1737 without interruption. Unlike earlier papers that came out weekly or sporadically, it offered daily news, advertisements, and editorials-exactly what we think of as a modern newspaper. The UK government and the British Library officially recognize it as the world’s oldest continuously published English-language daily newspaper.
Why is Berrow’s Worcester Journal called the oldest English newspaper?
Because it’s the oldest surviving English-language paper that focused on general news-not government notices. It started in 1690 and began regular publication under its current name in 1709. It reported on local events, prices, and community happenings. The News Media Association specifically calls it the oldest surviving English newspaper, distinguishing it from official gazettes like the London Gazette.
Are there any older newspapers than the Gazzetta di Mantova?
Yes, but none still publishing. Italy had several early newspapers, including the Avvisi from Venice in the 1500s, but they stopped printing. The Gazzetta di Mantova is the oldest one still running under its original title. Other early papers in Germany, France, and England either folded or changed names so much they lost continuity.
Can I read old editions of these newspapers online?
Yes. The London Gazette’s complete archive from 1665 is free on the UK government’s website. The Belfast News Letter’s issues from 1737 to 1950 are available on the British Newspaper Archive. Berrow’s Worcester Journal’s full run from 1709 is being digitized by the British Library and will be free by 2026.
What Comes Next?
These papers are more than relics. They’re living history. The London Gazette still prints notices that affect laws and property rights. The Belfast News Letter breaks news on Northern Irish politics that echoes across the UK. Berrow’s Worcester Journal still lists local obituaries and market reports that matter to its readers.
But their future isn’t guaranteed. Print revenue keeps falling. Younger readers don’t buy physical papers. The only way they survive now is through digital access, public funding, or deep community ties.
If you care about journalism’s roots, visit their websites. Read an old edition. See how news was written 300 years ago. It’s not just history-it’s the foundation of everything we read today.
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