Type Daily newspaper Editor Reinhard Göweil Headquarters Vienna | Format Broadsheet Founded 1703 | |
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Owner(s) Austria, represented by the Chancellor | ||
Wiener Zeitung is an Austrian newspaper. It is one of the most famous newspapers in Europe and the oldest, still published newspaper in the world. It is the official publication used by the Government of the Republic of Austria for its formal announcements.
As of 2002 Wiener Zeitung was among the four Austrian quality-newspapers beside the right-liberal Die Presse, the left-liberal Der Standard and the catholic Salzburger Nachrichten.
History and profile
The newspaper was founded in 1703 under the name Wiennerisches Diarium. The first issue appeared on 8 August 1703. Victor Langer ("Obmann" and President of the Austrian Stone Masons for three decades pre World War II) writes (see the exact quote as per his words) in his documentation about the History of "Steinmetzmeistern" (Stonemason) that: "Wiennerisches Diarium was the newspaper released by the Stonemason Community building the "Stephans Dom" Vienna's largest Cathedrale, still standing and became in 1805 the private Imperial Wiener Zeitung. quote: (1703–1721) Die Steinmetzen am Dombau von St. Stephan besaßen bereits eine Zeitung genannt Wiener Diarium aus welcher später (1805) die Kaisliche private Wiener Zeitung entstand.
Wiennerisches Diarium, like many papers at the time, started out by reporting regional and international news. In addition it published birth and wedding announcements as well as obituaries of the aristocracy and provided coverage of the imperial court. Purely local news were announced by a public announcer or drummer.
Since 1780, the paper was known as Wiener Zeitung (meaning Viennese newspaper in English) and in 1810 it became the official government newspaper. In 1857 the government acquired the paper and it was printed until 1997 by the Austrian State Printing Office. The first edition after World War II appeared on 21 September 1945. The number of copies sold has grown from 4,500 in 1855 to an estimated 24,000 today. In 1998, the paper was privatized, and is now owned by a GmbH (Limited Liability Company), although the Government is still the publisher.
Wiener Zeitung is also the official publication used by the Government of the Republic of Austria for formal announcements. Such announcements, for example, civil service vacancies and changes in the commercial register, are printed in the Official Journal insert of Wiener Zeitung. Until 2004 it also used to publish the official version of newly passed Austrian laws. Today the governmental version of newly passed statutes and treaties are officially published in the Internet, the law gazette thus is not available in a printed version anymore.
Until 2009 Wiener Zeitung's editor-in-chief was Andreas Unterberger, before being replaced by Reinhard Göweil. While Unterberger hired mostly outspoken conservative columnists, the paper returned to its liberal position under Reinhard Göweil.
The Austrian government is widely criticized among entrepreneurs because they are legally required to publish certain legal announcements, such as shareholder meeting conventions and changes of the commercial register in the Wiener Zeitung and therefore have to pay certain fees, although publications are also done through the Internet. Entrepreneurs and private newspapers argue, alleging anti-competitive measures, that the newspaper is financed through these mandatory fees. The Austrian Supreme Court dismissed claims on this matter. A decision of the European Court of Justice is pending. The issue is even more controversial since today the only authentic source of Austrian statutory law is the Internet, whereas business publications also have to be announced through Wiener Zeitung.