UK newspaper chronology
This chronology is indicative only, with more detailed information featuring as part of profiles on the individual media groups. Context is provided by the broader communications and media timeline.
1700
1709 launch of Berrow's Worcester Journal, oldest active English newspaper
1709 Statute of Anne, first UK literary copyright enactment
1791 Observer founded by WS Bourne
1800
1821 establishment of Manchester Guardian by JE Taylor
1840 by Frederick Lucas founds The Tablet
1850
1855 end of Stamp Duty on newspapers
1865 Pall Mall Gazette launched
1870 Julius Beer buys Observer
1872 CP Scott formally appointed Editor of Manchester Guardian
1881 Tit-Bits launched by George Newnes
1888 launch of Financial Times
1893 Rachel Beer buys the Times
1896 Northcliffe launches Daily Mail
1900
1900 Daily Express launched by Pearson
1902 Times Literary Supplement launched
1905 Beer estate sells Observer to Northcliffe
1907 CP Scott buys Manchester Guardian
1908 Harmsworths buy Sunday Times
1911 WW Astor buys The Observer from Harmsworth family
1913 New Statesman founded
1915 Rothermere launches Sunday Pictorial (later Sunday Mirror)
1916 Aitken (later Lord Beaverbrook) buys Daily Express
1918 launches Sunday Express
1920
1922 death of Northcliffe
1922 JJ Astor buys London Times from Northcliffe estate
1923 Beaverbrook on-sells Hulton's Daily Sketch, Sunday Herald and other titles to Rothermere for £6m
1924 Rothermere sells Glasgow Mail & Record
1928 forms Northcliffe Newspapers as regional chain
1929 CP Scott retires, dies 1932
1930 merger of Daily News and Daily Chronicle to form News Chronicle
1936 JR Scott passes ownership of Manchester Guardian to the Scott Trust
1940
1947 Harmsworths float Daily Mirror
1948 David Astor becomes proprietor of Observer
1955 Mirror buys Daily Record
1959 Thomson buys Kemsley newspapers
1960
1964 Manchester Guardian moves to London
1966 Astors sell The Times to Thomson
1969 Murdoch buys News of the World and The Sun
1970
1977 Astors sell Observer to Atlantic Richfield (ARCO)
1977 Beaverbrook (Express) Newspapers sold to Trafalgar House
1979 Lonrho gains control of George Outram (Glasgow Herald and Evening Times) and Scottish & Universal Newspapers
1980
1981 ARCO sells Observer to Lonrho
1981 Murdoch buys the Times and Sunday Times
1984 Reed sells Mirror Group to Maxwell for £93m
1984 public float of Reuters
1986 Hollinger buys UK Daily Telegraph
1986 launch of Independent, later acquired by INM
1986 Murdoch moves London titles to Wapping
1987 Murdoch buys Today from Lonhro for £38m
1987 Maxwell launches London Daily News
1989 last Fleet Street paper produced by Sunday Express
1990
1990 Maxwell launches European
1990 Independent on Sunday launched
1992 Lonrho sells George Outram to MBO and Scottish & Universal Newspapers to Trinity for £45m
1993 Observer bought by Guardian Media Group
1995 Barclay brothers buy The Scotsman from Thomson
1996 Emap sells 69 regional newspapers to Johnston for £211m
1997 Midland Independent Newspapers bought by Mirror for £297m
1998 United Provincial Newspapers' Yorkshire and Lancashire titles sold to Regional Independent Media (RIM) for £360m
1998 United Provincial Newspapers' United Southern Publications sold to Southnews (later Newscom) for £47.5m
1999 Trinity merges with Mirror Group in £1.3bn deal
1999 Newsquest bought by Gannett for £904m
1999 Johnston buys Portsmouth & Sunderland Newspapers for £266m
2000
2000 Newsquest Media buys Newscom for £444m
2000 Trinity Mirror sells Belfast Telegraph Newspapers to INM for £300m
2000 DMG's Northcliffe Newspapers buys Bristol United Press
2000 Trinity Mirror buys Southnews for £285m
2000 UNM sells Express group to Richard Desmond
2001 RIM buys six Galloway and Stornaway Gazette titles
2001 Newsquest buys Dimbleby Newspaper Group
2002 Johnston buys acquires RIM's 53 regional titles for £560m
2002 SMG sells Herald newspapers (inc Glasgow Herald, Sunday Herald and Evening Times) to Gannett for £216m
2004 Barclays gain control of Daily Telegraph group from Hollinger