I’m pretty sure you probably missed it, but last week was National Newspaper Week. It does not get quite the hoopla as, say, National Fire Prevention Week, or all the many other weeks celebrated during October.

But, that is OK. At least newspapers are still around to be celebrated. Including this one.

Newspapers have a very interesting history. And, that history all depends on just what your definition of a newspaper is.

The first newspaper which met certain criteria was published in the Roman Empire in 59 B.C. It was called Acta Diurna which roughly translates to “daily public records.” It was hand written, of course. And it was owned by the government.

The history of the printed newspaper goes back to 17th century Europe when Johann Carolus published the first newspaper called “Relation after Furnenmmen und gedenckwurdigen historien” in Germany in 1605. It means “Account of all distinguished and commemorable news.” A pretty long name for sure, even longer than Faribault County Register.

Newspapers progressed pretty much along the lines of the printing industry. Most newspaper publishers were first and foremost printers. A newspaper was simply one more printed product they produced on their press.

It was sort of like, “Well, I have this press, so I might as well make use of it and print a newspaper while I am at it.”

That European thought process came over to America in colonial days. My favorite newspaper editor/publisher of all time, Benjamin Franklin, was one of those – first and foremost a printer, who then also started a newspaper, The Pennsylvania Gazette, in Philadelphia, when he was just 23.

I always took some small bit of pride in the fact that I became a newspaper editor/publisher at the age of 22, one year earlier than my hero. But I digress.

Philadelphia was the leading city of the colonies, and Franklin actually became wealthy publishing the Gazette, and Poor Richard’s Almanac, which he wrote under the pseudonym Richard Saunder.

He also became affiliated with the Pennsylvania Chronicle, a newspaper which was full of revolutionary thoughts and criticisms of the British Parliament and the British Crown.

Ben Franklin, of course, is known for a whole lot of other things. From “inventing” electricity with a key on a string in a lightening storm and the Franklin Stove, to being a diplomat, Founding Father of the United States, and the very first Postmaster General of the U.S.

Franklin was first the postmaster of Philadelphia, at the same time he was the newspaper publisher. Hmmm, now I wonder if being the postmaster meant he got a discount on mailing his newspapers to subscribers via the mail?

But, again, I digress.

Franklin expressing his views on the British Parliament, slavery and other hot topics in his newspaper transformed into the creation of the First Amendment, protecting Freedom of the Press, something he and Thomas Jefferson firmly believed in.

I have often asked students if they know where we have to get our license for publishing a newspaper. Is it a city, county or state license? The answer, of course, is that we don’t need a license. The First Amendment is our license, allowing anyone to print a newspaper or other items, about anything they want to.

However, most main stream newspapers feel a responsibility to cover the news as fairly and honestly as possible. This is not so true for all news outlets, especially those with a decided slant on everything they publish or say.

Those who publish news in a blog, or on social media, can basically write anything they want, whether it is true or not.

As for us, we will continue to try our best to bring you the news of Faribault County as best we can. And, do it in as fair and unbiased manner as we can.

So once again, during National Newspaper Week, instead of saluting ourselves, we want to say thank you to all of you for all of your support that makes publishing a newspaper something worthwhile to pursue.

Thanks for reading us.