Bündner Zeitung (1830-1858)
The Bündner Zeitung appeared from 1830 to 1858 in Chur , the capital of the Swiss canton of Graubünden . It was mostly progressive and liberal and introduced numerous journalistic innovations into the cantonal press system.
history
An iron printing press is imported
The book printer Simon Benedict brought an iron printing press with him from a work stay in France. It was the first of its kind in the canton of Graubünden. From 1830 onwards he produced the Bündner Zeitung, initially with one issue a week, from 1831 with two issues a week, and later it became a daily newspaper. Your first editor was Peter Conradin von Tscharner, who advocated progressive liberalism.
Committed to reform
In the 1830s, press censorship was relaxed in Graubünden and completely lifted in 1839. The “Bündner Zeitung” used the changed circumstances for journalistic innovations. As the first newspaper in Graubünden, it regularly published background reports and leading articles in which it propagated new economic ideas or called for cantonal laws to be reformed. Your regional commitment corresponded to a need of the readers. Because the Churer Zeitung (1800–1856) , which was the only political Graubünden newspaper for a long time, limited itself to news. The reformist pressing of the “Bündner Zeitung” was, however, ineffective. The cantonal authorities in the rugged mountainous region remained weak for a long time. Reforms were difficult to organize as each valley speaks its own idiom and cultivates its own culture.
Successful with tester
The “Bündner Zeitung” experienced its heyday from 1848 to 1855. First it swallowed the competing Free Rätier (1843–1848) and took over its editor, the Safier Christian Tester , who became very popular with readers. Tester wrote close to the people and seasoned his texts with humor, sometimes ironic. Its popularity increased sales significantly. From 1850 to 1852 the “Bündner Zeitung” appeared in a reader-friendly folio format, which was yet another novelty in the canton's press history.
The lost press feud
After Tester left the editorial office in 1855, the “Bündner Zeitung” faded. She remained critical and now also denounced the excesses of Manchester liberalism that had become visible. In its last year of publication it had the subtitle “Democratic Organ”. But it missed the tone readers wanted to hear. In 1857 she was wrong with the Liberal Alpine Messenger . The audience migrated. The "Bündner Zeitung" had to cease publication in 1858.
Prices
A six-month subscription to the “Bündner Zeitung” cost CHF 4.50 in 1858 (Chur: CHF 3.50). 10 centimes per line were charged for advertisements. Half of the repetitions.