Bergensavisen
Encyclopedia
Bergensavisen usually shortened to BA, is the second largest newspaper
in Bergen, Norway. It is published in tabloid format. The newspaper webpage ba.no is Bergen's largest local newspaper webpage.
In 2006, Bergensavisen had a daily circulation of 30.719 on Monday to Saturday, and 29.782 on Sundays. Approximately 108.000 read the paper every day.
, started as a daily in December 1893. They sold their newspaper to Bergens Arbeiderparti, the local affiliation of the Norwegian Labour Party
in 1905. However, the Labour Party went through two party splits in the 1920s. As the Labour Party joined Comintern
in 1919, a group broke away in 1921 to form the Social Democratic Labour Party
. This group founded a new newspaper Bergens Social-Demokrat
in 1922. The next year, the Labour Party left Comintern. As a result, the pro-Comintern faction broke away to form the Communist Party
. In the city of Bergen, the communists controlled the local Labour Party chapter Bergens Arbeiderparti, and it's newspaper Arbeidet. When the social democrats had lost the power struggle, the victorious communists changed the journalism of their newspaper from social democracy to communism, erased the local news and published long political articles, chasing their readers away from the newspaper.
The few remaining Labour activists were left without a newspaper. Bergen Labour Party tried to run a newspaper called Bergens Arbeiderblad formerly, but it only existed from 11 April 1924 till October 1924. In 1927, the Social Democratic Labour Party reconciled with the Labour Party, and the two parties again became one. At the same time, a new newspaper Bergens Arbeiderblad was founded on the base of Bergens Social-Demokrat. 1927 is considered the official founding year of BA. The seven men commissioned to start the newspaper, also started the new Labour Party of Bergen, called Bergens Forenede Arbeiderparti.
Three years later, they had bigger circulation than Arbeidet.
, which was dominant in the city. Bergens Arbeiderblad was stopped by the Nazi authorities in February 1941 during the German occupation of Norway, chief editor Oscar Ihlebæk
was sent to a German concentration camp, where he died just after the camp was liberated by the Allied forces in May 1945. It resumed operations after the war. Its name was changed to Bergensavisen in August 1992.
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
in Bergen, Norway. It is published in tabloid format. The newspaper webpage ba.no is Bergen's largest local newspaper webpage.
In 2006, Bergensavisen had a daily circulation of 30.719 on Monday to Saturday, and 29.782 on Sundays. Approximately 108.000 read the paper every day.
Pre-history
Bergensavisen had a predecessor in Arbeidervennen, founded by the Danish trade unionist Sophus Pihl in 1885. When he died in 1888, a group of trade unionists and idealists continued his work. The newspaper ArbeidetArbeidet
Arbeidet was a Norwegian newspaper, published in Bergen in Hordaland county.Arbeidet was started in Bergen as a socialist newspaper on 6 December 1893, by a grouping called . It was the first socialist daily newspaper in Norway...
, started as a daily in December 1893. They sold their newspaper to Bergens Arbeiderparti, the local affiliation of the Norwegian Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
in 1905. However, the Labour Party went through two party splits in the 1920s. As the Labour Party joined Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
in 1919, a group broke away in 1921 to form the Social Democratic Labour Party
Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway
The Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway was a Norwegian political party in the 1920s. Following the Labour Party's entry into the Comintern in 1919, its right wing left the party to form the Social Democratic Labour Party in 1921...
. This group founded a new newspaper Bergens Social-Demokrat
Bergens Social-Demokrat
Bergens Social-Demokrat was a Norwegian newspaper, published in Bergen.It was started on 15 May 1922 as an organ for the Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway, who broke away from the Labour Party in 1921. From 1 April 1924 it was published daily, but in 1925 it reverted to being published twice...
in 1922. The next year, the Labour Party left Comintern. As a result, the pro-Comintern faction broke away to form the Communist Party
Communist Party of Norway
The Communist Party of Norway is a political party in Norway without parliamentary representation. It was formed in 1923, following a split in the Norwegian Labour Party. The party played an important role in the resistance to German occupation during the Second World War, and experienced a brief...
. In the city of Bergen, the communists controlled the local Labour Party chapter Bergens Arbeiderparti, and it's newspaper Arbeidet. When the social democrats had lost the power struggle, the victorious communists changed the journalism of their newspaper from social democracy to communism, erased the local news and published long political articles, chasing their readers away from the newspaper.
The few remaining Labour activists were left without a newspaper. Bergen Labour Party tried to run a newspaper called Bergens Arbeiderblad formerly, but it only existed from 11 April 1924 till October 1924. In 1927, the Social Democratic Labour Party reconciled with the Labour Party, and the two parties again became one. At the same time, a new newspaper Bergens Arbeiderblad was founded on the base of Bergens Social-Demokrat. 1927 is considered the official founding year of BA. The seven men commissioned to start the newspaper, also started the new Labour Party of Bergen, called Bergens Forenede Arbeiderparti.
Three years later, they had bigger circulation than Arbeidet.
History
Bergens Arbeiderblad eventually became larger than Arbeidet, and instead started competing with Bergens TidendeBergens Tidende
Bergens Tidende is Norway's fourth largest newspaper and largest newspaper outside Oslo, with a circulation of about 87,000 copies . Founded in 1868, it is a Norwegian-language newspaper published daily in Bergen. It reaches approximately 260,000 readers every day , mainly in the counties of...
, which was dominant in the city. Bergens Arbeiderblad was stopped by the Nazi authorities in February 1941 during the German occupation of Norway, chief editor Oscar Ihlebæk
Oscar Ihlebæk
Oscar Ihlebæk was a Norwegian newspaper editor and resistance member.He was born in Drammen, to a mother from Skoger and a father from Rakkestad. In 1926 he married Fredrikke Wium from Drammen, and they had two children....
was sent to a German concentration camp, where he died just after the camp was liberated by the Allied forces in May 1945. It resumed operations after the war. Its name was changed to Bergensavisen in August 1992.