Post- och Inrikes Tidningar
Encyclopedia
Post- och Inrikes Tidningar or PoIT (Swedish
for "Post and Domestic Times") is the government newspaper
and gazette
of Sweden
, and the country's official notification medium for announcements like bankruptcy
declarations or auction
s. The newspaper also carries advertising, the largest advertiser being the Swedish Patent and Registration Office.
It is the oldest currently published newspaper in the world, although as of the 1 January 2007 edition, it has switched over to an internet-only format. Hans Holm, who served as the chief editor of Post- och Inrikes Tidningar for 20 years, said, "We think it's a cultural disaster," "It is sad when you have worked with it for so long and it has been around for so long." However, at least one copy of each issue is still being printed.
It was founded as the Ordinari Post Tijdender ("Regular Mail Times") in 1645 by Queen
Christina
and Chancellor
Axel Oxenstierna
. Nine years earlier, the royal postal agency (Kungliga Postverket) had been established and now all postmaster
s in the country were required to submit reports of information they heard, and the newspaper was then distributed to public notice boards throughout the country. In 1791, Gustav III
designated the Swedish Academy
to distribute and publish the newspaper, a practice that continues today. In 1821 it merged with the Inrikes Tidningar ("Domestic Times") to form the Post- och Inrikes Tidningar.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the leading news source in the country, but by 1922, under competition from commercial papers, it had been reduced to publishing government, corporate, and legal announcements.
As of 2000, Post- och Inrikes Tidningar is published online at PointLex, and all editions from 1771 to 1860 are available at Project Tiden. The current director of the publication is Horace Engdahl
, previously the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy.
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
for "Post and Domestic Times") is the government newspaper
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...
and gazette
Gazette
A gazette is a public journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.In English- and French-speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name Gazette since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers bear the name The Gazette.Gazette is a loanword from the...
of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, and the country's official notification medium for announcements like bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
declarations or auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
s. The newspaper also carries advertising, the largest advertiser being the Swedish Patent and Registration Office.
It is the oldest currently published newspaper in the world, although as of the 1 January 2007 edition, it has switched over to an internet-only format. Hans Holm, who served as the chief editor of Post- och Inrikes Tidningar for 20 years, said, "We think it's a cultural disaster," "It is sad when you have worked with it for so long and it has been around for so long." However, at least one copy of each issue is still being printed.
It was founded as the Ordinari Post Tijdender ("Regular Mail Times") in 1645 by Queen
Monarch of Sweden
The monarchy of Sweden is the constitutional monarchy of the Kingdom of Sweden. The present monarch, Carl XVI Gustaf, has reigned since 15 September 1973. He and his immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
Christina
Christina of Sweden
Christina , later adopted the name Christina Alexandra, was Queen regnant of Swedes, Goths and Vandals, Grand Princess of Finland, and Duchess of Ingria, Estonia, Livonia and Karelia, from 1633 to 1654. She was the only surviving legitimate child of King Gustav II Adolph and his wife Maria Eleonora...
and Chancellor
Lord High Chancellor of Sweden
The Lord High Chancellor was a prominent and influential office in Sweden, from 1561 until 1680, excluding periods when the office was out of use. The office holder was a member of the Privy Council of Sweden...
Axel Oxenstierna
Axel Oxenstierna
Axel Gustafsson Oxenstierna af Södermöre , Count of Södermöre, was a Swedish statesman. He became a member of the Swedish Privy Council in 1609 and served as Lord High Chancellor of Sweden from 1612 until his death. He was a confidant of first Gustavus Adolphus and then Queen Christina.Oxenstierna...
. Nine years earlier, the royal postal agency (Kungliga Postverket) had been established and now all postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
s in the country were required to submit reports of information they heard, and the newspaper was then distributed to public notice boards throughout the country. In 1791, Gustav III
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
designated the Swedish Academy
Swedish Academy
The Swedish Academy , founded in 1786 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden.-History:The Swedish Academy was founded in 1786 by King Gustav III. Modelled after the Académie française, it has 18 members. The motto of the Academy is "Talent and Taste"...
to distribute and publish the newspaper, a practice that continues today. In 1821 it merged with the Inrikes Tidningar ("Domestic Times") to form the Post- och Inrikes Tidningar.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the leading news source in the country, but by 1922, under competition from commercial papers, it had been reduced to publishing government, corporate, and legal announcements.
As of 2000, Post- och Inrikes Tidningar is published online at PointLex, and all editions from 1771 to 1860 are available at Project Tiden. The current director of the publication is Horace Engdahl
Horace Engdahl
Horace Oscar Axel Engdahl is a Swedish literary historian and critic, and has been a member of the Swedish Academy since 1997. He was the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, i.e. its spokesman, from 1999 to June 2009, when he was succeeded by historian Peter Englund.-Biography:Engdahl was...
, previously the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy.
