Rudé právo
Encyclopedia
Rudé právo was the official newspaper
of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
.
It was founded in 1920 when the party was splitting from the social democrats and their older daily Právo lidu (People's Right). During 1920s and 1930s it was often censor
ed and even temporarily stopped. In autumn 1938 the party was abolished and during the German occupation and World War II
that came soon afterwards the newspaper became an underground mimeographed pamphlet. After the communist take-over in 1948 it became the leading newspaper in the country, the Czechoslovak equivalent of the Soviet Union
's Pravda
, highly propagandistic
and sometimes obedient to the government. Its Slovak
equivalent in Slovakia
was Pravda
.
Rudé právo had a circulation
of over one million daily, making it the most widely read newspaper in Czechoslovakia. However, the manner in which the communist government ensured that it remained so were hardly legitimate marketing
tactics. Sometimes, no other newspapers could be sold before 10am, or kiosk
owners might paid to not sell other papers at all, or the presses that printed rival newspapers could just be ordered not to print them. Also, the subscription was more or less compulsory in the army, many factories, offices etc.
Following the Velvet Revolution
, some editors founded a new daily, Právo
, unaffiliated with the party but taking advantage of the existing reader base.
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...
of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, in Czech and in Slovak: Komunistická strana Československa was a Communist and Marxist-Leninist political party in Czechoslovakia that existed between 1921 and 1992....
.
It was founded in 1920 when the party was splitting from the social democrats and their older daily Právo lidu (People's Right). During 1920s and 1930s it was often censor
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
ed and even temporarily stopped. In autumn 1938 the party was abolished and during the German occupation and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
that came soon afterwards the newspaper became an underground mimeographed pamphlet. After the communist take-over in 1948 it became the leading newspaper in the country, the Czechoslovak equivalent of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
's Pravda
Pravda
Pravda was a leading newspaper of the Soviet Union and an official organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party between 1912 and 1991....
, highly propagandistic
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
and sometimes obedient to the government. Its Slovak
Slovak language
Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
equivalent in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
was Pravda
Pravda (Slovakia)
Pravda is a major newspaper in Slovakia. It is owned by Northcliffe International, part of British media group, the Daily Mail and General Trust.- Communist Pravda :...
.
Rudé právo had a circulation
Newspaper circulation
A newspaper's circulation is the number of copies it distributes on an average day. Circulation is one of the principal factors used to set advertising rates. Circulation is not always the same as copies sold, often called paid circulation, since some newspapers are distributed without cost to the...
of over one million daily, making it the most widely read newspaper in Czechoslovakia. However, the manner in which the communist government ensured that it remained so were hardly legitimate marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
tactics. Sometimes, no other newspapers could be sold before 10am, or kiosk
Kiosk
Kiosk is a small, separated garden pavilion open on some or all sides. Kiosks were common in Persia, India, Pakistan, and in the Ottoman Empire from the 13th century onward...
owners might paid to not sell other papers at all, or the presses that printed rival newspapers could just be ordered not to print them. Also, the subscription was more or less compulsory in the army, many factories, offices etc.
Following the Velvet Revolution
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
, some editors founded a new daily, Právo
Právo
Právo is a Czech daily newspaper, the third most sold in the country. It emerged following the Velvet Revolution, when some editors of the daily Rudé právo founded a new company unaffiliated with the Czechoslovak Communist Party but taking advantage of the existing reader base.Today, the paper is...
, unaffiliated with the party but taking advantage of the existing reader base.