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The Guardian






The Guardian holds the distinction of being Britain's only newspaper which has risen from the rank of a small provincial Manchester weekly to become one of the country's top quality national dailies. Its gradual but steady rise to such heady prominence stems from several strong journalistic roots, among them appeal to young intellectuals, insistence on balanced and fair reporting, good international coverage and relative financial security.

But perhaps the paper's chief strengths lie in its consistent emphasis on social reform and progressive liberal thought. In the past, the Guardian was called " Britain's non-conformist conscience", a role in which it still sees itself. Its priority is the people who govern the country and the way the country is governed. But, as its coverage demonstrates, its interests are numerous - economics, finance, industry, business, sports, science, current history, contemporary literature and art. At times its features take it as far afield as archaeology, engineering, philosophy and man's early beginnings.

One revealing measure of a daily's content and appeal is the readership it attracts. Officials of the Guardian say they are trying to reach those with an intelligent, free-thinking, international outlook. Surveys indicate their quest is successful. Daily circulation is about 280, 000, of which 75% percent are subscriptions. Since readership statistics in England indicate each copy of a newspaper attracts three to four readers, well over a million of people will read the Guardian on an average day. More significantly, the studies indicate these Guardian readers are " a lot younger, better off and better educated than the general run of the population".

The statistics do not adequately reveal Guardian readers' life styles. Further study of reader profiles indicates many are the thoughtful, discriminating, elite of the society who attaches importance to social and cultural enrichment activities, such as books, records, sports, music, the theater and good restaurants. And they are financially prudent, investing in insurance, bank accounts and homes in preference to clothes and cars.

Most intriguing of all is the psychological profile of Guardian readers. A 1973 British Market Research Bureau survey showed them to rate high in tender-mindedness (" kindly, imaginative and sensitive"), imagination (" intensive subjectivity and inner mental life") and radicalism (" experimenting, analytical, free-thinking"). The study also found numerous opinion leaders among Guardian readers, people described as " adventurous, thick-skinned and socially bold".

Other surveys indicate that readers value the Guardian most for its lack of bias. Without a doubt, the paper, along with its more conservative counterpart, the Times, is a national institution in Britain, reporting all sides of life widely. But editorially it is highly opinionated. Its human interest appeals attract a wide spectrum of readers. With such an all inclusive approach, the Guardian has made a significant impact on the British society.

The Guardian's small format Guardian Weekly is also read widely in intellectual circles, even in other countries. In the United States, this version is the most widely read paper imported into the country. Since the Guardian has no Sunday edition, the Guardian Weekly, an anthology of its best stories, fills this weekend need, with most of its 40, 000 copies going abroad.

Several features contribute to the Guardian's bright, attractive, smart appearance. A small cartoon, small pictures of personalities and a small ad or two usually grace the front page - a contrast to pre-1952 days when personal advertisements comprised the front page. One outstanding characteristic is the clear organization of the paper into sections, such as " Overseas News", " Home News", " Arts Guardian", " Financial Guardian", " Small Business Guardian", " Guardian Women", and " Sports Guardian". Virtually every issue contains feature or special report pages. Two editorial pages are given to editorial comment and feedback.

Early in 1978, a staff of 1, 003 was serving the Guardian, 428 of them technical, 252 administrative and 273 editorial personnel. A staff of 100 supplies advertisement copy, including at least two full-page color ads every week. Together, they turn out four editions each day. Forty-one reporters cover government, one indicator reflecting the paper's vision of " admonishing and instructing the national conscience" and its claim to be national in character.

No local news is printed unless it is of national interest; local news is left to the provincial dailies. But, domestically, the paper does keep offices or bureaus in Bristol, Leeds, Edinburgh and Glasgow. In addition, local correspondents or stringers are located in every major town and city of Britain.

Throughout its 150-years-plus history, the Guardian's journalistic quality has been as consistent as its liberal views and its appeal to the informed and the intelligent. This time-tested combination unmistakably has made the Guardian one of the world's truly great newspapers, not just for a brief moment, but across the decades.

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