Bien (newspaper)
Encyclopedia
Bien is the only weekly Danish-language
newspaper published in the United States. Bien is one of two Danish-language newspapers published in the United States. The other is a biweekly, Den Danske Pioneer
, a unit of Bertelsen Publishing Co., based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois
.
Bien, which is Danish for “the bee”, was founded in 1882 by a Norwegian clergyman. It was originally published in San Francisco
. In 1975, it was bought by Poul Andersen
, a printer for the Los Angeles Times
, who relocated Bien to Burbank, California
, so he could edit the newspaper after completing his shift at the Times. To commemorate the newspaper’s 100th anniversary, Andersen was knighted into the Order of the Dannebrog
by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
in 1982 for his work to unite the Danish American community.
Bien is considered the last newspaper in California to be printed using Linotype
, according to the California Newspaper Publishers Association
. When Andersen, who had been a Linotype
operator at the Los Angeles Times, sold Bien in 2001, the newspaper switched from Linotype to computer typesetting. It is published in Burbank, California
and has a circulation of approximately 3,000. Jytte Madsen currently serves as publisher and editor-in-chief of Bien.
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
newspaper published in the United States. Bien is one of two Danish-language newspapers published in the United States. The other is a biweekly, Den Danske Pioneer
Den Danske Pioneer
Den Danske Pioneer is the oldest Danish-language newspaper published in the United States. Den Danske Pioneer is one of two remaining Danish-language newspapers in the United States. The other is Bien , a weekly newspaper based in California.-History:Den Danske Pioneer was founded in 1872 by Mark...
, a unit of Bertelsen Publishing Co., based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Hoffman Estates is a northwestern suburb of Chicago in Illinois. The village is located primarily in Cook County with a small section in Kane County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 49,495 and estimated to be 52,520 in 2003...
.
Bien, which is Danish for “the bee”, was founded in 1882 by a Norwegian clergyman. It was originally published in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. In 1975, it was bought by Poul Andersen
Poul Andersen
Poul Dalby Andersen was a printer who served in the Danish resistance movement during World War II and later published one of the remaining two Danish-language newspapers in the United States-Background:...
, a printer for the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, who relocated Bien to Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, so he could edit the newspaper after completing his shift at the Times. To commemorate the newspaper’s 100th anniversary, Andersen was knighted into the Order of the Dannebrog
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
in 1982 for his work to unite the Danish American community.
Bien is considered the last newspaper in California to be printed using Linotype
Linotype machine
The Linotype typesetting machine is a "line casting" machine used in printing. The name of the machine comes from the fact that it produces an entire line of metal type at once, hence a line-o'-type, a significant improvement over manual typesetting....
, according to the California Newspaper Publishers Association
California Newspaper Publishers Association
The California Newspaper Publishers Association is a nonprofit trade association founded in 1888 that represents the daily and weekly newspapers of California. Its diverse membership consists of over 500 newspapers that elect 35 individuals to its governing board of directors...
. When Andersen, who had been a Linotype
Linotype machine
The Linotype typesetting machine is a "line casting" machine used in printing. The name of the machine comes from the fact that it produces an entire line of metal type at once, hence a line-o'-type, a significant improvement over manual typesetting....
operator at the Los Angeles Times, sold Bien in 2001, the newspaper switched from Linotype to computer typesetting. It is published in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
and has a circulation of approximately 3,000. Jytte Madsen currently serves as publisher and editor-in-chief of Bien.
Other sources
- Marzolf, Marion The Danish-Language Press in America (New York: Arno Press. 1979)