Craven Herald & Pioneer
Encyclopedia
The Craven Herald & Pioneer is a weekly newspaper
covering the Craven
area of North Yorkshire
as well as part of the Pendle
area of Lancashire
. Up until 29 October 2009 it remained one of only two weekly papers in the United Kingdom
that continued to have a front page consisting wholly of advertisements. On 22 October 2009 it was announced that the edition on 29 October 2009 would be the last broadsheet
edition with adverts on the front cover. From 5 November 2009 the format was changed to a tabloid size, or compact as the then-editor described it, with news on page one and the adverts moved to page two.
, by Robert Tasker, a local printer. Originally a monthly publication, it ran until 1868 when Tasker became postmaster
of Skipton and, as such, was debarred from publishing a newspaper.
In 1865 the Craven Weekly Pioneer and General Advertiser for West Yorkshire and East Lancashire was launched. This was a paper of very liberal
leanings being an enthusiastic supporter of William Ewart Gladstone
. In response the local Conservatives
bought Tasker's firm and in 1875 re-launched the Craven Herald.
Both papers continued to publish separately and both underwent name changes at various times. The Craven Herald changed its name to the Craven Herald and Wensleydale Standard in 1868 before reverting to the Craven Herald in 1922. Meanwhile the Pioneer became the West Yorkshire Pioneer and East Lancashire News in 1884 and the West Yorkshire Pioneer in 1934. The two rivals merged in 1937 to form the Craven Herald & Pioneer.
The Craven Herald was an early user of photographs in the paper. The first example, of a society wedding, appeared in 1905.
In 1987, financial pressures forced the owners of the paper to sell to Westminster Press, the publishers of the Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Westminster Press itself was sold to Newsquest
in 1996.
Until 1995 the paper was printed in Skipton but after a Westminster Press decision to centralise printing, moved to Bradford
, although the editorial and advertising offices remain in Skipton.
In 2001 the paper broke with its tradition and suspended adverts on the front page for one edition to use a photograph to report the arrival of foot and mouth disease in Craven.
While it remained a broadsheet publication, the front page remained resolutely advertising although in 2008 changes were made to preview the main news story in a 12 column inch
(3 inches by 4 columns) box on the front page.
audit, the average net circulation per issue was 13,617. The present editor is Adrian Braddy.
Styling itself The Voice of the Dales since 1853 it is now published every Thursday and carries some colour photographs on the inside. the cover price is 75p.
From 5 November 2009 the paper is printed in a tabloid format with news on the front page and the adverts formerly carried on page one moved to page two.
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...
covering the Craven
Craven
Craven is a local government district in North Yorkshire, England that came into being in 1974, centred on the market town of Skipton. In the changes to British local government of that year this district was formed as the merger of Skipton urban district, Settle Rural District and most of Skipton...
area of North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
as well as part of the Pendle
Pendle
Pendle is a local government district and borough of Lancashire, England. It adjoins the Lancashire boroughs of Burnley and Ribble Valley, the North Yorkshire district of Craven and the West Yorkshire districts of Calderdale and the City of Bradford...
area of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. Up until 29 October 2009 it remained one of only two weekly papers in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
that continued to have a front page consisting wholly of advertisements. On 22 October 2009 it was announced that the edition on 29 October 2009 would be the last broadsheet
Broadsheet
Broadsheet is the largest of the various newspaper formats and is characterized by long vertical pages . The term derives from types of popular prints usually just of a single sheet, sold on the streets and containing various types of material, from ballads to political satire. The first broadsheet...
edition with adverts on the front cover. From 5 November 2009 the format was changed to a tabloid size, or compact as the then-editor described it, with news on page one and the adverts moved to page two.
History
There have been several newspapers covering the Craven area. The Craven Herald was first published in 1853, in SkiptonSkipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
, by Robert Tasker, a local printer. Originally a monthly publication, it ran until 1868 when Tasker became 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...
of Skipton and, as such, was debarred from publishing a newspaper.
In 1865 the Craven Weekly Pioneer and General Advertiser for West Yorkshire and East Lancashire was launched. This was a paper of very liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
leanings being an enthusiastic supporter of William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
. In response the local Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
bought Tasker's firm and in 1875 re-launched the Craven Herald.
Both papers continued to publish separately and both underwent name changes at various times. The Craven Herald changed its name to the Craven Herald and Wensleydale Standard in 1868 before reverting to the Craven Herald in 1922. Meanwhile the Pioneer became the West Yorkshire Pioneer and East Lancashire News in 1884 and the West Yorkshire Pioneer in 1934. The two rivals merged in 1937 to form the Craven Herald & Pioneer.
The Craven Herald was an early user of photographs in the paper. The first example, of a society wedding, appeared in 1905.
In 1987, financial pressures forced the owners of the paper to sell to Westminster Press, the publishers of the Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Westminster Press itself was sold to Newsquest
Newsquest
Newsquest is the third largest publisher of regional and local newspapers in the United Kingdom with 300 titles in its portfolio. Newsquest is based in Weybridge, Surrey and employs a total of more than 5,500 people across the UK...
in 1996.
Until 1995 the paper was printed in Skipton but after a Westminster Press decision to centralise printing, moved to Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, although the editorial and advertising offices remain in Skipton.
In 2001 the paper broke with its tradition and suspended adverts on the front page for one edition to use a photograph to report the arrival of foot and mouth disease in Craven.
While it remained a broadsheet publication, the front page remained resolutely advertising although in 2008 changes were made to preview the main news story in a 12 column inch
Column inch
A column inch is a measurement of the amount of content in published works that use multiple columns per page. A column inch is a unit of space one column wide by one inch high.-A newspaper page:...
(3 inches by 4 columns) box on the front page.
Current status
In the most recent (July 2010 – December 2010) ABCABC (Audit Bureau of Circulations UK)
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, ABC has two roles:* To manage and uphold standards which reflect media industry needs...
audit, the average net circulation per issue was 13,617. The present editor is Adrian Braddy.
Styling itself The Voice of the Dales since 1853 it is now published every Thursday and carries some colour photographs on the inside. the cover price is 75p.
From 5 November 2009 the paper is printed in a tabloid format with news on the front page and the adverts formerly carried on page one moved to page two.