De Volkskrant
Encyclopedia
de Volkskrant is a national daily Dutch
morning newspaper
, the leading centre-left broadsheet, although now in tabloid size.
since 1921. Originally de Volkskrant was a Roman Catholic newspaper, closely linked to the Catholic People's Party
and the catholic pillar. On its re-founding in 1945 its office moved from Den Bosch to Amsterdam
. It became a left-wing newspaper in the 1960s. Its former clear left wing stance has been watered down since 1980. On 23 August 2006 the Volkskrant published its 25,000th edition.
and Algemeen Dagblad
. The total Dutch newspaper circulation in 2002 was 4.9 million (4.2m paid and 0.7m free). The paper has since then heavily lost in circulation. The circulation drop occurred under the editorship of Pieter Broertjes, who gave up his 20-year tenure in 2010.
N.V.
, a publishing company which was also the owner of NRC Handelsblad
, Algemeen Dagblad
, and Trouw
. Until 1 January 2003 the newspaper Het Parool
was part of PCM Uitgevers
too.
In 2009 PCM Uitgevers
was taken over by De Persgroep
N.V.
, a Belgian publishing company.
and Sp!ts, two other free dailies. However PCM gave no permission for this so the plan had to be retracted. Instead PCM intended to come with a free newspaper together with investor Marcel Boekhoorn
. PCM later withdrew from the project and Boekhoorn started the free daily De Pers
using his own resources. A year later PCM started its own free paper DAG
, that lived very shortly and went digital after another year.
(2006) has been the main type used in De Volkskrant since 2 December 2006.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
morning 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...
, the leading centre-left broadsheet, although now in tabloid size.
History
De Volkskrant was founded in 1919 and is a daily morning newspaperNewspaper
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...
since 1921. Originally de Volkskrant was a Roman Catholic newspaper, closely linked to the Catholic People's Party
Catholic People's Party
The Catholic People's Party was a Catholic Christian democratic Dutch political party. During its entire existence, the party was in government. The party is one of the precursors of the Christian Democratic Appeal.- 1945-1965 :The KVP was founded on 22 December, 1945...
and the catholic pillar. On its re-founding in 1945 its office moved from Den Bosch to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. It became a left-wing newspaper in the 1960s. Its former clear left wing stance has been watered down since 1980. On 23 August 2006 the Volkskrant published its 25,000th edition.
Circulation
The daily circulation was 326,000 copies in 2002, dwindling to 260,000 in 2008 and still decreasing, which nevertheless makes it the third biggest newspaper of the Netherlands, after the De TelegraafDe Telegraaf
De Telegraaf is the largest Dutch daily morning newspaper, with a daily circulation of approximately . De Telegraaf is based in Amsterdam...
and Algemeen Dagblad
Algemeen Dagblad
The Algemeen Dagblad is a Dutch newspaper. Founded in Rotterdam in 1946, it currently has a daily circulation of 315,000. The newspaper is owned by AD NieuwsMedia, a joint venture between Wegener and PCM Uitgevers....
. The total Dutch newspaper circulation in 2002 was 4.9 million (4.2m paid and 0.7m free). The paper has since then heavily lost in circulation. The circulation drop occurred under the editorship of Pieter Broertjes, who gave up his 20-year tenure in 2010.
Ownership
De Volkskrant was part of PCM UitgeversPCM Uitgevers
PCM Uitgevers was a Dutch publishing company. Until 2007 Apax Partners held a controlling stake in the company. In December 2009, it merged with De Persgroep to become De Persgroep Nederland...
N.V.
Naamloze Vennootschap
is the Dutch term for a public limited liability company. The company is owned by shareholders, and the company's shares are not registered to certain owners, so that they may be traded on the public stock market....
, a publishing company which was also the owner of NRC Handelsblad
NRC Handelsblad
NRC Handelsblad, often abbreviated to NRC, is a daily evening newspaper published in the Netherlands by NRC Media. The newspaper was created on October 1, 1970, from merger of the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant and Algemeen Handelsblad . In 2006 a morning newspaper, nrc•next, was launched...
, Algemeen Dagblad
Algemeen Dagblad
The Algemeen Dagblad is a Dutch newspaper. Founded in Rotterdam in 1946, it currently has a daily circulation of 315,000. The newspaper is owned by AD NieuwsMedia, a joint venture between Wegener and PCM Uitgevers....
, and Trouw
Trouw
Trouw is a Dutch daily newspaper. "Trouw" is a Dutch word meaning "fidelity", "loyalty", or "allegiance", and is cognate with the English adjective "true"...
. Until 1 January 2003 the newspaper Het Parool
Het Parool
Het Parool is an Amsterdam-based daily newspaper. It was founded as a resistance paper during World War II by Frans Van Heuven Goedhart and Jaap Nunes Vaz...
was part of PCM Uitgevers
PCM Uitgevers
PCM Uitgevers was a Dutch publishing company. Until 2007 Apax Partners held a controlling stake in the company. In December 2009, it merged with De Persgroep to become De Persgroep Nederland...
too.
In 2009 PCM Uitgevers
PCM Uitgevers
PCM Uitgevers was a Dutch publishing company. Until 2007 Apax Partners held a controlling stake in the company. In December 2009, it merged with De Persgroep to become De Persgroep Nederland...
was taken over by De Persgroep
De Persgroep
De Persgroep NV is a Flemish media company owned by the Van Thillo family. In 1978 the family obtained 60 percent of shares in the publishing company Hoste...
N.V.
Naamloze Vennootschap
is the Dutch term for a public limited liability company. The company is owned by shareholders, and the company's shares are not registered to certain owners, so that they may be traded on the public stock market....
, a Belgian publishing company.
Free newspaper
In October 2006, Volkskrant announced that it would start publishing a free version of its paper targeting youths. Its competitors would be MetroMetro International
Metro International is a Swedish media company based in Luxembourg that publishes the Metro newspapers. Metro International's advertising sales have grown at a compound annual growth rate of 41% since launch of the first newspaper edition in 1995. It is a freesheet, meaning that distribution is...
and Sp!ts, two other free dailies. However PCM gave no permission for this so the plan had to be retracted. Instead PCM intended to come with a free newspaper together with investor Marcel Boekhoorn
Marcel Boekhoorn
Marcel Boekhoorn is a Dutch investor with a wide array of business interests. Mr Boekhoorn’s estimated current net worth stands at €1.3 billion , making him one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in the Netherlands.Boekhoorn, a CPA by training, founded his investment vehicle Ramphastos Investments...
. PCM later withdrew from the project and Boekhoorn started the free daily De Pers
De Pers
De Pers is a freely distributed Dutch language tabloid newspaper in the Netherlands, with a circulation of around 200,000. Its competitors are Metro and Sp!ts. The first edition of De Pers was published on January 23, 2007....
using his own resources. A year later PCM started its own free paper DAG
Dag
-Places:*Dág , a village*Dąg, a village in Poland*DAG, the British National Rail station code for Dalgety Bay railway station, Scotland*DAG, the IATA code for Barstow-Daggett Airport, California, USA...
, that lived very shortly and went digital after another year.
Typeface
The typeface Capitolium News by Gerard UngerGerard Unger
Gerard Unger is a graphic and type designer. He studied at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam from 1963-67, and subsequently worked at Total Design, Prad and Joh. Enschedé. In 1975, he established himself as an independent developer...
(2006) has been the main type used in De Volkskrant since 2 December 2006.
Notable contributors
- Kader AbdolahKader AbdolahKader Abdolah is a Persian–Dutch writer, poet and columnist. He has written books and many articles in Dutch and is known for using Persian literary items in his Dutch works...
- Mohammed BenzakourMohammed BenzakourMohammed Benzakour is a Moroccan-Dutch columnist, essayist, poet, writer and politician. He is the third child in a family of five. At age three, he and mother and siblings settle in Zwijndrecht, The Netherlands, where his father worked...
- Godfried BomansGodfried BomansGodfried Bomans was a popular Dutch author and television personality and a prominent Dutch catholic...
- Wim BoostWim BoostWillem Louis Joseph Boost , was a Dutch cartoonist, using the alias WiBo.Boost started his career as a drawing teacher, and then started to work for the Toonder studios...
- Hugo Brandt CorstiusHugo Brandt CorstiusHugo Brandt Corstius is a Dutch author known for his achievements in both literature and science....
- Remco CampertRemco CampertRemco Campert is a Dutch author, poet and columnist.-Early years:Remco Wouter Campert was born in The Hague, son of writer and poet Jan Campert, author of the poem De achttien dooden, and actress Joekie Broedelet...
- Thomas von der DunkThomas von der DunkThomas von der Dunk is a Dutch cultural historian, writer, and columnist who has written for de Volkskrant and HP/De Tijd....
- Jan MulderJan Mulder (footballer)For other Jan Mulders see Jan MulderJohan Mulder is a former Dutch football striker who played for R.S.C. Anderlecht and AFC Ajax. He also played five matches for the Netherlands, scoring once. Mulder was topscorer of the 1966-67 season in the Belgian Jupiler League...
- Michaël ZeemanMichaël ZeemanMichaël Zeeman was a prominent Dutch journalist, author, editor, columnist and literary critic. He received the C. Buddingh' Award, given annually for the best debut in Dutch poetry , for Beeldenstorm in 1991...
External links
- de Volkskrant website
- US English translations of some de Volkskrant articles available from nonprofit WorldMeets.US; search archives here