From the History of Printed Media of Armenia

The Armenian printed media has played a huge role in the development of socio-political thought and scientific and cultural life, as well as in the dissemination of European values in Armenian reality.

Armenian print media was founded in October 1794 in the Indian city of Madras. The first Armenian newspaper was “Azdarar” (“Herald”), which was established by cleric Harutyun Shmavonyan.

In the last decades of the 20th century, the central organ of the Armenian Hunchakian party published the newspaper “Hunchak.” The newspaper covered the problems of the national and social liberation of the Armenian people, promoting the party’s ideology.

Grigor Artsruni’s newspaper “Mshak” had a serious impact on the advanced, patriotic youth. At the beginning of the century, the publications of Arshak Chobanyan’s “Anahit” in Paris and Garegin Levonyan’s “Gegharvest” in Tiflis also appeared. A favorite of children was also the newspaper “Asker.”

The Armenian Dashnaktsutyun party also had its own newspaper named “Droshak.”

In 1940, the daily newspaper “Marmara” was published in Istanbul. The newspaper described the life of the Armenians of Istanbul – in particular, it touched upon secular, school, and cultural events. Armenological articles and works of art were also published in it.

At the beginning of the 20th century in Tiflis was published the daily newspaper “Mshak”, as well as newspapers “Murch”, “Nor Dar”, “Pordz”, “Ardzagank”, and many others.

The newspapers “Masis”, “Meghu”, and “Arevelk” were published in Constantinople. The editions of “Arevelk” and “Arevmutk” were printed in Paris as well.

In the first half of the 19th century, only 30 Armenian newspapers were published. In the second half of the century, the number reached 543. And in the 20th century, the number of publishers reached 600. The main centers of the Armenian print media were Tiflis and Constantinople.