The good news is that a new printed newspaper reappeared in October 2021 the recently launched Wokingham Today, then edited by former Post features editor Phil Creighton, launched a sister title, Reading Today, with an online site at the rather awkwardly named RDG.Today (ah the traumas of finding a URL, or indeed any online handle, when your name is the present participle of a very common verb).

However, at the same time, the BBC has shuttered its Caversham House regional office and has downgraded BBC Berkshire, whilst still providing some coverage for stories from the town and they also provide some stories via their local journalism service.

So why this reversal in fortunes from a time when Reading could support multiple daily newspapers to the situation today?

The answer is a simple one – the internet and the rise of global advertising giants such as Google (Alphabet) and Facebook (Meta). Local publishers have to depend on these organisations to both drive traffic from their massive portals and to deliver advertising revenue using their bespoke platforms.

The results have been cost cuts and closures and a huge pressure on local journalism. Standards for local journalism in Reading fell to a new low this year when a local paper started using AI chatbots to generate inaccurate stories, including making up fish and chip shops that don’t exist, although by now the Chronicle and Today produce a reliable and well produced stream of daily news stories covering all aspects of life in our town that you can follow daily from inReading.

The Chronicle, which is the last historical newspaper publishing a print edition in Reading, having been established in 1855, is nowadays owned by American media giant Gannett via their U.K. Newsquest subsidiary. Reading Today, meanwhile, is independently owned and operated as a social enterprise.

Journalism in Reading fights on thanks to the work and dedication of a very hard working band of local journalists and we at inReading hope that we can harness the abilities of local people to generate more community orientated content whilst supporting professional journalists and content producers.

If you want to contribute to inReading, you can do so here (membership required).

 

 

You can find archives and copies of many local Reading newspapers here:  https://berksfhs.org/info/research-guides/berkshire-newspapers/

A full history of the Mercury can be found here. 

And a very comprehensive history of local journalism can be found in this thesis by AT Watts of the University of Stirling (yes all the way up in Scotland - there must be a story there…but that’s for another day)

You can read copies of old newspapers at Reading Central Library on Kings Road: https://www.genuki.org.uk/sites/default/files/media/images/big/eng/BRK/RCLLocalFactsheet10Newspapers.pdf

 

History of Printed Newspapers in Reading

The town and its wider area has hosted a great number of publications down the years, including:

The Reading Mercury, or, Weekly Entertainer 1723-1725, continued as The Reading Mercury and Oxford Gazette, etc. 1767-1831, continued as Reading Mercury, Oxford Gazette and Berkshire County Paper, etc 1831-1839, continued as Reading Mercury, Oxford Gazette, Newsbury Herald and Berks County Paper, etc. 1839-1960, continued as Reading Mercury, etc. 1960-1970, continued as Berkshire Mercury 1970-1979.

The Reading Journal 1737-1740, continued as The Reading Journal, or, Weekly Review 1744-1748

Berkshire Chronicle 1825-1912, continued as Berkshire Daily Chronicle 1912-1914, continued as Berkshire Chronicle 1914-1961, continued as Reading and Berkshire Chronicle 1961-1965, continued as Reading Chronicle 1965-today.

Berks Telegraph 1869-1973, subsequently incorporated with Reading Observer

The Reading Examiner, Windsor and Eton Herald, and Berkshire County Chronicle 1872-1874
Berkshire Weekly News 1872
Reading Observer, Berks Telegraph, and Bucks, Hants, Oxfordshire and Surrey Newspaper 1873-1878, continued as Reading Observer 1878-1924

Reading Express and Berkshire Independent, 1879-1884

The Wag 1889 subsequently discontinued

The Bellman, and Royal County’s Commentator for Reading, etc. 1891

The North Berks Standard 1906

The Reading & County Times 1909-1910 subsequently discontinued

Reading Record 1912-1913 subsequently discontinued

The Caversham Observer 1923-1924

Reading Citizen 1924-1952
The Reading Co-operator 1932-1935 subsequently discontinued

Reading Review 1935-1949, continued as Reading & Berkshire Review 1949-1953, continued as Berkshire & Reading Review 1954

Evening Gazette 1935-1938, continued as Reading Gazette 1939

Berkshire Co-operative Leader 1939-1940

Berkshire Chronicle (Country edition) 1947-1961, continued as Reading and Berkshire Chronicle 1961-1965, continued as Reading Chronicle 1965-1967 
subsequently discontinued

Evening Post 1965-1994, continued as Reading Evening Post 1994-2014