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The Guardian is an independent newspaper published in Nigeria by Guardian Newspapers Limited. It is the main competitor to The Punch for advertising, albeit not for circulation. Unlike The Punch it focused on business content rather than upon what the editor of The Punch refers to as "appeal to the working classes".^[1] The paper is one of the few relatively long lasting national papers in the country. It is believed its durability is a result of its broad range of issues, and contacts, its close link to the Ibru family and non-partisanship.

[edit] History

In its early stages of circulation, The Guardian was of one the few national dailies that did not publish advertised obituaries. Since 1989, the policy as changed and elite advertisement now makes a large percentage of the newspaper's revenue; however, its stands on critical issues affecting the newspaper business and the nation at large have earned it the respect of many readers.

The paper was first published on the 22nd of February. When first published, it was like an experimentation as it was published weekly, only on Sundays, for six months before it went daily. The records have it that the paper started daily publication on the fourth of July 1983.The paper was established by Chief Alex Ibru. The paper is seen to be elitist as it maintained some sort of intellectual high standard. The paper has been a flagship in the industry so much so that other papers try to mimic the standards of the Guardian.

In later years, the active role taken by some partisan but short lived newspapers and other newspapers in general as agents of change, however, clouded the decision making of a few heads of state. The promulgation of decree four has made timid any form of caustic criticism of government. Mr Thompson, a reporter for the paper and Mr Nduka Irabor were both sent to jail in 1984 under Decree No. 4 of that year. The publisher also escaped an assassination attempt during the regime of Sani Abacha.

[edit] References

1. ^ "Nigeria: The PUNCH newspaper seeks to knock out the competition". RAP21. World Association of Newspapers. 2004-09-07. http://www.rap21.org/article18257.html. 

• "A Gleeful David Faces the Goliath That Is Nigeria", The New York Times, October 28, 1988, Friday, Late City Final Edition, Section A; Page 4

[edit] External links

• The Guardian on-line
• Archives from The Guardian
• The Guardian at JournalSeek

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