My texts about Lidové noviny

Founded in 1893 by Adolf Stránský in Brno, Lidové noviny (The People's News) has been a cornerstone of Czech journalism for over a century. After World War I, it emerged as the most influential independent newspaper for Czechoslovak intellectuals, boasting contributors like Karel Čapek, Rudolf Těsnohlídek, Karel Poláček, Eduard Bass, and Ferdinand Peroutka.

Following World War II, despite a brief name change, Lidové noviny maintained its reputation for excellence under Ferdinand Peroutka's leadership. However, the Communist takeover in the early 1950s led to a decline in journalistic standards across the board. On February 8, 1952, Lidové noviny ceased publication, with part of its editorial team transitioning to a weekly literary magazine.

The Prague Spring of 1968 saw attempts to revive Lidové noviny, but these were thwarted by the Warsaw Pact invasion. It wasn't until 1987 that dissidents breathed new life into the brand, launching a samizdat (underground) newsletter. Despite government persecution, by 1988, an estimated 10,000 copies were circulating throughout the country.

The Velvet Revolution of 1989 ushered in a new era for Lidové noviny. It rapidly expanded its circulation and frequency, becoming a daily newspaper again in April 1990 with a print run of 360,000 copies.

In the post-communist free market, the paper sought stable investors with international experience. It changed hands several times, including ownership by Swiss publisher Ringier and German media group Rheinisch Bergische Verlagsgesellschaft. These transitions brought modernization, including the launch of the Lidovky.cz website in 2000 and the introduction of color printing in 2001.

In 2013, Czech billionaire and politician Andrej Babiš's Agrofert holding acquired the entire Mafra media group, including Lidové noviny. However, in February 2024, Agrofert completed the sale of Mafra to the Czech investment group Kaprain.

As of May 2024, Lidové noviny's average daily circulation stood at 17,514, with about 8,000 subscribers, 4,000 newsstand sales, and 4,600 digital edition purchases. Friday editions, featuring TV listings, were particularly popular, selling around 25,000 copies. The Saturday edition, with its "Orientation" supplement (focused on essays, debates, and social issues), attracted about 22,000 readers.

In a significant shift, the new owners have decided to cease print publication of Lidové noviny at the end of August 2024. The website will continue operations, while the popular "Orientation" supplement will be incorporated into the Saturday edition of MF Dnes, another newspaper in the group.