Newspaper ends daily print edition after 320 yrs

Editor-in-Chief of the Wiener Zeitung Thomas Seifert poses in front of the printing press during the printing of the last issue of the one of the world`s oldest newspapers, `Wiener Zeitung`, in Vienna. Pic/AFP

One of the world's oldest newspapers, the Vienna-based Wiener Zeitung, ended its daily print run Friday after more than three centuries.

First published under the name Wiennerisches Diarium, the paper set out to provide a sober account of the news ‘without any oratory or poetic gloss' when it was launched on August 8, 1703. It has an online edition.

"320 years, 12 presidents, 10 emperors, 2 republics, 1 newspaper," the print edition's final front page read.

The Wiener Zeitung, which is owned by the Austrian government but editorially independent, suffered a sharp decrease in revenue after a recent law dropped a requirement for companies to pay to publish changes to the commercial registry in the print edition. The newspaper, which is considered a quality publication with a articles covering domestic and foreign news, culture and business, was forced to cut 63 jobs and reduce its editorial staff by almost two-thirds to 20.

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