Newspapers… The first true newspaper published in Britain was the Oxford Gazette, which was published in 1665 . By the 18 th century, many more newspapers were being published - 24 papers in all by the 1720s . The very first daily newspaper, the Daily Courant, was first published in London on March 11, 1702 by Edward Mallet. 1905 Harmsworth (then Northcliffe) bought The Observer . 1906 Newspaper Proprietors Association founded for national dailies 1915 Rothermere launched Sunday Pictorial (later Sunday Mirror ). 1928 Northcliffe Newspapers set up as a subsidiary of Associated Newspapers. Provincial. Newspapers set up as a subsidiary of United Newspapers. 1936 Britain's first colour advertisement appears (in Glasgow's Daily Record ). 1953 General Council of the Press established. 1955 Month-long national press strike. Daily Record acquired by Mirror Group. 1959 Manchester Guardian becomes The Guardian . Six-week regional p...