The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph, known online and elsewhere as The Telegraph, is a British daily conservative broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was founded by Arthur B. Sleigh in 1855 as The Daily Telegraph & Courier. The Telegraph is considered a newspaper of record.[6] The paper's motto, "Was, is, and will be", was included in its emblem which was used for over a century starting in 1858.[1]
This article is about the British newspaper. For the Australian newspaper, see The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). For other uses, see The Telegraph.Type
29 June 1855 (as Daily Telegraph & Courier)
London, England
United Kingdom
317,817 (as of December 2019)[5]
The paper had a circulation of 363,183 in December 2018,[7] having declined almost 80% from 1.4 million in 1980.[8] It descended further until it withdrew from newspaper circulation audits in 2019. Its sister paper, The Sunday Telegraph, which started in 1961, had a circulation of 281,025 as of December 2018.[7] The two sister newspapers are run separately, with different editorial staff,[9] but there is cross-usage of stories. It is politically conservative and supports the Conservative Party.
The Telegraph has had a number of news scoops, including the outbreak of World War II by rookie reporter Clare Hollingworth, described as "the scoop of the century",[10] the 2009 parliamentary expenses scandal – which led to a number of high-profile political resignations and for which it was named 2009 British Newspaper of the Year[11] – its 2016 undercover investigation on the England football manager Sam Allardyce,[12] and the Lockdown Files in 2023.[13]
History[edit]
Founding and early history[edit]
The Daily Telegraph and Courier was founded by Colonel Arthur B. Sleigh in June 1855 to air a personal grievance against the future commander-in-chief of the British Army, Prince George, Duke of Cambridge.[6][14] Joseph Moses Levy, the owner of The Sunday Times, agreed to print the newspaper, and the first edition was published on 29 June 1855. The paper cost 2d and was four pages long.[6] Nevertheless, the first edition stressed the quality and independence of its articles and journalists:[1]
Awards[edit]
The Daily Telegraph has been named the National Newspaper of the Year in 2009, 1996 and 1993, while The Sunday Telegraph won the same award in 1999.
Its investigation on the 2009 expenses scandal was named the "Scoop of the Year" in 2009, with William Lewis winning "Journalist of the Year".[98] The Telegraph won "Team of the Year" in 2004 for its coverage of the Iraq War.[98] The paper also won "Columnist of the Year" three years' running from 2002 to 2004: Zoë Heller (2002), Robert Harris (2003) and Boris Johnson (2004).[98]