Every day brings a new story. And each day contributes to the art of story telling -- in prose and poetry, in music, on the stage, on the screen, and, of course, in books.
Today is the story of December 4th.
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It is the 338th day of the year, leaving 27 days in 2021.
Today we celebrate the birth of two great newspapers, 90 years and some 5,500 miles apart. Both have exemplified the positive qualities of the medium: Great writing and story-telling, with an ear for detail and what people care about.
On this date in 1791, The Observer published its first Sunday edition in London, England. It still publishes a weekly paper, making it the older Sunday newspaper in the country.
In its first year, the owners of the Times ran into financial difficulties.Soon, the printing company took over the paper, and hired Harrison Gray Otis as its editor. He quickly turned it around, buying the newspaper and the printing company in 1884, calling it the Times-Mirror Company.
The city grew, as did the Times, and by 1940 was the leading paper in the city, and a strong voice throughout California. Today, it is the second largest metropolitan daily in the United States, behind only The New York Post.
Meanwhile, in London, the Observer also struggled through its first years. and its owner, W.S. Bourne, found himself deep in debt. He agreed to have the government subsidize him in return for control of its editorial content. Throughout the 19th Century, it continued to accept the government's money, but often rebeled against its editorial control.
During the 20th Century, its circulation increased to more than 200,000 as it became a leading voice in British politics, noted for its foreign coverage. Today, it is part of the Guardian Media Group.
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