150 Years of Giving Swedes the News

This Tuesday, Dec. 23, marks exactly 150 years since Dagens Nyheter published its first newspaper in Sweden.

The paper, which was started in 1864 by newspaperman Rudolf Wall, was Sweden’s first morning newspaper and in 1888, Albert Bonnier bought shares in the company. In 1909, Albert Bonnier’s son Karl Otto Bonnier acquired majority shares to become primary owner.

“When Bonnier became the main owner, the decision was political – or really more a matter of principle,” says Carl-Johan Bonnier, Chairman of the Board for Bonnier AB and great grandson of Karl Otto; he has also been a longtime board chair for Dagens Nyheter.

“The newspaper’s conservative minority owners tried to take control and change DN’s political position. At the insistence of then Editor-in-Chief Otto von Zweigbergk, Karl Otto Bonnier bought majority shares to ensure that the paper could retain its independent or liberal position. And that was that.”

The paper has a long list of notable editors-in-chief who have followed in Rudolf Wall’s footsteps, including legendary liberal journalist Herbert Tingsten, the very literary Olof Lagercrantz, Gunilla Herlitz and today’s Peter Wolodarski – the youngest editor-in-chief in the paper’s history.

“We are proud of the paper and the position it has in the Swedish public debate,” says Carl-Johan Bonnier. “Proud of its political stance, of the quality of its journalism, of the diversity of voices and opinions in DN, and that we as owners have contributed to guaranteeing that this continues, that it is journalists who control and develop the paper independently.”

While Dagens Nyheter has been celebrating all year – for instance, dn.se has a tab devoted solely to celebrating its history, with blog posts and photos from throughout its history – the festivities culminate on the eve of its actual birthday, Dec. 22 with a gala party at Stockholm City Hall, home of the Nobel Prize ceremony and dinner.