The Press History of Çorum: From the First Newspaper to Today
The history of the press in Çorum (matbaa: printing press) begins comparatively late even by Anatolian standards, in 1921. Researcher and writer Abdulkadir Ozulu’s book Çorum Basın Tarihi Notları (Çorum Press History Notes, 2012) is the first comprehensive, source-based account of this ninety-year story; before it, only two shorter studies existed on the subject — a series Münevver Kaygun serialised in the Çorum Haber newspaper in 1986-87, and the “Çorum Basın Tarihi” chapter in Mahmut Selim Gürsel’s book Çorum 1996/97 (p. 40). This page summarises Çorum’s newspaper history based on Ozulu’s book.
The First Print Shop and the First Newspaper (1921)
Çorum’s first printing press was purchased in Samsun and brought to the city on the initiative of the district governor of the time, Ali Cemal (Bardakçı) Bey, founding the Çorum Liva Matbaası (liva: Ottoman-era administrative sub-province). It later operated under the names Çorum Vilayet Matbaası and Çorum İl Basımevi until 1989 (pp. 29, 33-34). The book notes that before this, an orally remembered, hand-copied publication called “Ajans,” attributed to a Çorumlu named Abidin Efendi, is said to have circulated; but as no surviving copy has been found, the author begins Çorum’s press history with Müstakil Çorum, whose collection largely survives (pp. 45-46).
Müstakil Çorum launched on 3 May 1921; after five issues under that name it was known simply as “Çorum.” The book notes that this newspaper is cited as an example of what Mustafa Kemal called the “islands of virtue” created by the printing presses established across Anatolia (p. 33). It was published for 43 years under the sole ownership of the Çorum Provincial Special Administration and closed with its 3,000th issue on 1 January 1964 (pp. 46, 52).
A Single-Newspaper City, and the First Private Venture
Aside from the short-lived Fikret Gazetesi (1926-1927), Çorum Gazetesi remained the city’s only newspaper for a full 30 years, until 1951 (p. 38). Fikret’s owner, Suheyb Rumi (Karafakıoğlu), is credited in the book with publishing the first privately owned, print-shop-produced newspaper in Çorum; he ended the paper’s run after being elected mayor (pp. 52-56).
The 1950s: A More Diverse Local Press
After 1951 the number of newspapers in Çorum grew quickly. Notable titles of this era included Yeni Çorum (1951, Cahit Angın, later Yaşar Karabek; a voice for the Democrat Party), Akisler (1952, Nuri Yavuzer), Hür Çorum (1952, Akif Leblebicioğlu; opposed to the Democrat Party), Yeni Adım (1955-1965, Ahmet Küreli; long-running and non-partisan), Hür Yol (1955-1961, also run by Akif Leblebicioğlu) and Halkın Sesi (1957-1961, run by printer Osman Eftekin) — an era not lacking in political rivalry and sharp exchanges between rival editors (pp. 56-71).
From the 1960s to the 1980s: From Yeni Gün to Çorum
Yeni Gün (1966), owned by Ahmet Emiroğlu and Aydın Kalelioğlu, published a wide roster of contributors and gave extensive coverage to the Çorumspor football club and to writings by university students; the book records that a 1,557-issue run of the paper is held at the Hasan Paşa Library (pp. 72-74). Çorum Ekspres (1967, Reşat Nartok) continued from 1972 simply as Çorum, and, under Aydın Kalelioğlu, ran until 1989 (pp. 74-79). Among institutional publications of the era, the Çorum Ticaret ve Sanayi Gazetesi (Chamber of Commerce and Industry Gazette, 1983-1998) began as the official organ of the Çorum Chamber of Commerce and Industry under Vahit Benderli (pp. 82-83).
After 1985: Çorum Haber, Belde and Merhaba
Çorum Haber (September 1985) was founded by Yaşar Yolyapar and later led by Mehmet Yolyapar; as of 2011, when the book was written, it was in its 26th year of publication and had reached issue 7,700 (pp. 84-87). The Çorum Municipality’s monthly official gazette, Belde Gazetesi, began on 20 December 1985 under then-mayor Necdet Diken and ceased publication in 1989 (pp. 87-89). Merhaba Çorum, founded by İbrahim Kuzoluk in 1992, ran for 18 years until 2009 (pp. 96-97).
Çorum Hakimiyet: The Shift to Offset Printing
Çorum Hakimiyet Gazetesi began publishing on 1 February 1991, issued on behalf of ÖYTAŞ (Önder Basın Yayın A.Ş.) by Mustafa Ilıca, and, according to the book, was the first newspaper in Çorum printed by offset (p. 91). As of 2011, when the book was written, it was published daily except Sundays at 20 pages, and the book describes it as “the most-read, highest-circulation newspaper in Çorum” at that time (p. 95).
The book also notes that from 2004 onward the paper carried a regular Culture-Literature-Art supplement called Hale Dergisi, sharing its name with Çorum’s first magazine, published back in 1922 (see Magazines and Halkevi Publications in Çorum).
Çorum’s Press in Numbers
Over the ninety years from 1921 to 2011, Ozulu documents 330 publications in total — 115 newspapers, 121 magazines and 95 bulletins (pp. 34-35). The pace accelerated sharply over time: only 1 newspaper and 1 magazine existed between 1921 and 1925, compared with 33 newspapers, 28 magazines and 40 bulletins between 1992 and 2000, and 36 newspapers, 66 magazines and 36 bulletins between 2001 and 2011. As of late 2011, when the book was written, 7 daily newspapers were in circulation in central Çorum, and 20 print shops were actively operating in the province (pp. 34-35, 38-39). Beyond the titles above, the book briefly records numerous other short-lived newspapers published in the city centre and the districts (see pp. 60-126).
Radio, Television and Internet Broadcasting
Basın Tarihi Notları focuses mainly on print media and does not devote a separate section to radio, television or internet broadcasting. Its foreword mentions, in a single general sentence, that local newspapers as well as “our television and radio stations” contribute to promoting Çorum (p. 16). The one concrete example the book gives is that the short-lived Umut Gazetesi (1999) also served as promotional material for Umut Radyo, a radio station broadcasting at the same time (pp. 106-107).
Related Pages
Sources
- Abdulkadir Ozulu, Çorum Basın Tarihi Notları (Çorum Press History Notes), Çorum Belediyesi Kent Arşivi, Çorum 2012, ISBN 978-975-00946-2-0, pp. 29-107. https://www.corum.bel.tr/public/uploads/2023/05/ozulu-kitap-son.pdf
Frequently asked questions
What was Çorum's first newspaper, and when was it launched?
According to Abdulkadir Ozulu's Basın Tarihi Notları (Press History Notes), Çorum's first printed newspaper was Müstakil Çorum, launched on 3 May 1921; after its first five issues it was known simply as 'Çorum.' It was published under the sole ownership of the Çorum Provincial Special Administration for 43 years and closed with its 3,000th issue on 1 January 1964.
When and how was Çorum's first print shop established?
In 1921, on the initiative of Çorum's district governor (mutasarrıf) at the time, Ali Cemal (Bardakçı) Bey, a printing press was purchased in Samsun and brought to Çorum, founding the Çorum Liva Matbaası (Liva Print Shop). Later known as the Çorum Vilayet Matbaası and then the Çorum İl Basımevi, it operated until 1989.