The Manchester Guardian, along with the Times, was one of the last of the morning papers to put news on the front page.
On Saturday 27 September 1952 the Manchester Guardian announced that it was the last time adverts would dominate its front pages. Monday 29 September saw the face of the new style paper. It was to coincide with the Labour Party Conference and therefore hoped to generate extra reader appeal.
The newspaper had 16 articles on its front page. Ten articles were home news and six international. The story on the Labour Party Conference refers to concern over the conduct of the Korean war. It also covers some of the leading lights of the party such as Aneurin Bevan and Hugh Dalton assuring the world and one another that there was no disunity within its ranks.
In an article from New York Alistair Cooke writes about the American presidential campaign and the changed tactics of Democratic hopeful Adlai Stevenson. Having begun as a respectful candidate he had altered his tone to attack Republican candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Of the 16 articles on the front page Alistair Cooke is the only reporter with a named byline. Cooke had been the Manchester Guardian’s chief US correspondent since 1947.
The other articles carry no byline or journalists are referred to as ‘Our own Correspondent’, ‘Our own Reporter’, ‘Our Diplomatic Correspondent’, ‘Our Industrial Staff’ or ‘Our Labour Correspondent’.
In 2012 to commemorate 60 years since the Guardian first put news on its front page Katy Stoddard reported on the change and readers reactions in From the archive blog series.
Sixty years of headline news: Hold the (Guardian) front page
The full news front page can be downloaded below.
