Het Volk (newspaper)

Infobox Newspaper
name= Het Volk
type = Daily
format = Tabloid
foundation = 1891
ceased publication = 10 May 2008
owners = Corelio
headquarters = Gossetlaan 30
Groot-Bijgaarden B-1702
editor = Frank Buyse
language = Dutch
sister newspapers = "Het Nieuwsblad", "De Gentenaar"
website = [http://www.hetvolk.be www.hetvolk.be]

Het Volk (English: "The People") was a Belgian newspaper that focused on "news with a human undertone".

Mission Statement

"You will find what you are looking for in "Het Volk", the only newspaper where people really make the news. You will read everything on small and big events in your neighborhoods, your cities and far beyond. In "Het Volk", you won't be forced to swallow pre-chewn articles on politics or economics, but real news with a human undertone."

Circulation

In 2006, Het Volk had an average weekday circulation of 77,000, according to the Centrum voor Informatie over de Media. In the last quarter of the 20th century, circulation dropped. In 1980, the weekday circulation was 220,000.

Het Volk had an average market share of 11.5% in Flanders.

History

Het Volk was first published in 1891. It was the only paper controlled by the Christian labour organizations in Ghent. It opposed socialism. It adopted "anti-socialist daily" as slogan. The paper was distributed in Ghent, Aalst and Brussels. In 1912, "anti-socialist" changed to "Christian labourer's daily".

In 1925, Het Volk was the first newspaper in Belgium to publish a small Sunday issue, "Het Zondagsblad" ("The Sunday Paper").

During the Second World War, Het Volk sold 35,000 a day. It gained international attention in 1944 when it was the first - and for a time, the only - paper to report the Von Rundstedt Offensive in the Ardennes.

After the war, Het Volk started organizing sports events. In 1945, the first Omloop Het Volk cycling race was held.

In 1952, Het Volk purchased De Nieuwe Gids, a Brussels newspaper. De Nieuwe Gids has disappeared. Their other "cover-paper" De Gentenaar still exists.

In 1994, Het Volk was purchased by the Vlaamse Uitgeversmaatschappij. Since 2001, differences between Het Volk, Het Nieuwsblad and De Gentenaar have been small and restricted to the front page.

In 2000, Het Volk left Ghent and moved to Groot-Bijgaarden, near Brussels.

On May 10 2008, Het Volk ceased publication. [cite web |url=http://www.agjpb.be/vvj/nieuws.php?nieuwsid=564 |title=Het Volk verdwijnt |accessdate=2008-05-19 |date=5 May 2008 |publisher=Vlaamse Vereniging van Journalisten |language=Dutch]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.krantenindeklas.be/index.php?id=25 Newspapers in the class room] nl icon