Contemporary Critics and Seminal Sources

Although many scholars identify the first newspaper in South Africa as The Cape Town Gazette and African Advertiser / Kaapsche Stads Courant en Afrikaansche Berighter (1800), it often does not receive in-depth or prolonged attention. In this article various reasons are suggested as part of a critical review of the historiography of the first newspaper, from (contemporary) critics of the early nineteenth century to latter-day seminal historians. The selected contributions are discussed as a first step to revisit the role and legacy of the newspaper. In the process the article identifies gaps in the field of research and suggests avenues and approaches for further research.