Belfast Telegraph
The Belfast Telegraph is a daily newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland, by Independent News & Media.
History
It was first published as the Belfast Evening Telegraph on 1 September 1870 by brothers William and George Baird. Its first edition cost half a penny and ran to four pages covering the Franco-Prussian war and local news.
The evening edition of the newspaper was originally called the "Sixth Late", and "Sixth Late Tele" was a familiar cry made by vendors in Belfast City Centre in the past.
Its competitors are The News Letter and The Irish News but the local editions of the London-based red tops are also competitors, selling at a cheaper price than the 'Tele'.
The Belfast Telegraph was entirely broadsheet until 19 February 2005, when the Saturday morning edition was introduced and all Saturday editions were converted to compact. The weekday morning Compact Edition, launched on 22 March 2005, struggled to replicate the evening newspaper's success. Its editorial content has been much more tabloid, with a greater entertainment story count than the evening paper. Much prominence is given to English-based sport, and some general features and columns are shared with The Independent and Irish Independent.