“Government Bulletin” established

October 27 (November 8) 1868, under the emperor’s order, under the Main Department of the Press - the highest censorship authorities at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Empire - was established the only official newspaper common for all ministries and chief departments – “Government Bulletin.” Newspapers, which had previously served as bodies of some ministries and departments lost their official character and henceforth had to obey the general laws on the press.

The new official body that came to life on the initiative of the Minister of Internal Affairs, A. E. Timashev, published government orders and messages, reports of the meetings of the State Council and the Council of Ministers, internal news, administrative news, telegrams from abroad, information on the activities of rural, urban charitable institutions and academic societies, voter lists, drawing tables, stock index, weather reports.

The official government newspaper had a "special personnel" of professionals. The core of the editorial staff included the editor-in- chief, his assistant, two private editors for government and internal departments, assistant editor of the internal news, the editor of the foreign department, four proofreaders, translator and two secretaries - one "for the internal management, the other for external affairs", the office secretary "to whom were submitted state and private ads and who controlled their edition and distribution of the newspaper."

Beginning February 1869, the editor in chief of the paper was a historian and orientalist, Professor of the St. Petersburg University, Vladimir Grigoriev, who later (in 1875) headed the Main Department for Press.

"Government Bulletin" had been published in St. Petersburg daily from 1 (13), 1869 to February 26 (March 11) 1917.

As an appendix to the "Government Bulletin" the following papers were published: "Country Bulletin" (1881-1905), "Evening News" (from March to October 1904), "Russian State" (from February to May 1906; later - "Evening addition to "The Government Bulletin"), etc.

After the February Revolution of 1917, the "Government Bulletin" was replaced by the "Bulletin of the Provisional Government."

Editors in chief of the "Government Bulletin" at various times were: V. V. Grigoriev, P. I. Kapnist, S. P. Sushkov, G. P. Danilevsky, I. A. Tatarinov, V. K. Istomin, K. K. Sluchevsky, P. A. Kulakovsky, A. A. Bashmakov, M. V. Voitsekhovich, S. P. Urusov, I. A. Kubasov.

Лит.: Апон М. Е. Работа Г. П. Данилевского по изданию газеты «Правительственный вестник» (1869–1881 гг.) // Власть. 2011, февраль; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://www.isras.ru/files/File/Vlast/2011/02/Apon.pdf; Апон М. Е. Формирование редакционного состава газеты «Правительственный вестник» // Власть. 2010, октябрь; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://www.isras.ru/files/File/Vlast/2010/10/Apon.pdf; Библиография периодических изданий России 1901-1916. Л., 1959. Т. 2. С. 632; Лисовский Н. М. Библиография русской периодической печати 1703-1900 гг. Пг., 1915. С. 248.

Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:

Полное собрание законов Российской империи. СПб., 1873. Т. 43 (1868). № 46402. С. 385.