Commemorating the newspaper column

March 11th is Column Day コラムの日 in Japan. It is a quiet but meaningful anniversary that traces the origins of the newspaper column as we know it today. On this day in 1751, the London Advertiser and Literary Gazette began publishing what is considered the world’s first recurring column.

From that moment, the idea of a dedicated space for short reflections, commentary, and everyday observations began to take shape, eventually becoming a familiar feature of newspapers, magazines, and online media.

The word column originally meant “pillar,” and that sense of vertical structure still remains. Today, it refers not only to the physical layout of printed pages but also to the intimate, conversational voice that columns often carry.