“Al-Telegraph” was initially a weekly magazine founded in Beirut in 1930 by journalist Tawfiq Al-Matni, under the name “Beirut Telegraph”. It is a weekly illustrated fictional magazine whose slogan is the “People’s Magazine”, addressing people in the language of their own feelings.
On February 12, 1945, it shifted from a weekly magazine into a daily political newspaper, published every afternoon and on Monday mornings.
“Al-Telegraph” was renowned for raising the voice of the opposition, hence the voice of the workers, the peasants, the aggrieved and the oppressed, the voice of the voiceless.
Many well-known writers and politicians took turns writing in “Al Telegraph” newspaper, including Saeb Salam, Hamid Franjieh, Kamal Jumblatt, Hussein Al-Awaini, Ahmed Al-Asaad, etc.
“Al-Telegraph” fought many battles in defense of freedoms and played a key political role in the history of Lebanese political life. It was engaged in fierce battles against the mandate extension of President Beshara Al-Khoury and later against that of President Camille Chamoun. It also fought battles against corruption in state administrations and against the interference of foreign countries in domestic politics.
In April 1950, Tawfiq Al-Matni issued a political newspaper under the name of “Al-Tayyar”; in October 1960 the two newspapers were merged into one under the name “Al-Tayyar wal Telegraph”, under the slogan "the newspaper of the people, to defend the people, in the hands of the people”.
On the dawn of May 8, 1958, journalist Nassib Al-Matni, brother of Tawfiq Al-Matni, owner of the Telegraph newspaper, was assassinated. He was the first victim of the press after independence. His blood sparked the revolution as demonstrations and strikes spread across the country. Hundreds of people were killed or wounded.
“Al-Telegraph” and “Al-Tayyar” newspapers were donated to the USEK Library by lawyer Fawzi Tawfiq al-Matni, and his siblings, Dr. Ghassan, Jihan and Ghada Toufic Al-Matni, with the aim of digitizing them to be available to researchers and students throughout their studies and research.
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