Stavanger Aftenblad was founded by Lars Oftedal, a priest and left-wing politician, in 1893. At that time, there were many newspapers in Stavanger, representing the entire political spectrum, from left to right and the center. Stavanger Aftenblad quickly became the largest.
When Lars Oftedal died on May 2, 1900, his son, also named Lars Oftedal, took over as editor. He was only 23 years old and led the newspaper through a period of rapid development. In 1902, the first rotary press was introduced, allowing four pages to be printed simultaneously. During Oftedal’s tenure as editor, the circulation grew from 2,000 to 6,400.
The affiliation with the Liberal Party (Venstre) lasted until 1972. Since then, Aftenbladet has been politically independent. Throughout the 20th century, the newspaper continued to grow. It added machines, typesetters, and more journalists.
In the fall of 1996, the first online edition was launched, and in 1999, Aftenbladet invested in television broadcasting by purchasing all shares in TV Vest. In 2003, the weekly magazine Pluss was established, and in 2006, the tabloid format was introduced. In 2007, Stavanger Aftenblad became part of Schibsted. In 2013, Stavanger Aftenblad introduced a paywall for digital content. Subscribers then gained access to all content on the newspaper’s website, Aftenbladet.no, as well as the e-newspaper. In 2015, the vertical Byas.no was launched with the aim of reaching a younger audience than Aftenbladet had previously reached.
Much has happened since 1893. Over 130 years, Aftenbladet has become the dominant news source in Stavanger and Southern Rogaland. We deliver quality journalism every day in a populous region. Aftenbladet has a long tradition but does not rest; most recently in 2022, Aftenbladet won an international award for innovative journalism on amateur football. Issues concerning local events and politics, business, upbringing, urban development, health, culture, and sports are prioritized. Trust is crucial for good reader growth. Aftenbladet aims to provide readers with an engaging news experience – every single day!