Newspaper Map is a Google Maps, Google Translate mash-up which provides access to 10,000-plus newspapers around the world and allows them to be translated with one single click.

Newspaper Map was created by Marcus Asplund and Carl Wedefelt from Great Name, a web development company based in Gothenburg, Sweden.

How does Newspaper Map work?

Overlaid on the map are location markers of 10,000 newspapers, coloured coded by language.

Each pin brings up a pop-up page with the name of the paper, its exact location and the language it is published in. In addition, the page provides a link to the newspaper’s website, a screenshot of the homepage, and links to affiliated social media sites. It also offers to translate the website.

For some languages, there is a special layer for historical newspapers (still in beta). Some examples include the Diario de la Marina (published in Havana from 1899 to 1959), Le Petit Journal (published in Paris from 1863 to 1940), and the Louisiana Capitolian (published in Baton Rouge for just a few years, starting in 1879).

Newspaper Map is continuously being updated and free to use.

What’s next?

Asplund and Wedefelt are now developing a new app which they describe as an interactive twitter map for finding, exploring, discussing and interacting around news events. They have submitted a proposal for funding with Knight News Challenge in which they outline their new project.

Stay updated:

Newspaper Map website
Newspaper Map on Facebook
Newspaper Map on Twitter

Sources:

- Kranten uit de hele wereld vertaald met één klik (in Dutch)
- Newspaper Map: Free app to access newspapers around the world
- All the news
- Newspaper Map: The coolest way to visually surf newspapers

Published: April 19, 2012