GLAM Workbench
  • radio_button_unchecked

Trove newspapers: data dashboard¶

Trove's collection of digitised newspapers is always changing – new articles and newspapers are being added by the NLA, while Trove users are busy correcting OCRd text and adding tags and comments. The search you run today might produce different results than the same query did a month ago, a year ago, or ten years ago. Researchers need to understand how these changes affect the queries they make, the results they find, and the arguments they construct. This dashboard helps researchers understand the context of their queries by presenting a snapshot of Trove's digitised newspapers, based on weekly data harvests. It shows Trove's current make up from a number of angles, as well as highlighting recent changes. It is updated every Sunday.

  • Total articles and user activity
  • Total articles by publication year
  • Total articles by publication year and state
  • Article categories
  • Newspaper titles
  • Total articles by publication state
  • Significant events
Last updated: Sunday, 28 May 2023

Total articles and user activity¶

Latest data harvest 28 May 2023
First data harvest 24 April 2022
Total harvests 58
Data https://github.com/wragge/trove-newspaper-totals/blob/master/data/total_articles_by_activity.csv

As of 28 May 2023 there are 238,565,297 digitised newspaper articles in Trove.

  Current total Change since 21 May 2023 Change since 30 Apr 2023 Change since 24 Apr 2022 Percentage of total
All articles 238,565,297 259,196 949,155 4,053,207 100.00%
Articles with corrections 14,818,319 15,832 68,617 962,780 6.21%
Articles with tags 4,740,931 5,881 24,084 337,937 1.99%
Articles with comments 263,398 526 1,527 24,707 0.11%

Total articles by publication year¶

Latest data harvest 28 May 2023
First data harvest 19 April 2022
Total harvests 54
Data https://github.com/wragge/trove-newspaper-totals/blob/master/data/total_articles_by_year.csv

This chart shows the total number of digitised newspaper articles by year of publication. The distribution will change over time as digitisation priorities shift and more newspapers are added. This chart is useful in understanding how digitisation priorities and copyright restraints have shaped the total newspaper corpus.


Total articles by publication year and state¶

Latest data harvest 28 May 2023
First data harvest 19 April 2022
Total harvests 54
Data https://github.com/wragge/trove-newspaper-totals/blob/master/data/total_articles_by_year_and_state.csv

This interactive chart helps you explore the distribution of articles by both publication year and state. Click on a state in the bar chart or legend to filter the results by year. Click anywhere in the background of the chart to reset. This enables you to compare digitisation patterns in different states and see how they contribute to the whole corpus.

Total articles added since 21 May 2023 by publication year and state

This chart shows the total number of digitised newspaper articles added since the previous harvest by year and place of publication. It's useful in seeing how search results from particular time periods and locations might be affected by current digitisation priorities.

Total articles added since 19 Apr 2022 by publication year and state

This chart shows the total number of digitised newspaper articles added since the first harvest by year and place of publication. It's useful in seeing how search results from particular time periods or locations might be affected by recent digitisation priorities.


Article categories¶

Latest data harvest 28 May 2023
First data harvest 20 April 2022
Total harvests 59
Data https://github.com/wragge/trove-newspaper-totals/blob/master/data/total_articles_by_category.csv
  Current total Change since 21 May 2023 Change since 30 Apr 2023 Change since 20 Apr 2022 Percentage of total
Advertising 44,576,071 60,452 200,769 1,074,364 18.685%
Article 165,473,787 178,186 669,302 2,681,327 69.362%
Arts And Culture 4,306 11 38 936 0.002%
Classified Advertisements And Notices 1,481 2 4 58 0.001%
Commerce And Business 4,956 20 93 1,960 0.002%
Detailed Lists, Results, Guides 26,552,373 18,714 70,551 300,412 11.130%
Display Advertisement 494 1 3 30 0.000%
Editorial 16,856 50 233 3,449 0.007%
Family Notices 1,975,305 1,904 8,738 40,502 0.828%
Humour 31,229 126 210 3,721 0.013%
Law, Courts, And Crime 10,966 28 62 1,503 0.005%
Letters 13,343 7 47 1,333 0.006%
Literature 35,799 13 28 837 0.015%
News 12,524 65 143 2,106 0.005%
Obituaries 13,852 47 279 2,719 0.006%
Official Appointments And Notices 1,128 2 6 63 0.000%
Puzzles 49,247 236 868 9,315 0.021%
Reviews 2,563 88 245 582 0.001%
Shipping Notices 2,684 18 49 879 0.001%
Sport And Games 19,273 57 214 4,733 0.008%
Weather 15,169 139 664 5,812 0.006%

Newspaper titles¶

Latest data harvest 28 May 2023
First data harvest 20 April 2022
Total harvests 56
Data https://github.com/wragge/trove-newspaper-totals/blob/master/data/total_articles_by_newspaper.csv

As of 28 May 2023 there are 1,761 different newspapers in Trove.

Total newspapers 1,761
Earliest publication date 05 March 1803
Latest publication date 19 December 2022

Newspapers by state of publication¶

This chart shows the place of publication of newspaper titles in Trove.

Changes in the number of newspapers by state of publication¶

  Current total Change since 21 May 2023 Change since 30 Apr 2023 Change since 20 Apr 2022 Percentage of total
ACT 8 0 0 0 0.44%
International 13 0 0 0 0.71%
National 9 0 0 4 0.49%
New South Wales 536 0 0 21 29.32%
Northern Territory 8 0 0 0 0.44%
Queensland 106 0 0 2 5.80%
South Australia 154 0 0 0 8.42%
Tasmania 115 0 0 0 6.29%
Victoria 428 0 10 21 23.41%
Western Australia 379 0 0 29 20.73%

Newspapers added since 21 May 2023

  • No newspapers added in this period.

Newspapers added since 30 Apr 2023

title_id title state total link
1511 The Skipton Standard and Streatham Gazette (Vic. : 1914 - 1928) Victoria 25809.000000 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title1511
1512 The Tatura Guardian (Vic. : 1895 - 1903) Victoria 29908.000000 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title1512
1826 Essendon and Flemington Chronicle (Vic. : 1882 - 1894) Victoria 7876.000000 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title1826
1827 The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1888 - 1900) Victoria 18588.000000 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title1827
1832 Bairnsdale Advertiser and East Gippsland Stock and Station Journal (Vic. : 1946 - 1954) Victoria 54960.000000 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title1832
1293 Lawloit Times (Kaniva, Vic. : 1910 - 1929) Victoria 23627.000000 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title1293

Changes in the number of articles from newspapers since 21 May 2023

title_id title change in articles link
202 The Sunbury News (Vic. : 1900 - 1927 13,226 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title202
240 Bairnsdale Advertiser and Tambo and Omeo Chronicle (Vic. : 1882 - 1946) 24,504 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title240
242 The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1905 - 1918) 6,070 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title242
305 Ouyen Mail (Vic. : 1915 - 1941) 14,528 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title305
331 Shepparton Advertiser (Vic. : 1887 - 1953) 13,170 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title331
370 Port Lincoln Times (SA : 1927 - 1965; 1992 - 2002) 23,194 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title370
592 Omeo Standard and Mining Gazette (Vic. : 1893 - 1928) 39,455 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title592
717 Benalla Standard (Vic. : 1901 - 1940) 42,111 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title717
752 Kyabram Free Press and Rodney and Deakin Shire Advocate (Vic. : 1894 - 1954) 7,261 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title752
1293 Lawloit Times (Kaniva, Vic. : 1910 - 1929) 4,095 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title1293
1511 The Skipton Standard and Streatham Gazette (Vic. : 1914 - 1928) 6,212 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title1511
1512 The Tatura Guardian (Vic. : 1895 - 1903) 16,662 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title1512
1585 Sunraysia Daily (Mildura, Vic. : 1920 - 1942) 18,916 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title1585
1827 The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1888 - 1900) 3,760 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title1827
1841 Essendon Gazette (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1900 - 1905) 6,760 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title1841

Changes in the number of articles from newspapers since 30 Apr 2023

title_id title change in articles link
142 Healesville Guardian and Yarra Glen Guardian (Vic. : 1898 - 1900) 24 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title142
202 The Sunbury News (Vic. : 1900 - 1927 32,306 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title202
240 Bairnsdale Advertiser and Tambo and Omeo Chronicle (Vic. : 1882 - 1946) 136,453 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title240
242 The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1905 - 1918) 12,423 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title242
305 Ouyen Mail (Vic. : 1915 - 1941) 19,509 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title305
306 The Ouyen Mail and Central Mallee Advertiser (Vic. : 1911 - 1915) 2,851 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title306
326 Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1855 - 1955) 4,150 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title326
331 Shepparton Advertiser (Vic. : 1887 - 1953) 41,511 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title331
370 Port Lincoln Times (SA : 1927 - 1965; 1992 - 2002) 35,434 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title370
548 Corryong Courier (Vic. : 1894 - 1945) 89,866 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title548
592 Omeo Standard and Mining Gazette (Vic. : 1893 - 1928) 61,824 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title592
604 Rutherglen Sun and Chiltern Valley Advertiser (Vic. : 1886 - 1957) 55,111 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title604
616 Upper Murray and Mitta Herald (Vic. : 1885 - 1955) 39,597 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title616
717 Benalla Standard (Vic. : 1901 - 1940) 72,443 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title717
752 Kyabram Free Press and Rodney and Deakin Shire Advocate (Vic. : 1894 - 1954) 49,644 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title752
1585 Sunraysia Daily (Mildura, Vic. : 1920 - 1942) 52,922 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title1585
1828 Myrtleford Times and Ovens Valley Advertiser (Vic. : 1930 - 1955) 8,293 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title1828
1829 Rutherglen Miner and Howlong and Wahgunyah Times (Vic. : 1903 - 1912) 3,341 https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title1829

Total articles by publication state¶

Data about the number of articles by publication place (state) is available both from the main result API using the state facet, and from the newspaper API. As noted under Significant events, these totals don't always agree. I've included both below, so you can compare.

Number of articles by state of publication (via result API)¶

Number of articles by state of publication (via newspaper API)¶

Changes in the number of articles by state of publication (via result API)¶

  Current total Change since 21 May 2023 Change since 30 Apr 2023 Change since 19 Apr 2022 Percentage of total
ACT 3,296,997 0 0 0 1.382%
International 854,022 0 0 2,842 0.358%
National 657,326 0 0 204,582 0.276%
New South Wales 82,411,113 0 0 -488,560 34.544%
Northern Territory 409,433 0 0 0 0.172%
Queensland 41,128,577 0 0 38,641 17.240%
South Australia 24,845,931 23,194 35,434 283,076 10.415%
Tasmania 15,850,246 0 0 74 6.644%
Victoria 43,857,899 238,019 913,721 3,595,004 18.384%
Western Australia 25,247,083 0 0 557,281 10.583%

Changes in the number of articles by state of publication (via newspaper API)¶

  Current total Change since 21 May 2023 Change since 30 Apr 2023 Change since 19 Apr 2022 Percentage of total
ACT 3,296,997 0 0 0 1.382%
International 854,022 0 0 0 0.358%
National 663,996 0 0 211,837 0.278%
New South Wales 82,411,113 0 0 477,456 34.544%
Northern Territory 409,433 0 0 0 0.172%
Queensland 41,128,577 0 0 38,641 17.240%
South Australia 24,845,931 23,194 35,434 285,152 10.415%
Tasmania 15,850,246 0 0 74 6.644%
Victoria 43,811,027 216,730 906,431 2,267,972 18.364%
Western Australia 25,247,083 0 0 877,721 10.583%

Significant events¶

While the changes documented here generally reflect the addition of new articles and newspapers, the total numbers can also be affected by system configuration and optimisation events, such as rebuilding the index. It's difficult to highlight these sorts of anomalies in the charts above, but where I notice them I'll add a note here.

31 May 2022 – reindex?¶

Between the harvests on 29 May and 5 June 2022 there was a dramatic change in the distribution of articles by state (using the state facet). The number of articles from NSW decreased by 939,065, and the number of articles from Victoria increased by 961,387. There were also some smaller changes affecting other states. There was a scheduled maintenance window on 31 May, which makes me think that these reflect changes in the underlying search index, rather than the actual number of articles. Further evidence for this is the fact that the number of articles per state calculated by using the newspaper API endpoint were out-of-sync with the article totals until the end of May. Since then, both sets of article totals have remained in sync. So, in short, the number of articles returned by the state facet between 19 April 2022 (when my harvests started) and 31 May 2022 can't be trusted.


Created by Tim Sherratt for the GLAM Workbench. Support this project by becoming a GitHub sponsor.