Francisco Mariano Nipho

Who was Francisco Mariano Nipho?

Francisco Mariano Nipho was a Spanish writer and journalist.

Nicknamed the "freak of nature", he is regarded in Spain as one of the best journalists of all time. During the reign of Charles III, he established himself as the founder of modern journalism and the first professional journalist. Born Francisco Manuel Mariano Nipho in Alcaniz, as a young boy his family moved to Madrid where he grew up, worked, and lived the rest of his life.

Nipho joined the idea of modernity with Spanish spiritual tradition. He founded a number of newspapers that went under different pseudonyms: "Mariano de la Say", "Manuel Ruiz de Uribe" ... Nipho facet highlighted artísitca and social responsibility of journalism, but he reported little benefit economically. He said that journalism was "a painful and unprofitable occupation", but states that the real task of journalism is to "educate and moralize."

It was not until his later years when he would begin to establish their economic and professional, serving as censor in late 18th century.