The newspaper Бессарабскиe oблaстныe ведомости (Bessarabian provincial information), was published in Chisinau during the period of July 17, 1854 – December 1, 1873 (beginning with February 5, 1873 it was entitled Бессарабские губернские ведомости (Bessarabian gubernial information). It is considered the first newspaper in Bessarabia. It was the official press organ of the tsarist government. The newspaper was established at the initiative of the government, and was under the governor’s direction. It was composed of two parts: formal and informal, with special editors for each division. It was published in Russian weekly, on Saturdays. The articles were placed on 6-8 leaves, depending on the material gathered. Until the 60s, the newspaper contained only official materials. The official part of each number included obligatorily official information regarding the current provisions of the tsarist administration: provisions, communiqués, and various decisions of the local government. The official material was published even in the informal division of the newspaper, where commercials, information about lost persons, etc. were published.