GENERAL was founded in Thrissur , the Cultural Capital of Kerala on 21st May,1976. The beginning of GENERAL came from the thought to start a newspaper for Congress Party from Thrissur with a view to uphold value-based journalism. First meeting was held in the Meeting clerk’s room of Thrissur Municipality. A.T. Thomas, who was a nominated Municipal Councilor as well as a Chartered Accountant, Advocate P.A. Antony, who was the Municipal Standing Councilor and M.L.A Municipal councilor P.A. George, Meeting clerk Joseph, K.D.Joseph and Raghavan Moothedath attended the first meeting to formulate GENERAL.
Among several names suggested, the name GENERAL was permitted by the Press Registrar, Delhi within 15 days of giving application. In the beginning P.A. Antony was the Printer, Publisher & Editor. Under the Chairmanship of Therattil J.Antony, who was the Thrissur Muncipal Chairman, a company was registered in the name of Swathanthra Bharatham Printing and Publishing Company. For printing the Company bought a Cylinder Press from the great poet Mahakavi Vallathole, Cheruthuruthy.
The first print of GENERAL was released by the then Home Minister K. Karunakaran (who later became the Chief minister of Kerala) on May 21,1976. In the beginning, the office and press of GENERAL was in the building occupied by A.P. Devassy, near the over bridge in M.G. Road, Thrissur. After one year P.A. Antony resigned from his posts, as he had to concentrate on his Political Service. Then onwards K.D.Joseph took the responsibilities of Printer, Publisher & Editor.
GENERAL cannot forget the support given in the initial stages and thereafter by late Francis Akkara, late P.K. Aryan Namboothiri, the then DCC President M.V.Aboobacker, Former Municipal Chairmen P.I. Pappachan & C.I.George, A.D.Mathew. A.P. Devassy, K.S. Narayanan Namboothiri, P.A.N. Menon, C.P. John, P.V. Thimothy, Pallan K.Thomas, Joseph Vattoli and Umbavoo George.
After two decades of valued service to the people, on March 23,1996, GENERAL was taken over by Chandys Group (Chandy Devassy & Sons), the members of Chazhoor Chandy family, a traditional family who were doing business in Thrissur since 1889. GENERAL came under the new management after the discussions with Shri. Johny Chandy who was leading the Group. He is still the Managing Editor of GENERAL. We are proud to say that all the employees of the General were re-instated during the take over. K.D.Joseph , Raghavan Moothedath and K.P.Antony are still in the Editorial Board of GENERAL and N.D. Francis is continuing as the Manager.
All these years GENERAL involved in the Social, Political and Cultural progress of the district in a major way. GENERAL has always been in the forefront in an active supportive role with people in their every demand for development. We have regularly presented a holistic perspective of the developmental possibilities of the District.
The immense effort and money put on for the modernization by the new management made GENERAL progress by leaps and bounds. The progress GENERAL made after that is here to stay. In the modernizing process, GENERAL started printing in an offset press from October 26, 1998. And after that the process of modernization goes on. Now GENERAL is stepping into another frontier – i.e. Electronic media. We are the first to do so in the world of Malayalam evening dailies. By doing this we hope to reach more people with more an more news as fast as we can.