diff --git a/src/lang/english.txt b/src/lang/english.txt
--- a/src/lang/english.txt
+++ b/src/lang/english.txt
@@ -5608,7 +5608,6 @@ STR_JUST_RAW_STRING                     
 STR_JUST_BIG_RAW_STRING                                         :{BIG_FONT}{RAW_STRING}
 
 # Slightly 'raw' stringcodes with colour or size
-STR_SHORT_DATE                                                  :{WHITE}{DATE_TINY}
 STR_TINY_GROUP                                                  :{TINY_FONT}{GROUP}
 STR_WHITE_SIGN                                                  :{WHITE}{SIGN}
 STR_TINY_BLACK_STATION                                          :{TINY_FONT}{BLACK}{STATION}
diff --git a/src/news_gui.cpp b/src/news_gui.cpp
--- a/src/news_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/news_gui.cpp
@@ -1155,7 +1155,7 @@ struct MessageHistoryWindow : Window {
 			/* Months are off-by-one, so it's actually 8. Not using
 			 * month 12 because the 1 is usually less wide. */
 			SetDParam(0, TimerGameCalendar::ConvertYMDToDate(ORIGINAL_MAX_YEAR, 7, 30));
-			this->date_width = GetStringBoundingBox(STR_SHORT_DATE).width + WidgetDimensions::scaled.hsep_wide;
+			this->date_width = GetStringBoundingBox(STR_JUST_DATE_TINY).width + WidgetDimensions::scaled.hsep_wide;
 
 			size->height = 4 * resize->height + WidgetDimensions::scaled.framerect.Vertical(); // At least 4 lines are visible.
 			size->width = std::max(200u, size->width); // At least 200 pixels wide.
@@ -1186,7 +1186,7 @@ struct MessageHistoryWindow : Window {
 		int y = news.top;
 		for (int n = this->vscroll->GetCapacity(); n > 0; n--) {
 			SetDParam(0, ni->date);
-			DrawString(date.left, date.right, y, STR_SHORT_DATE);
+			DrawString(date.left, date.right, y, STR_JUST_DATE_TINY, TC_WHITE);
 
 			DrawNewsString(news.left, news.right, y, TC_WHITE, ni);
 			y += this->line_height;