diff --git a/bot.py b/bot.py
index 6674bde..35de048 100644
--- a/bot.py
+++ b/bot.py
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 import time
 import re
 import feedparser
+import datetime
+import dateutil.parser
 from colour import Colours
 from db import FeedDB
 from config import Config
@@ -22,6 +24,7 @@ def __init__(self, config, db, on_connect_cb):
         self.date = self.__config.date
         self.feedname = self.__config.feedname
         self.shorturls = self.__config.shorturls
+        self.dateformat = self.__config.dateformat
 
     def on_welcome(self, connection, event):
         """Join the correct channel upon connecting"""
@@ -179,12 +182,20 @@ def __fetch_feed(self, feed_info):
                     else:
                         newsurl = newsitem.link
 
-                    # Try to get the published date. Otherwise set it to 'no date'
+                    # Try to get the published or updated date. Otherwise set it to 'no date'
                     try:
-                        newsdate = newsitem.published
+                        # Get date and parse it
+                        newsdate = dateutil.parser.parse(newsitem.published)
+                        # Format date based on 'dateformat' in config.py
+                        newsdate = newsdate.strftime(self.__config.dateformat)
+
                     except Exception as e:
                         try:
-                            newsdate = newsitem.updated
+                            # Get date and parse it
+                            newsdate = dateutil.parser.parse(newsitem.updated)
+                            # Format date based on 'dateformat' in config.py
+                            newsdate = newsdate.strftime(self.__config.dateformat)
+
                         except Exception as e:
                             newsdate = "no date"
 
diff --git a/config.py.sample b/config.py.sample
index 88342d1..50e37f3 100644
--- a/config.py.sample
+++ b/config.py.sample
@@ -17,3 +17,4 @@ class Config(object):
         self.date = '8'
         self.feedname = '2'
         self.shorturls = False
+        self.dateformat = '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %z'
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 90c02e3..df2be02 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ jaraco.logging==1.3.1
 jaraco.stream==1.1
 jaraco.text==1.6.3
 more-itertools==2.2
+python-dateutil==2.5.3
 pytz==2016.4
 six==1.10.0
 git+https://github.com/palantir/sqlite3worker#egg=sqlite3worker