The State Journal-Register is the only local daily newspaper for Springfield, Illinois, and its surrounding area.
 | |
 The July 27, 2005, front page of The State Journal-Register | |
| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Owner(s) | Gannett |
| Editor | Leisa Richardson |
| General manager | Eugene Jackson |
| Founded | 1831 (as Sangamo Journal) |
| Headquarters | 421 South Grand Ave. W., Suite 1A Springfield, Illinois 62704, United States |
| Circulation | 18,590 Daily 23,925 Sunday (as of 2018)[1] |
| Website | sj-r.com |
History
editThe newspaper was founded in 1831 as the Sangamo Journal by William Bailhache and Edward Baker, and describes itself as "the oldest newspaper in Illinois". As such, it and its editor, Edward L. Baker, supported the political career of the Springfield-based Abraham Lincoln in the years before the American Civil War; in fact, it was in the Journal's office that Lincoln and his friends waited for the telegraphic news from Chicago to find out who would be the Republican presidential nominee in 1860.[2] Later in publication, the name was changed to Illinois State Journal. The cover-price is $2 daily, $4.50 on Sunday.[when?]
Copley Press bought the State Journal in 1927. In 1942, it bought Springfield's afternoon paper, the Illinois State Register. For years, the two papers maintained separate editorial stances, with the State Journal tilting Republican and the State Register tilting Democratic.[3] The two papers merged in 1974 as The State Journal-Register.[4][dubious – discuss]
Fairport, New York–based GateHouse Media bought The State Journal-Register, along with most of Copley's other Midwestern titles, in 2007.[5] In November 2019, GateHouse was merged with Gannett, forming the largest newspaper chain in the U.S.[6]
Since the change in ownership, the paper has downsized its staff, leading to internal controversy and at least one editor resigning in protest.[7] In 2022, the paper announced it would stop printing its Saturday edition.[8]
References
edit- ^ "2018 Legacy NEWM Annual Reports" (PDF). investors.gannett.com. 2018.
- ^ "Mr. Lincoln & Friends: Edward L. Baker". The Lincoln Institute. Retrieved 2012-06-19.
- ^ Swanson, Walter S. J. The Thin Gold Watch (2nd ed.) (Copley Press, 1970).
- ^ The State Journal-Register. "About The State Journal-Register". Archived from the original on 2007-08-10. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
- ^ Editor & Publisher. "GateHouse Completes $380 Million Purchase Of Copley Midwest Papers". Retrieved 2014-03-03.
{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help) - ^ Tracy, Marc (November 19, 2019). "Gannett, Now Largest U.S. Newspaper Chain, Targets 'Inefficiencies'". The New York Times.
- ^ "Staffer: Illinois newspaper editor resigns to spare layoffs". AP NEWS. 2019-05-15. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
- ^ Staff Report. "SJ-R to change print home delivery beginning March 19, enhance e-Edition online". The State Journal-Register. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
External links
edit- The State Journal-Register website
- Illinois Digital Newspaper Collections: Sangamo Journal/Illinois State Journal (1831–1853)
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