| Guy Gannett Communications | |
|---|---|
| Fate | Broken up and sold in 1998 |
| Successor | Ackerley Group Blethen Maine Newspapers Sinclair Broadcast Group |
| Founded | 1921 |
| Defunct | September 1998 |
| Location | Portland, Maine  United States |
| Industry | Newspapers and television stations |
| Products | Three daily newspapers in Maine and seven television stations in the eastern United States |
| Key people | Guy P. The Ackerley Group was an American media company that owned several television stations (mainly in New York State California as well as one in Fairbanks) that was "Blethen Maine Newspapers" "Issaquah Press" and "Maine Community Publications" all subsidiaries of The Seattle Times Company redirect here The Sinclair Broadcast Group ( SBG) is the operator of the largest number of local Television stations in the United States with a total of 57 stations Portland is the largest city in the US state of Maine and the County seat of Cumberland County. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A newspaper is a written Publication containing News, information and Advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called Newsprint. A television station is a type of broadcast station that broadcasts both audio and Video to Television receivers in a particular area A newspaper is a written Publication containing News, information and Advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called Newsprint. The State of Maine ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean A television station is a type of broadcast station that broadcasts both audio and Video to Television receivers in a particular area The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Gannett, founder Madeleine G. Corson, chairman James B. Shaffer, president, CEO |
| Peak size | 1998: 1,400 employees |
Guy Gannett Communications -- no relation to the larger Gannett communications chain -- was a family-owned business consisting of newspapers in Maine and a handful of television stations in the eastern United States. A chief executive officer ( CEO) or chief executive is typically the highest-ranking corporate officer ( executive) or administrator Gannett Company Inc ( is a publicly-traded media Holding company based in the United States. The State of Maine ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The company was founded by its namesake, Guy P. Gannett, in 1921, and managed by a family trust from 1954 to 1998, when it sold most of its properties to The Seattle Times Company and Sinclair Broadcast Group. "Blethen Maine Newspapers" "Issaquah Press" and "Maine Community Publications" all subsidiaries of The Seattle Times Company redirect here The Sinclair Broadcast Group ( SBG) is the operator of the largest number of local Television stations in the United States with a total of 57 stations
Contents |
History
William Howard Gannett, of Augusta, Maine, first published Comfort magazine in 1888 -- an eight-page advertisement for a patent medicine -- but it was his son, Guy P. Augusta is the Capital of the US state of Maine, County seat of Kennebec County, and Center of population Patent medicine is the somewhat misleading term given to various medical Compounds sold under a variety of names and labels though they were for the most part actually Gannett, who headed the push into daily journalism. After a stint helping with the magazine after his 1901 graduation from Yale University, the junior Gannett went into local politics. By 1920, he was a prominent citizen in Portland and two daily newspaper owners -- representing the Portland Herald and the Portland Daily Press -- had asked him to buy them out. Gannett invested in both companies. [1]
In 1921, he completed his purchase of the two Portland papers, merging them into one Portland Press Herald, and also bought the Waterville Morning Sentinel in Waterville, Maine. The Morning Sentinel is a seven-day morning Daily newspaper published in Waterville Maine, USA. Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. In 1925 he added, for US$550,000, the Portland Evening Express and Daily Advertiser and Portland Sunday Telegram. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been Four years later, Guy Gannett Publishing Co. tacked on the Kennebec Journal in Augusta. The Kennebec Journal is a seven-day morning Daily newspaper published in Augusta Maine, USA. [2]
At first, the company expanded beyond newspapers with WGAN radio (1938) and television (1954) stations in Portland only (WGAN-TV was renamed WGME in the 1980s). WGAN is an American AM radio station licensed to Portland Maine and owned by Saga Communications. WGME-TV, channel 13 is the CBS -affiliated Television station for Portland Maine. In 1967, Guy Gannett began to buy television properties outside Maine. [2]
In 1990, succumbing to industry-wide declines in revenues at afternoon newspapers, Guy Gannett closed the Evening Express and merged it with the Portland Press Herald. Daily circulation of the Express was given at 22,000 to 23,000. [3]
Sales
In early 1998, the family trust decided to sell the company, leading to worries among some, such as Press Herald managing editor Curt Hazlett, that the Guy Gannett papers could lose the qualities he associated with family-owned journalism:
| “ | "This place has been committed to quality, which means we're a little fat on the news side. That's a price this company has been willing to pay because we cover the community pretty well. The question is whether someone coming in from the outside will be willing to do that. [4] | ” |
Although they entertained offers from Journal Register Company and MediaNews Group, which had strong properties in nearby Massachusetts, Guy Gannett's managers decided to sell their newspapers to The Seattle Times Company, which had previously operated only within the state of Washington. The Journal Register Company is an American media company specializing in Newspaper Publishing. MediaNews Group, based in Denver Colorado, is one of the largest Newspaper companies in the United States. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. "Blethen Maine Newspapers" "Issaquah Press" and "Maine Community Publications" all subsidiaries of The Seattle Times Company redirect here Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Seattle Times, run by the fourth generation of the Blethen family, which had its roots in Maine, won out because of shared values.
"Of all the companies in the newspaper business, The Seattle Times is one most like our company in the sense of independence, of family ownership, and commitment to the community," said Guy Gannett spokesman Tim O'Meara. Frank Blethen, the Seattle Times publisher, agreed: "One of our key phrases is that we make money to print newspapers, not the other way around," he said. [5]
Blethen said he had developed "a real emotional connection" to the Maine papers after making several "family pilgrimages" to the home of his ancestor, Col. Alden Blethen, who had been a schoolteacher and lawyer in Maine before purchasing The Seattle Press-Times in 1896. The Seattle Times, one of two daily Newspapers serving Seattle Washington, United States, is the largest daily newspaper in the state of The Kennebec Journal, Maine Sunday Telegram, Morning Sentinel and Portland Press Herald, along with associated weeklies, were reorganized as Blethen Maine Newspapers, an independent division of The Seattle Times Company. "Blethen Maine Newspapers" "Issaquah Press" and "Maine Community Publications" all subsidiaries of The Seattle Times Company redirect here
A week after the Blethen sale, Guy Gannett unloaded most of its television stations in a US$310 million deal with Sinclair Broadcast Group. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been The Sinclair Broadcast Group ( SBG) is the operator of the largest number of local Television stations in the United States with a total of 57 stations [6]
Properties
At the time of its sale in 1998, Guy Gannett Communications consisted of three daily newspapers in Maine, a few related publishing products, and seven television stations, including:[7]
- KGAN, Channel 2, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa (CBS affiliate)
- WGGB, Channel 40, of Springfield, Massachusetts (ABC affiliate)
- WGME-TV, Channel 13, of Portland, Maine (CBS affiliate, flagship station)
- WICS, Channel 20, of Springfield, Illinois and semi-satellite WICD, Channel 15, of Champaign, Illinois (NBC affiliates)
- WOKR, Channel 13, of Rochester, New York (ABC affiliate)
- WTWC-TV, Channel 40, of Tallahassee, Florida (NBC affiliate)
The newspapers and related companies were sold to The Seattle Times Company and reorganized as a subsidiary company, Blethen Maine Newspapers. A newspaper is a written Publication containing News, information and Advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called Newsprint. A television station is a type of broadcast station that broadcasts both audio and Video to Television receivers in a particular area KGAN is a television station based in Cedar Rapids Iowa. It transmits on VHF channel 2 Cedar Rapids (ˌciːdɪrˈræpɨds is the second largest City in the U CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. WGGB-TV, channel 40 is the ABC -affiliated Television station for the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts that is licensed to Springfield. Springfield is a City in and the County seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC) is an American Television network. WGME-TV, channel 13 is the CBS -affiliated Television station for Portland Maine. Portland is the largest city in the US state of Maine and the County seat of Cumberland County. WICS is the ABC affiliate located in Springfield Illinois. Branding itself as "ABC NewsChannel 20" it is owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group Springfield is the capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 116482 (U WICD which brands itself as "ABC NewsChannel 15" is an ABC affiliate TV station in Champaign Illinois. Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's WHAM-TV, channel 13 is the ABC network television affiliate in Rochester New York. Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York State, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. WTWC-TV is the NBC affiliate station for Tallahassee Florida, owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group. "Blethen Maine Newspapers" "Issaquah Press" and "Maine Community Publications" all subsidiaries of The Seattle Times Company redirect here "Blethen Maine Newspapers" "Issaquah Press" and "Maine Community Publications" all subsidiaries of The Seattle Times Company redirect here Six of the television stations were sold to Sinclair Broadcast Group; WOKR was sold to Ackerley Group. The Sinclair Broadcast Group ( SBG) is the operator of the largest number of local Television stations in the United States with a total of 57 stations The Ackerley Group was an American media company that owned several television stations (mainly in New York State California as well as one in Fairbanks) that was
References
- ^ Wickenheiser, Matt. "A Rich History, and a Proud History". Portland Press Herald, June 8, 2004. Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Accessed October 29, 2007. Events 437 - Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor, marries Licinia Eudoxia, daughter of his cousin Theodosius II Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
- ^ a b "History of the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram", accessed October 29, 2007. Events 437 - Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor, marries Licinia Eudoxia, daughter of his cousin Theodosius II Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
- ^ "Portland Dailies Plan to Merge". Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, Mass. ), page C5, September 26, 1990. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar)
- ^ Wilmsen, Steven. "Family Trust Puts Portland Press Herald on the Block". The Boston Globe, page F3, April 1, 1998. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar)
- ^ Wilmsen, Steven. "Seattle Times Co. Buys Maine Newspapers from Guy Gannett". The Boston Globe, page D1, September 2, 1998. Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar)
- ^ "Highlights of the Week: Sept. 6-12". The Boston Globe, page K2, September 13, 1998. Events 509 BC - The Temple of Jupiter on Rome 's Capitoline Hill is dedicated on the ides of September Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar)
- ^ "Guy Gannett Communications Puts Media Business Up for Sale". Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, Mass. ), page E3, April 2, 1998. Events 68 - Galba, Governor of Hispania, names himself legatus senatus populique Romani, breaking the line of Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar)