Caledonian-Record
Encyclopedia
The Caledonian-Record is a daily newspaper
published in St. Johnsbury, Vermont
. It was established in 1837. It employs a staff of 36.
of Vermont and the North Country of New Hampshire. It maintains a New Hampshire office located at 263 Main Street in Littleton, New Hampshire
. It is published daily except Sunday and some holidays.
The Caledonian has focused on local news from 50 communities, which are located in three Vermont counties and two New Hampshire ones. The average daily net paid circulation has dropped from a peak of about 12,500 about 1999 to the six months ending September 2009 at 8,288.
Penetration of the primary market area of St. Johnsbury and Lyndonville
was under 93%. For the area immediately surrounding St. Johnsbury the Caledonian provided coverage of 80% of the occupied households.
It was a Whig
paper when it started . At the time, Vermont was strongly Whig . The paper advocated the principles of the Free Soil element and became an early adherent and unswerving supporter of the principles of the Republican Party
. It was edited and published by its founder for 18 years. George D. Rand and Charles M. Stone bought it in July 1855. Stone became the sole owner, editor and publisher in April 1857.
In 1875 it was still a weekly newspaper. Subscribers paid $1.50 a year.
In the 20th century, the paper was bought by a former Hearst
reporter from Boston, Herb Smith. His son, Gordon Smith, Class of 1941 at Yale, joined the paper on the business side upon graduation and went on to own and publish the paper. Gordon brought with him as a writer who stayed a year; a classmate, Barry Zorthian
.
. Lyndon state claimed that it was exempt from making the requested information public per the Vermont Public Records Act
and the Open Meetings Law. The local court sided with Lyndon State College, and an appeal to the Vermont Supreme Court
followed. The Vermont Supreme Court upheld the verdict
. Julie Fothergill, an attorney
with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, stated that the ruling "is important for all public bodies because it indicates how the Court may interpret other exceptions to the Public Records Law."
In 2007 the paper became involved in a partnership with the ASNE at Lyndon Institute to publish a school newspaper, the first the school has had, entitled The Campus News.
In 2008 the paper outsourced the printing of the paper to Upper Valley Press in Haverhill, New Hampshire
, citing equipment, quality control and personnel problems.
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
published in St. Johnsbury, Vermont
St. Johnsbury, Vermont
St. Johnsbury is the shire town of Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 7,571 at the 2000 census. St. Johnsbury is located approximately northwest of the Connecticut River and south of the Canadian border.St...
. It was established in 1837. It employs a staff of 36.
Circulation
The paper is distributed in the Northeast KingdomNortheast Kingdom
The Northeast Kingdom is a term used to describe the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Vermont, comprising Essex, Orleans and Caledonia Counties and having a population of 62,438. In Vermont, the written term "NEK" is often used. The term is attributed to the late George D. Aiken, former...
of Vermont and the North Country of New Hampshire. It maintains a New Hampshire office located at 263 Main Street in Littleton, New Hampshire
Littleton, New Hampshire
Littleton is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,928 at the 2010 census. Situated at the edge of the White Mountains, Littleton is bounded on the northwest by the Connecticut River....
. It is published daily except Sunday and some holidays.
The Caledonian has focused on local news from 50 communities, which are located in three Vermont counties and two New Hampshire ones. The average daily net paid circulation has dropped from a peak of about 12,500 about 1999 to the six months ending September 2009 at 8,288.
Penetration of the primary market area of St. Johnsbury and Lyndonville
Lyndonville, Vermont
Lyndonville is a village in the town of Lyndon, in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. Lyndonville's population was 1,227 at the 2000 census.-History:...
was under 93%. For the area immediately surrounding St. Johnsbury the Caledonian provided coverage of 80% of the occupied households.
History
Albert G. Chadwick began publishing the paper as a weekly in August, 1837. It is the oldest paper in the county. It started as a four page, twenty-four column paper.It was a Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
paper when it started . At the time, Vermont was strongly Whig . The paper advocated the principles of the Free Soil element and became an early adherent and unswerving supporter of the principles of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. It was edited and published by its founder for 18 years. George D. Rand and Charles M. Stone bought it in July 1855. Stone became the sole owner, editor and publisher in April 1857.
In 1875 it was still a weekly newspaper. Subscribers paid $1.50 a year.
In the 20th century, the paper was bought by a former Hearst
Hearst
Hearst may refer to:People* Amanda Hearst* Garrison Hearst, NFL running back* George Hearst* George Randolph Hearst, Jr.* Hunter Hearst Helmsley, WWE professional wrestler* John Randolph Hearst* Lydia Hearst-Shaw* Michael Hearst* Millicent Hearst...
reporter from Boston, Herb Smith. His son, Gordon Smith, Class of 1941 at Yale, joined the paper on the business side upon graduation and went on to own and publish the paper. Gordon brought with him as a writer who stayed a year; a classmate, Barry Zorthian
Barry Zorthian
Barry Zorthian was an American diplomat, most notably press officer for years during the Vietnam war, media executive and lobbyist. "By his own reckoning, Zorthian was the last surviving member of the original cadre of U.S...
.
Caledonian-Record Pub. Co., Inc. v. VT State College
The Caledonian garnered attention in 2003 over a court case entitled Caledonian-Record Pub. Co., Inc. v. VT State College. The Caledonian wanted to have access to student disciplinary records and hearings from Lyndon State CollegeLyndon State College
Lyndon State College is a public liberal arts college located at Lyndon Center in Lyndon, Caledonia County in the U.S. state of Vermont. In addition to a range of Bachelor's Degree programs, the college offers a Master's Degree program in Education...
. Lyndon state claimed that it was exempt from making the requested information public per the Vermont Public Records Act
Public records
Public records are documents or pieces of information that are not considered confidential. For example, in California, when a couple fills out a marriage license application, they have the option of checking the box as to whether the marriage is "confidential" or "Public"...
and the Open Meetings Law. The local court sided with Lyndon State College, and an appeal to the Vermont Supreme Court
Vermont Supreme Court
The Vermont Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority of the U.S. state of Vermont and is one of seven state courts of Vermont.The Court consists of a chief justice and four associate justices; the Court mostly hears appeals of cases that have been decided by other courts...
followed. The Vermont Supreme Court upheld the verdict
Verdict
In law, a verdict is the formal finding of fact made by a jury on matters or questions submitted to the jury by a judge. The term, from the Latin veredictum, literally means "to say the truth" and is derived from Middle English verdit, from Anglo-Norman: a compound of ver and dit In law, a verdict...
. Julie Fothergill, an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, stated that the ruling "is important for all public bodies because it indicates how the Court may interpret other exceptions to the Public Records Law."
The Caledonian recently
In 2007 the paper employed a staff of 40, and its sales ranged from one million to five million dollars annually.In 2007 the paper became involved in a partnership with the ASNE at Lyndon Institute to publish a school newspaper, the first the school has had, entitled The Campus News.
In 2008 the paper outsourced the printing of the paper to Upper Valley Press in Haverhill, New Hampshire
Haverhill, New Hampshire
Haverhill is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,697 at the 2010 census. Haverhill includes the villages of Woodsville, Pike, and North Haverhill, the historic town center at Haverhill Corner, and the district of Mountain Lakes...
, citing equipment, quality control and personnel problems.