Grand Island Independent
Encyclopedia
The Grand Island Independent is a newspaper published in Grand Island, Nebraska
. The Independent is published every day of the year but Christmas day.
Its daily circulation is 20,500 in eleven counties of central Nebraska.
The newspaper is owned by the Omaha World-Herald Co.
. Eberhart, whose parents had immigrated from Ireland in her infancy, had been a teacher;
Mobley had begun working in a newspaper office in Iowa at the age of 10, and had briefly published the Fort Kearney Herald
while stationed at Fort Kearny, Nebraska
in 1865.
In 1870, Eberhart moved the Independent to Grand Island; she married Mobley the following year. The newspaper, described as "decidedly Republican", was published daily for a short time in late 1873, in connection with a political campaign of that year, but resumed weekly publication after the election.
In 1883, the Mobleys, who had alienated most of their advertisers, sold the newspaper to J. A. McMurphy; a week later, McMurphy sold it to Friedrich (Fred) Hedde.
Hedde had been a lawyer and journalist in his native Holstein
. After immigrating to the United States in 1854,
he was one of the original settlers of Grand Island in 1857.
He had served as County Judge and as a member of the Nebraska Territorial Legislature.
Beside the Independent, he owned a lumberyard and a general store.
Hedde converted the Independent from a weekly to a daily in 1884;
in 1885, he changed its name to the Grand Island Daily Independent.
In 1900, the octogenarian Hedde's health was failing, prompting him to turn the newspaper over to a group of Grand Island businessmen, who formed the Independent Publishing Company. A. F. Buechler served as president of the company and editor of the newspaper until 1930,
when it was sold to Oscar S. Stauffer
; he continued as editor until 1939.
Stauffer Communications
owned the Independent from 1930 to 1994.
In 1974, the newspaper made the conversion from letterpress
to offset
printing. In 1979, it began printing a Sunday edition, initiating seven-day publication.
In 1989, the "Daily" was dropped, leaving the newspaper with its present namne.
The newspaper was acquired by the Morris Publishing Group
in the course of their 1995 purchase of Stauffer.
It introduced its website in 1996.
In 2007, the Independent was bought by GateHouse Media
.
in 2008, GateHouse sold the newspaper to its present owner, the Omaha World-Herald
Co.
Before his appointment to the position in 2003, he had served as publisher of the Morris-owned Juneau Empire
.
The managing editor is Jim Faddis; he had worked for the Independent for 25 years before being promoted from editorial page editor to managing editor in 2007.
Beside the daily newspaper, the Independent publishes a free-circulation weekly titled Trade West, with a circulation of about 20,000, focusing on "rural and agricultural readers".
Grand Island, Nebraska
Grand Island is a city in and the county seat of Hall County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 48,520 at the 2010 census.Grand Island is home to the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center which is the sole agency responsible for training law enforcement officers throughout the state,...
. The Independent is published every day of the year but Christmas day.
Its daily circulation is 20,500 in eleven counties of central Nebraska.
The newspaper is owned by the Omaha World-Herald Co.
Omaha World-Herald
The Omaha World-Herald, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is the primary daily newspaper of Nebraska, as well as portions of southwest Iowa. For decades it circulated daily throughout Nebraska, and in parts of Kansas, South Dakota, Missouri, Colorado and Wyoming. In 2008, distribution was reduced to the...
History
In 1869, Maggie Eberhart and Seth Mobley founded the Platte Valley Independent in North PlatteNorth Platte, Nebraska
North Platte is a city in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Nebraska, United States. It is located in the southwestern part of the state, along Interstate 80, at the confluence of the North and South Platte Rivers forming the Platte River...
. Eberhart, whose parents had immigrated from Ireland in her infancy, had been a teacher;
Mobley had begun working in a newspaper office in Iowa at the age of 10, and had briefly published the Fort Kearney Herald
while stationed at Fort Kearny, Nebraska
Fort Kearny
Fort Kearny was a historic outpost of the United States Army founded in 1848 in the western U.S. during the middle and late 19th century. The outpost was located along the Oregon Trail near present-day Kearney, Nebraska, which took its name from the fort .-Origins and various missions of the...
in 1865.
In 1870, Eberhart moved the Independent to Grand Island; she married Mobley the following year. The newspaper, described as "decidedly Republican", was published daily for a short time in late 1873, in connection with a political campaign of that year, but resumed weekly publication after the election.
In 1883, the Mobleys, who had alienated most of their advertisers, sold the newspaper to J. A. McMurphy; a week later, McMurphy sold it to Friedrich (Fred) Hedde.
Hedde had been a lawyer and journalist in his native Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
. After immigrating to the United States in 1854,
he was one of the original settlers of Grand Island in 1857.
He had served as County Judge and as a member of the Nebraska Territorial Legislature.
Beside the Independent, he owned a lumberyard and a general store.
Hedde converted the Independent from a weekly to a daily in 1884;
in 1885, he changed its name to the Grand Island Daily Independent.
In 1900, the octogenarian Hedde's health was failing, prompting him to turn the newspaper over to a group of Grand Island businessmen, who formed the Independent Publishing Company. A. F. Buechler served as president of the company and editor of the newspaper until 1930,
when it was sold to Oscar S. Stauffer
Oscar S. Stauffer
Oscar Stanley Stauffer was founder of the media company Stauffer Communications and is often credited with starting the bandwagon for Kansas Governor Alf Landon getting the Republican nomination for President of the United States in 1936.At the time of his death, Stauffer owned 20 newspapers, two...
; he continued as editor until 1939.
Stauffer Communications
Stauffer Communications
Stauffer Communications was a corporation which until 1995 owned many media and other companies in Topeka, Kansas including the Topeka Capital-Journal and WIBW, WIBW-FM, and WIBW-TV....
owned the Independent from 1930 to 1994.
In 1974, the newspaper made the conversion from letterpress
Letterpress printing
Letterpress printing is relief printing of text and image using a press with a "type-high bed" printing press and movable type, in which a reversed, raised surface is inked and then pressed into a sheet of paper to obtain a positive right-reading image...
to offset
Offset printing
Offset printing is a commonly used printing technique in which the inked image is transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface...
printing. In 1979, it began printing a Sunday edition, initiating seven-day publication.
In 1989, the "Daily" was dropped, leaving the newspaper with its present namne.
The newspaper was acquired by the Morris Publishing Group
Morris Communications
Morris Communications of Augusta, Georgia is a privately held media company with diversified holdings that include newspaper and magazine publishing, outdoor advertising, radio broadcasting, book publishing and distribution, visitor publications and online services. Newspapers are the foundation...
in the course of their 1995 purchase of Stauffer.
It introduced its website in 1996.
In 2007, the Independent was bought by GateHouse Media
GateHouse Media
GateHouse Media Inc. is a U.S. newspaper publisher, headquartered in Perinton, New York, that publishes 97 dailies in 20 states and 198 paid weeklies, in addition to free papers, shoppers and specialty and niche publications.- History :Liberty Group Publishing was formed in 1998 when Kenneth L...
.
in 2008, GateHouse sold the newspaper to its present owner, the Omaha World-Herald
Omaha World-Herald
The Omaha World-Herald, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is the primary daily newspaper of Nebraska, as well as portions of southwest Iowa. For decades it circulated daily throughout Nebraska, and in parts of Kansas, South Dakota, Missouri, Colorado and Wyoming. In 2008, distribution was reduced to the...
Co.
The Independent today
The publisher of the Independent is Don Smith;Before his appointment to the position in 2003, he had served as publisher of the Morris-owned Juneau Empire
Juneau Empire
The Juneau Empire is a newspaper in Juneau, Alaska, United States. Mark Bryan was appointed publisher in 2009.-External links:* *...
.
The managing editor is Jim Faddis; he had worked for the Independent for 25 years before being promoted from editorial page editor to managing editor in 2007.
Beside the daily newspaper, the Independent publishes a free-circulation weekly titled Trade West, with a circulation of about 20,000, focusing on "rural and agricultural readers".