Henderson Gleaner
Encyclopedia
The Henderson Gleaner is the daily newspaper
in Henderson, Kentucky
. Its paid circulation is approximately 10,200 copies daily and 11,200 on Sundays, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations.
The Gleaner publishes Tuesday through Sunday mornings. It hasn't published on Mondays since its founding in the 1880s.
The Gleaner was locally owned for more than a century, but now is owned by the Evansville Courier & Press
, part of the E. W. Scripps Company
media chain.
The editor is David Dixon.
, located approximately 35 miles south of Henderson
. Givens remained there for six months, then moved his newspaper farther south to Madisonville, Kentucky
. In July 1885, Givens relocated the Gleaner to Henderson
. It became a daily publication in 1888 with the exception that it produced no Monday edition, and was published as the Henderson Morning Gleaner.
The Gleaner wasn't the city's first or only newspaper. The Columbian first published in 1823, and the Henderson Reporter was in production from 1853 through 1885. At least a dozen other newspapers also operated in Henderson
for various lengths of times, but few if any copies of those papers have survived.
The Gleaner was also a peer of the Henderson Journal, founded in 1883 as a weekly afternoon paper. One of its founders was Edmund L. Starling, a colonel with the Union Army
during the Civil War
, a former mayor of Henderson
and a former editor of the Reporter. Starling in 1887 produced the History of Henderson County, a thick volume that has served as a foundation for subsequent Henderson
history books.
The Henderson Morning Gleaner and Henderson Evening Journal competed for several years. By 1909, the Evening Journal was losing $500 a week and had been taken over by its bank. A young Illinois
native, Leigh Harris, bought the Journal. Harris' first editorial
consisted of a single sentence: "I have come to Henderson
to run a newspaper."
In about 1920, Harris negotiated a merger of the Gleaner and Journal with the Givens family, creating the Henderson Gleaner and Journal. (The word "Journal" was dropped from the masthead in 1973.) Harris later bought out C. C. Givens altogether, becoming the city's sole newspaper publisher. Harris chaired numerous Henderson causes and committees, including serving as chairman of the local American Red Cross
chapter during the Ohio River flood of 1937
. Henderson
was one of the few cities along the Ohio River
that escaped the floodwaters of 1937, owing to its position on a bluff
well above the river. Harris soon noted in his newspaper that Henderson
is "on the Ohio but never in it." He used that as a marketing
tool as he and other prominent citizens worked to attract new industries to Henderson
.
After Harris' death in 1955, the family leased the newspaper to J. Albert Dear of Jersey City, New Jersey
. His company, Dear Publication and Radio Inc., bought the newspaper outright two years later.
In 1960, the Dear family sent a son, Walter Dear II, to Henderson
to serve as promotions manager, beginning a new era for the Gleanere He became editor in 1963 and later served as publisher. Dear promoted the community, much as Leigh Harris had a generation earlier. Dear was among a handful of Hendersonians who served as primary fundraisers for community improvements such as a new YMCA
building, a Fine Arts Center on the Henderson Community College
campus, a new Salvation Army
center and other projects.
The newspaper constructed a new office and printing plant at 455 Klutey Park Plaza in suburban Henderson
, relocating there in 1976.
In 1986, Walt and Martha Dear and their children bought The Gleaner, several western Kentucky weekly newspapers (the Benton Tribune-Courier, McLean County News, Ohio County News and Franklin Favorite, plus the Portland, Tennessee
Leader).
and a small radio station in Franklin, Kentucky
, from the rest of their family. They later acquired the Union County Advocate in Morganfield, Kentucky
, as well.
In 1997, the Dear family sold The Gleaner and other media holdings to the A. H. Belo
Corp., a Texas
media company that owns The Dallas Morning News. Belo had purchased The Messenger-Inquirer in nearby Owensboro, Kentucky
, a year earlier. Belo subsequently decided that the two Kentucky
newspapers weren't core to Belo's business of operating newspapers and television stations in larger high-growth markets, particularly in the Southwest and Pacific Northwest
.
Belo sold The Gleaner in 2000 to the Evansville Courier Co., publisher of The Evansville Courier & Press
and itself a subsidiary
of media company E. W. Scripps Company
. As had been the case with Belo, the Courier and E. W. Scripps left The Gleaner editorially independent, although Henderson
readers later criticized the decision to merge The Gleaner and Courier & Press classified advertising
.
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...
in Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
. Its paid circulation is approximately 10,200 copies daily and 11,200 on Sundays, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations.
The Gleaner publishes Tuesday through Sunday mornings. It hasn't published on Mondays since its founding in the 1880s.
The Gleaner was locally owned for more than a century, but now is owned by the Evansville Courier & Press
Evansville Courier & Press
The Evansville Courier & Press is a local newspaper in Evansville, Indiana. The Evansville Courier & Press serves 58,098 daily and 86,201 Sunday readers in 30 counties in Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky. In 2002 and 2004, the newspaper was named the state's "Blue Ribbon Daily" by the Hoosier State...
, part of the E. W. Scripps Company
E. W. Scripps Company
The E. W. Scripps Company is an American media conglomerate founded by Edward W. Scripps on November 2, 1878. The company is headquartered inside the Scripps Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its corporate motto is "Give light and the people will find their own way."On October 16, 2007, the company...
media chain.
The editor is David Dixon.
History
Clarence Christian (C .C.) Givens founded The Gleaner in 1883 in Providence, KentuckyProvidence, Kentucky
Providence is a city in Webster County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 3,611 at the 2000 census. The city is named after Providence, Rhode Island....
, located approximately 35 miles south of Henderson
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
. Givens remained there for six months, then moved his newspaper farther south to Madisonville, Kentucky
Madisonville, Kentucky
Madisonville is a city in Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States of the Western Coal Field region, located along US 41 and The Pennyrile Parkway. The population was 19,307 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hopkins County. The city was named in honor of U.S...
. In July 1885, Givens relocated the Gleaner to Henderson
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
. It became a daily publication in 1888 with the exception that it produced no Monday edition, and was published as the Henderson Morning Gleaner.
The Gleaner wasn't the city's first or only newspaper. The Columbian first published in 1823, and the Henderson Reporter was in production from 1853 through 1885. At least a dozen other newspapers also operated in Henderson
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
for various lengths of times, but few if any copies of those papers have survived.
The Gleaner was also a peer of the Henderson Journal, founded in 1883 as a weekly afternoon paper. One of its founders was Edmund L. Starling, a colonel with the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, a former mayor of Henderson
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
and a former editor of the Reporter. Starling in 1887 produced the History of Henderson County, a thick volume that has served as a foundation for subsequent Henderson
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
history books.
The Henderson Morning Gleaner and Henderson Evening Journal competed for several years. By 1909, the Evening Journal was losing $500 a week and had been taken over by its bank. A young Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
native, Leigh Harris, bought the Journal. Harris' first editorial
Editorial
An opinion piece is an article, published in a newspaper or magazine, that mainly reflects the author's opinion about the subject. Opinion pieces are featured in many periodicals.-Editorials:...
consisted of a single sentence: "I have come to Henderson
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
to run a newspaper."
In about 1920, Harris negotiated a merger of the Gleaner and Journal with the Givens family, creating the Henderson Gleaner and Journal. (The word "Journal" was dropped from the masthead in 1973.) Harris later bought out C. C. Givens altogether, becoming the city's sole newspaper publisher. Harris chaired numerous Henderson causes and committees, including serving as chairman of the local American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
chapter during the Ohio River flood of 1937
Ohio River flood of 1937
The Ohio River flood of 1937 took place in late January and February 1937. With damage stretching from Pittsburgh to Cairo, Illinois, one million persons were left homeless, with 385 dead and property losses reaching $500 million...
. Henderson
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
was one of the few cities along the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
that escaped the floodwaters of 1937, owing to its position on a bluff
Hill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...
well above the river. Harris soon noted in his newspaper that Henderson
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
is "on the Ohio but never in it." He used that as a marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
tool as he and other prominent citizens worked to attract new industries to Henderson
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
.
After Harris' death in 1955, the family leased the newspaper to J. Albert Dear of Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
. His company, Dear Publication and Radio Inc., bought the newspaper outright two years later.
In 1960, the Dear family sent a son, Walter Dear II, to Henderson
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
to serve as promotions manager, beginning a new era for the Gleanere He became editor in 1963 and later served as publisher. Dear promoted the community, much as Leigh Harris had a generation earlier. Dear was among a handful of Hendersonians who served as primary fundraisers for community improvements such as a new YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
building, a Fine Arts Center on the Henderson Community College
Henderson Community College
Henderson Community College , located in Henderson, Kentucky, is one of 16 two-year, open-admissions colleges of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System . It was established in 1960 under the leadership of the late Dr. Louis C. Alderman, Jr., the first Director of the Northwest...
campus, a new Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
center and other projects.
The newspaper constructed a new office and printing plant at 455 Klutey Park Plaza in suburban Henderson
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
, relocating there in 1976.
In 1986, Walt and Martha Dear and their children bought The Gleaner, several western Kentucky weekly newspapers (the Benton Tribune-Courier, McLean County News, Ohio County News and Franklin Favorite, plus the Portland, Tennessee
Portland, Tennessee
Portland is a city in Sumner and Robertson counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, and is also a part of the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area The population was 10,986 according to 2007 estimates by the US census bureau.-History:...
Leader).
and a small radio station in Franklin, Kentucky
Franklin, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,996 people, 3,251 households, and 2,174 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,074.7 people per square mile . There were 3,609 housing units at an average density of 485.1 per square mile...
, from the rest of their family. They later acquired the Union County Advocate in Morganfield, Kentucky
Morganfield, Kentucky
Morganfield is a city in Union County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 3,494 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Union County...
, as well.
In 1997, the Dear family sold The Gleaner and other media holdings to the A. H. Belo
Belo
Belo Corp. is a Dallas-based media company that owns 20 commercial broadcasting television stations and two regional 24-hour cable news television channels. The company was previously known as A.H. Belo Corp. after one of the early owners of the company, Alfred Horatio Belo, now the name of the...
Corp., a Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
media company that owns The Dallas Morning News. Belo had purchased The Messenger-Inquirer in nearby Owensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro is the fourth largest city by population in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the county seat of Daviess County. It is located on U.S. Route 60 about southeast of Evansville, Indiana, and is the principal city of the Owensboro, Kentucky, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's...
, a year earlier. Belo subsequently decided that the two Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
newspapers weren't core to Belo's business of operating newspapers and television stations in larger high-growth markets, particularly in the Southwest and Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
.
Belo sold The Gleaner in 2000 to the Evansville Courier Co., publisher of The Evansville Courier & Press
Evansville Courier & Press
The Evansville Courier & Press is a local newspaper in Evansville, Indiana. The Evansville Courier & Press serves 58,098 daily and 86,201 Sunday readers in 30 counties in Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky. In 2002 and 2004, the newspaper was named the state's "Blue Ribbon Daily" by the Hoosier State...
and itself a subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of media company E. W. Scripps Company
E. W. Scripps Company
The E. W. Scripps Company is an American media conglomerate founded by Edward W. Scripps on November 2, 1878. The company is headquartered inside the Scripps Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its corporate motto is "Give light and the people will find their own way."On October 16, 2007, the company...
. As had been the case with Belo, the Courier and E. W. Scripps left The Gleaner editorially independent, although Henderson
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
readers later criticized the decision to merge The Gleaner and Courier & Press classified advertising
Classified advertising
Classified advertising is a form of advertising which is particularly common in newspapers, online and other periodicals which may be sold or distributed free of charge...
.
Trivia
- For nearly a quarter-century, the newspaper's name appeared in lower case on its flag on the front page. On April 27, 1973, the newspaper name changed from "The Gleaner-Journal" to "the gleaner". It renamed so until Aug. 10, 1997, when the name appeared in upper case, as "The Gleaner."
- "Gleaner" is the name of a few other newspapers, including the Jamaica Gleaner of Kingston, JamaicaKingston, JamaicaKingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
.; the Northeast News Gleaner, a weekly newspaper in Northeast PhiladelphiaNortheast PhiladelphiaNortheast Philadelphia, nicknamed Northeast Philly, the Northeast and the Great Northeast, is a section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to the 2000 Census, the Northeast has a sizable percentage of the city's 1.547 million people — a population of between 300,000 and 450,000,...
, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
; The Gleaner of Huntingdon, QuébecHuntingdon, QuebecHuntingdon is a small town in Huntingdon County in the Haut-Saint-Laurent Regional County Municipality and the Montérégie region of the province of Quebec, Canada. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 2,587...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
; and The Daily GleanerThe Daily GleanerThe Daily Gleaner, often just The Gleaner, is a morning daily newspaper serving the city of Fredericton, New Brunswick and upper Saint John River Valley. The paper is published Monday through Saturday and began operating in 1880. In April 2006, the paper switched from afternoon to morning publication...
of Fredericton, New BrunswickFredericton, New BrunswickFredericton is the capital of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, by virtue of the provincial parliament which sits there. An important cultural, artistic, and educational centre for the province, Fredericton is home to two universities and cultural institutions such as the Beaverbrook Art...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
- Three former Gleaner photojournalists went on to receive the Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for their work at other newspapers. HendersonHenderson, KentuckyHenderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
native William Snyder has won or shared in three Pulitzers (in 1986, 1991 and 1993) for his work at The Dallas Morning NewsThe Dallas Morning NewsThe Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
, and in 2006 as director of photography of the newspaper, eight members of his staff won a Pulitzer; Keith Williams, also a native of HendersonHenderson, KentuckyHenderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
, shared in a 1976 Pulitzer with The Courier-JournalThe Courier-JournalThe Courier-Journal, locally called "The C-J", is the main newspaper for the city of Louisville, Kentucky, USA. According to the 1999 Editor & Publisher International Yearbook, the paper is the 48th largest daily paper in the United States and the single largest in Kentucky.- Origins :The...
in Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, KentuckyLouisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. And J. Scott Applewhite has shared two Pulitzers (in 1993 and 1999) for his work with The Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
.
- Both former Gleaner publisher and owner Walter Dear II and retired editor Ron Jenkins have been selected for the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame at the University of KentuckyUniversity of KentuckyThe University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
's School of Journalism and Telecommunications. Dear was inducted in 1999. Jenkins was inducted in April 2007.