Observer-Dispatch
Encyclopedia
The Observer-Dispatch is the major newspaper
for Oneida County
, Herkimer County, and parts of Madison County
, and also services the greater Central New York
area. Based in Utica, New York
, the publication is owned by GateHouse Media
.
. Gannett owned the newspaper until 2007, when it was purchased by GateHouse Media
, one of the largest publishers of locally based print and online media in the United States.
For a time, two daily papers were published – the Daily Press in the morning and the Observer-Dispatch in the afternoon, and those newspapers were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
in 1959 for an investigation into local corruption. The two newspapers merged into a single, seven-day morning publication, the Observer-Dispatch, in 1987.
The company added digital delivery of news and information in January 2000 with the launch of uticaOD.com. It began online video publication in 2006.
In 2004, the Observer-Dispatch purchased the Mid York Weekly newspaper, serving Hamilton, N.Y., and seven weekly Pennysaver publications, which are mailed throughout Oneida and Herkimer counties. In Herkimer County, the Observer-Dispatch competes with its sister newspapers, The Evening Telegram in Herkimer, N.Y., and The Evening Times in Little Falls, N.Y.
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...
for Oneida County
Oneida County, New York
Oneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 234,878. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that formerly occupied the region....
, Herkimer County, and parts of Madison County
Madison County, New York
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,442. It is named after James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America...
, and also services the greater Central New York
Central New York
Central New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...
area. Based in Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, the publication is owned 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...
.
History
The Observer Dispatch traces its roots to the Utica Observer, a weekly founded by Eliasaph Dorchester in 1817. The Observer became a daily newspaper in 1848 and, after several mergers with other newspapers, became the Observer-Dispatch in 1922. That was also the year the paper was purchased by Frank E. Gannett, who founded the Gannett CompanyGannett Company
Gannett Company, Inc. is a publicly-traded media holding company headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia, United States, near McLean. It is the largest U.S. newspaper publisher as measured by total daily circulation. Its assets include the national newspaper USA Today and the weekly USA Weekend...
. Gannett owned the newspaper until 2007, when it was purchased 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...
, one of the largest publishers of locally based print and online media in the United States.
For a time, two daily papers were published – the Daily Press in the morning and the Observer-Dispatch in the afternoon, and those newspapers were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
The Pulitzer Prize for Public Service has been awarded since 1918 for a distinguished example of meritorious public service by a newspaper or news site through the use of its journalistic resources. Those resources, as well as reporting, may include editorials, cartoons, photographs, graphics,...
in 1959 for an investigation into local corruption. The two newspapers merged into a single, seven-day morning publication, the Observer-Dispatch, in 1987.
The company added digital delivery of news and information in January 2000 with the launch of uticaOD.com. It began online video publication in 2006.
In 2004, the Observer-Dispatch purchased the Mid York Weekly newspaper, serving Hamilton, N.Y., and seven weekly Pennysaver publications, which are mailed throughout Oneida and Herkimer counties. In Herkimer County, the Observer-Dispatch competes with its sister newspapers, The Evening Telegram in Herkimer, N.Y., and The Evening Times in Little Falls, N.Y.