Pittsburgh Press
Encyclopedia
The Pittsburgh Press is an online newspaper
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, USA, currently owned and operated by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
. Historically, it was a major afternoon paper. It was one of many competing city newspapers published prior to the First World War including The Hearst Corporation owned Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, the Pittsburgh Dispatch
, and the Block Communications
owned Post-Gazette. At one time, the Press was the second largest newspaper in Pennsylvania
, behind only the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The paper published under the name Pittsburg Press, and referred to the city and its sports teams as "Pittsburg" until August of 1921, when the letter H was added.
. The Post-Gazette had previously purchased and merged with the Hearst Corporation
's Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph leaving just itself and the much larger Pittsburgh Press.
The Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) was to be managed by the Pittsburgh Press owners (E. W. Scripps Company
) as the Press had the larger circulation and was the stronger of the two papers.
Under the JOA, the Post-Gazette became a 6 day morning paper, and the Pittsburgh Press became a 6 day afternoon paper in addition to publishing the sole Sunday paper.
This arrangement was in effect until Scripps began bargaining with the Teamsters
union, whose contract with the Press expired in 1991. After a very lengthy Teamsters strike
in 1992, Scripps sold the Press to Block Communications, the owners of the much smaller JOA paper, the Post-Gazette, who promptly ceased printing the Press and folded it into the Post-Gazette. In return, Scripps received The Monterey County Herald
. The sale required a ruling by the U.S. Department of Justice as the JOA was regulated by the Newspaper Preservation Act of 1970
.
The outcome was a surprise to many people in Pittsburgh, as the Press had a much higher profile, and was the larger of the two JOA papers, both in company size and in circulation. Before the 1992 strike, many assumed that the smaller Post-Gazette would cease publication when the JOA expired. The departure of the Press also meant that Scripps was exiting the Pittsburgh market entirely.
sections, which included Prince Valiant
, Peanuts, Dick Tracy
, Blondie
, Gordo
, Priscilla's Pop
, and Jest in Pun, among many others, and because of the four inserted magazines: Press TV Guide, Family, Roto, and Weekly.
-only edition for the afternoon, effective immediately. David Shribman, executive editor of the Post-Gazette, explained his paper's motivation for reviving the Press name, citing the fact that his newspaper still receives letters to the editor
addressed to the Press instead of the Post-Gazette, and that despite nearly 20 years since its last publication Pittsburgh natives still talk about the Press on a regular basis. Much like the magazine
-formatted The Daily
, the new Press will be online-only despite appearing in print form online.
Online newspaper
An online newspaper, also known as a web newspaper, is a newspaper that exists on the World Wide Web or Internet, either separately or as an online version of a printed periodical....
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The 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...
, USA, currently owned and operated by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
. Historically, it was a major afternoon paper. It was one of many competing city newspapers published prior to the First World War including The Hearst Corporation owned Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, the Pittsburgh Dispatch
Pittsburgh Dispatch
The Pittsburgh Dispatch was a leading newspaper in Pittsburgh, PA, operating from 1846 to 1923. After being enlarged by publisher Daniel O'Neill it was reportedly one of the largest and most prosperous newspapers in the United States...
, and the Block Communications
Block Communications
Block Communications is a privately held holding company of various assets, mainly in the print and broadcast media, based in Toledo, Ohio. The company was founded in 1900 in New York City when Paul Block, a German immigrant who came to the United States fifteen years prior, formed an ad...
owned Post-Gazette. At one time, the Press was the second largest newspaper in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The 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...
, behind only the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The paper published under the name Pittsburg Press, and referred to the city and its sports teams as "Pittsburg" until August of 1921, when the letter H was added.
Joint Operating Agreement
In 1924, the Press was acquired by the Scripps-Howard Syndicate. During the 1960's, it entered into a Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) with the competing Pittsburgh Post-GazettePittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
. The Post-Gazette had previously purchased and merged with the Hearst Corporation
Hearst Corporation
The Hearst Corporation is an American media conglomerate based in the Hearst Tower, Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. Founded by William Randolph Hearst as an owner of newspapers, the company's holdings now include a wide variety of media...
's Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph leaving just itself and the much larger Pittsburgh Press.
The Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) was to be managed by the Pittsburgh Press owners (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 the Press had the larger circulation and was the stronger of the two papers.
Under the JOA, the Post-Gazette became a 6 day morning paper, and the Pittsburgh Press became a 6 day afternoon paper in addition to publishing the sole Sunday paper.
This arrangement was in effect until Scripps began bargaining with the Teamsters
Teamsters
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of several local and regional locals of teamsters, the union now represents a diverse membership of blue-collar and professional workers in both the public and private sectors....
union, whose contract with the Press expired in 1991. After a very lengthy Teamsters strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
in 1992, Scripps sold the Press to Block Communications, the owners of the much smaller JOA paper, the Post-Gazette, who promptly ceased printing the Press and folded it into the Post-Gazette. In return, Scripps received The Monterey County Herald
The Monterey County Herald
The Monterey County Herald, sometimes referred to as the Monterey Herald, is the major daily newspaper published in Monterey, California, and serving Monterey County. The paper is owned by MediaNews Group...
. The sale required a ruling by the U.S. Department of Justice as the JOA was regulated by the Newspaper Preservation Act of 1970
Newspaper Preservation Act of 1970
The Newspaper Preservation Act of 1970 was an Act of the United States Congress, signed by President Richard Nixon, authorizing the formation of joint operating agreements among competing newspaper operations within the same market area. It exempted newspapers from certain provisions of antitrust...
.
The outcome was a surprise to many people in Pittsburgh, as the Press had a much higher profile, and was the larger of the two JOA papers, both in company size and in circulation. Before the 1992 strike, many assumed that the smaller Post-Gazette would cease publication when the JOA expired. The departure of the Press also meant that Scripps was exiting the Pittsburgh market entirely.
Sunday edition
The Sunday edition was popular with readers because of its two comicsComics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
sections, which included Prince Valiant
Prince Valiant
Prince Valiant in the Days of King Arthur, or simply Prince Valiant, is a long-run comic strip created by Hal Foster in 1937. It is an epic adventure that has told a continuous story during its entire history, and the full stretch of that story now totals more than 3700 Sunday strips...
, Peanuts, Dick Tracy
Dick Tracy
Dick Tracy is a comic strip featuring Dick Tracy, a hard-hitting, fast-shooting and intelligent police detective. Created by Chester Gould, the strip made its debut on October 4, 1931, in the Detroit Mirror. It was distributed by the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate...
, Blondie
Blondie (comic strip)
Blondie is an American comic strip created by cartoonist Chic Young. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, the strip has been published in newspapers since September 8, 1930...
, Gordo
Gordo (comic strip)
Gordo was a comic strip written and drawn by the Mexican-American artist Gustavo "Gus" Arriola that introduced many Americans to Mexican culture.-Characters and story:...
, Priscilla's Pop
Priscilla's Pop
Priscilla's Pop was a comic strip drawn by Al Vermeer. Syndicated by NEA, it ran from 1946 until 1983.-Characters and story:The strip featured Priscilla Nutchell, a young girl who was obsessed with the idea of owning a horse, and her parents, Hazel and Waldo Nutchell...
, and Jest in Pun, among many others, and because of the four inserted magazines: Press TV Guide, Family, Roto, and Weekly.
Resurrection online
Block Communications announced on November 14th, 2011 that it was bringing back the Press in an onlineOnline newspaper
An online newspaper, also known as a web newspaper, is a newspaper that exists on the World Wide Web or Internet, either separately or as an online version of a printed periodical....
-only edition for the afternoon, effective immediately. David Shribman, executive editor of the Post-Gazette, explained his paper's motivation for reviving the Press name, citing the fact that his newspaper still receives letters to the editor
Letter to the editor
A letter to the editor is a letter sent to a publication about issues of concern from its readers. Usually, letters are intended for publication...
addressed to the Press instead of the Post-Gazette, and that despite nearly 20 years since its last publication Pittsburgh natives still talk about the Press on a regular basis. Much like the magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
-formatted The Daily
The Daily (News Corporation)
The Daily is the world's first iPad-only news app in the United States and Australia, owned by News Corporation.It was originally planned to launch The Daily in San Francisco on January 19, 2011, however the launch was delayed by News Corporation and Apple. The Daily was launched on February 2,...
, the new Press will be online-only despite appearing in print form online.