The Seattle Times Company
Encyclopedia
The Seattle Times Company is a privately owned publisher of daily and weekly newspaper
s in the U.S.
state of Washington. Founded in Seattle, Washington
, in 1896, the company is now in its fourth and fifth generations of ownership by the Blethen family.
. Elsewhere in Washington, the company owns the Yakima Herald-Republic
and Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
.
Maine-native schoolteacher and attorney Alden J. Blethen
bought the Seattle Press-Times in 1896, renaming it the Seattle Daily Times and doubling its circulation to 7,000 six months later. When he died in 1915, the Times' circulation was 70,000.
The two smaller dailies were added much later. The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin was purchased from the Kelly family in 1971, while the Yakima Herald-Republic was bought in 1991.
chain added two more in the 1990s. Based at 45 Front Street South, Issaquah, Washington
.
The Issaquah Press
Newcastle News
Sammamish Review
SnoValley Star
.
and Maine Sunday Telegram
. The other two dailies in the Blethen chain are the Kennebec Journal
in Augusta
and Morning Sentinel
in Waterville
.
. Guy Gannett's television station
s were sold separately, to Sinclair Broadcasting.
Guy Gannett -- no relation to the larger Gannett communications chain -- was a family-owned business consisting of newspapers in Maine
and a handful of television stations in the eastern United States
. The company was founded by its namesake, Guy P. Gannett, in 1921, and managed by a family trust from 1954 onward. Guy Gannett managers said they sold to The Seattle Times Company because of shared values -- both companies were fourth-generation family-owned news organizations.
"Of all the companies in the newspaper business, The Seattle Times is one most like our company in the sense of independence, of family ownership, and commitment to the community," said Guy Gannett spokesman Tim O'Meara.
, The Community Leader of Falmouth
, and The Maine Switch, a lifestyle magazine in Portland
.
Weekly newspaper
A weekly newspaper is a general-news publication that is published on newsprint once or twice a week.Such newspapers tend to have smaller circulations than daily newspapers, and are usually based in less-populous communities or small, defined areas within large cities; often, they may cover a...
s in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Washington. Founded in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, in 1896, the company is now in its fourth and fifth generations of ownership by the Blethen family.
Washington newspapers
In its headquarters city of Seattle, the company owns the Washington's largest-circulation daily newspaper, The Seattle TimesThe Seattle Times
The Seattle Times is a newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, US. It is the largest daily newspaper in the state of Washington. It has been, since the demise in 2009 of the printed version of the rival Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle's only major daily print newspaper.-History:The Seattle Times...
. Elsewhere in Washington, the company owns the Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima Herald-Republic
The Yakima Herald-Republic is a newspaper published in Yakima, Washington and distributed throughout Yakima, Kittitas and Klickitat counties as well as northwest Benton County. It is Washington state's seventh largest daily newspaper. The newspaper traces its roots to the late 19th...
and Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin is a newspaper based in Walla Walla, Washington and owned by the Seattle Times Company....
.
Maine-native schoolteacher and attorney Alden J. Blethen
Alden J. Blethen
Alden J. Blethen was editor in chief of the Seattle Daily Times from August 10, 1896 until his death...
bought the Seattle Press-Times in 1896, renaming it the Seattle Daily Times and doubling its circulation to 7,000 six months later. When he died in 1915, the Times
The two smaller dailies were added much later. The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin was purchased from the Kelly family in 1971, while the Yakima Herald-Republic was bought in 1991.
Issaquah Press Inc.
The Seattle Times Company acquired Issaquah Press Inc. July 1, 1995, from Pacific Media Group. Originally consisting of one newspaper, the King CountyKing County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
chain added two more in the 1990s. Based at 45 Front Street South, Issaquah, Washington
Issaquah, Washington
Issaquah is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 30,434 at the 2010 census.Based on per capita income, Issaquah ranks 25th of 522 areas in the State of Washington to be ranked....
.
The Issaquah Press
- Founded in 1900, The Issaquah Press is the newspaper of recordNewspaper of recordNewspaper of record is a term that may refer either to any publicly available newspaper that has been authorized by a government to publish public or legal notices , or any major newspaper that has a large circulation and whose editorial and news-gathering functions are considered professional and...
for Issaquah, WashingtonIssaquah, WashingtonIssaquah is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 30,434 at the 2010 census.Based on per capita income, Issaquah ranks 25th of 522 areas in the State of Washington to be ranked....
. It and its companion(No longer in use) shopperPennysaverA pennysaver A pennysaver A pennysaver (or free ads paper, Friday Ad (British English or shopper) is a kind of free community periodical available in North America (typically weekly or monthly publications) that advertises items for sale. Frequently pennysavers are actually called The Pennysaver...
reach 20,000 homes in Issaquah every week.
Newcastle News
- Only five years after the incorporation of the city of Newcastle, WashingtonNewcastle, WashingtonNewcastle is an Eastside city in King County, Washington, United States. Its population was 10,380 at the 2010 census.Although Newcastle was not incorporated until 1994, it has been an important settlement and town since the late 19th century and played a major role in the development of Seattle...
, the Issaquah Press Inc. office debuted a monthly newspaper for the city. The Newcastle News is now mailed free to 5,000 homes in Newcastle.
Sammamish Review
- Founded as a monthly in 1992, the Sammamish Review has been a weekly since 2007 and is delivered, free, to 15,000 homes in Sammamish, WashingtonSammamish, Washington-Surrounding cities and communities:-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 34,104 people, 11,131 households, and 9,650 families residing in the city. In 2007, the population is expected to pass 40,000....
, every Wednesday.
SnoValley Star
- The SnoValley Star's first issue was published March 6, 2008. The free-distribution weekly newspaper reaches 12,400 homes and businesses in North Bend and Snoqualmie, WashingtonSnoqualmie, WashingtonSnoqualmie is a city next to Snoqualmie Falls in King County, Washington. The city is home to the Northwest Railway Museum. The population was of 10,670 at the 2010 census...
.
Other
In addition to various websites associated with its newspaper properties, The Seattle Times Company also owns Rotary Offset Press, a printing company in Kent, WashingtonKent, Washington
Kent is a city located in King County, Washington, United States, and is the third largest city in King County and the sixth largest in the state. An outlying suburb of Seattle, Kent is also the corporate home for companies such as REI and Oberto Sausage...
.
Blethen Maine Newspapers
An "independent subsidiary" of The Seattle Times Company, formed in 1998, published newspapers in Maine, including the state's largest daily, the Portland Press HeraldPortland Press Herald
The Portland Press Herald publish daily newspapers in Portland, Maine, USA...
and Maine Sunday Telegram
Portland Press Herald
The Portland Press Herald publish daily newspapers in Portland, Maine, USA...
. The other two dailies in the Blethen chain are the Kennebec Journal
Kennebec Journal
The Kennebec Journal is a seven-day morning daily newspaper published in Augusta, Maine. From 1998 to 2009, it was owned by Blethen Maine Newspapers, a subsidiary of The Seattle Times Company. It was then sold to MaineToday Media. The newspaper covers the capital area and southern Kennebec...
in Augusta
Augusta, Maine
Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
and Morning Sentinel
Morning Sentinel
The Morning Sentinel is a seven-day morning daily newspaper published in Waterville, Maine, USA. From 1998 to 2009, it was owned by Blethen Maine Newspapers, a subsidiary of The Seattle Times Company. It was then sold to MaineToday Media. The newspaper covers cities and towns in parts of Kennebec...
in Waterville
Waterville, Maine
Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....
.
Guy Gannett purchase
Blethen Maine Newspapers was built in one acquisition, Seattle Times' purchase of all the newspapers formerly published by Guy Gannett CommunicationsGuy Gannett Communications
Guy Gannett Communications -- no relation to the larger Gannett communications chain -- was a family-owned business consisting of newspapers in Maine and a handful of television stations in the eastern United States. The company was founded by its namesake, Guy P...
. Guy Gannett's television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
s were sold separately, to Sinclair Broadcasting.
Guy Gannett -- no relation to the larger Gannett communications chain -- was a family-owned business consisting of newspapers in Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
and a handful of television stations in the eastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The company was founded by its namesake, Guy P. Gannett, in 1921, and managed by a family trust from 1954 onward. Guy Gannett managers said they sold to The Seattle Times Company because of shared values -- both companies were fourth-generation family-owned news organizations.
"Of all the companies in the newspaper business, The Seattle Times is one most like our company in the sense of independence, of family ownership, and commitment to the community," said Guy Gannett spokesman Tim O'Meara.
Maine Community Publications
Three weeklies make up the Maine Community Publications division of Blethen Maine Newspapers, The Coastal Journal in BathBath, Maine
Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,266. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County. Located on the Kennebec River, Bath is a port of entry with a good harbor. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its...
, The Community Leader of Falmouth
Falmouth, Maine
Falmouth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 11,185 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area....
, and The Maine Switch, a lifestyle magazine in Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
.