The Detroit News

Along with The Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News (now owned by MediaNews Group) is one of the two major metro Detroit newspapers. It is considered editorially to be the more conservative of the two. The paper began in 1873 when it rented space in the rival Free Press's building. It claims to have been the first newspaper in the world to operate a radio station, station 8MK, which went on the air August 20, 1920. 8MK is now WWJ. In 1919 the News bought out the Detroit Tribune, in 1922, the Detroit Journal and in 1960, it bought out and closed the Detroit Times. The square in downtown Detroit where the Times building once stood is still called "Times Square." The Gannett Company puchased the News in 1985.

Related Topics:
Detroit Free Press - MediaNews Group - 1873 - Radio - August 20 - 1920 - WWJ - Detroit Times - Gannett

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In 1989, the paper entered into a 100-year joint operating agreement with the rival Free Press, combining business operations while keeping separate editorial staffs. The Free Press moved into the News building in 1998 and the two publish a single joint weekend edition.

Related Topics:
1989 - Joint operating agreement

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The Detroit News was founded by James E. Scripps who, in turn, was the older half-brother and one-time partner of Edward W. Scripps. The paper's eventual success, however, is largely credited to Scripp's son-in-law, George Gough Booth, who came aboard at the request of his wife's father. Booth went on to construct Michigan's largest newspaper empire, founding the independent Booth Newspapers chain (now owned by S.I. Newhouse's Advance Publications) with his two brothers.

Related Topics:
James E. Scripps - Edward W. Scripps - George Gough Booth - S.I. Newhouse - Advance Publications

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The Detroit News building was built in 1917 by architect Albert Kahn who designed a faux-stone concrete building with large street level arches to admit light. The arches along the east and south side of the building were bricked in for protection after the 12th Street Riot in 1967. The bricked-in arches on the east and south ends of the building were reopened during renovations required when the Free Press moved in 20 years later.

Related Topics:
1917 - Architect - Albert Kahn - 12th Street Riot - 1967

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On July 13, 1995, Newspaper Guild represented employees of the Detroit Free Press and News and the pressmen, printers and Teamsters working for the "Detroit Newspapers" distribution arm went on strike. A handful of staffers crossed the picket line after a month, but the majority stayed out for the entire two and a half years of the strike, including Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Eric Freedman. The strike was resolved in court three years later, and the unions remain active at the paper, representing a majority of the employees under their jurisdiction.

Related Topics:
July 13 - 1995 - Newspaper Guild - Teamsters

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On August 3, 2005, Gannett announced that it was selling the News to MediaNews Group and purchasing the Free Press from the Knight Ridder company. Gannett would continue to be the managing partner in the papers' joint operating agreement.

Related Topics:
August 3 - 2005 - MediaNews Group - Knight Ridder

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The News has significantly lower print circulation than the Free Press (more than 100,000 less, according the Knight Ridder 2004 Annual Report) though the News website is the 10th most read newspaper website in the United States.

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