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Practically simultaneous with the arrival of Hearst in New York was that of Adolph S. Ochs who assumed control of The New York Times, Aug. 1896. In spite of a proud past, The Times for various reasons had lost in circulation until it reached below 10,000 and its mechanical equipment had so deteriorated that it was only worth what it would bring for junk. Reorganized on a sound financial basis by Mr. Ochs, The Times quietly and un ostentatiously began its campaign of appeal to thoughtful readers under a slogan, "All the News That's Fit to Print." Slowly but surely The Times gained momentum until its growth constituted an outstanding chapter in the annals of American journalism. Its remarkable achievements in reporting so fully the news of the World War were simply the culmination of a far-seeing campaign that had progressed steadily under the management of Mr. Ochs who, disclaiming all glory for personal achievement, says that his paper is simply a vindication of his judgment of newspaper readers in New York.
since 1900 the trend in journalism in the United States has been towards consolidations and extensions of chain newspapers. Those under publishers like Ochs of The Times, Nelson of The Kansas City Star, Lawson of The Chicago Daily News, etc., were simply the exceptions to the general ten dency. Space does not permit mention of the amalgamations of smaller papers but some of the more important changes in metro politan fields may be noted. Frank A. Munsey was sometimes called a dealer in dailies. In 1891 he purchased The New York Star, a daily established on Sept. 22, 1825, and on Feb. 1, 1891, changing the name of his paper he gave New York its first tabloid, The Daily Continent, which though it attracted favourable at tention was not successful financially and so was discontinued on June 30. Before his death in 1925 he merged The Press with The Sun in 1916. Later, in 1920, he purchased The New York Herald and The Evening Telegram. Discontinuing The Morning Sun, he transferred that title to The Evening Sun with which, in 1923, he merged The Globe, then the oldest newspaper in New York city as it had been established Dec. 9, 1793, as The Minerva, under the editorship of Noah Webster, the lexicographer. At about the same time Munsey purchased The Evening Mail with which he consolidated The Evening Telegram. He then sold (1924) The Herald to The New York Tribune, now published under a joint title. In Boston The Herald (morning) took over (1912) The Traveler (evening) and continued it as its evening edition. Later (1917) The Herald absorbed The Journal (morn ing). In Kansas City W. S. Dickey bought (1921) The Journal (morning) and (1922) The Post (evening). He continued The Journal as a morning paper and The Post as an afternoon, with joint publication on Sunday, with a flat subscription price for both papers. In this he followed the example of The Star which since 1901 has been printing The Times as its morning issue, with both papers going to the same subscribers.
In Philadelphia Cyrus H. K. Curtis became on Jan. 1, 1913, the publisher of The Public Ledger which he purchased from Adolph S. Ochs. On Sept. 14, 1914, he started The Evening Pub lic Ledger with which he united (1918) The Evening Telegraph. In 1920 he purchased The Press to unite with The Public Ledger and in 1925 he did the same with The Philadelphia North Amer ican. In Chicago The Record-Herald purchased (1913) The Inter Ocean and appeared as The Herald which later was purchased by W. R. Hearst and united with his Chicago Examiner. In Cleve land The Plain Dealer absorbed The Leader and in St. Louis The Globe-Democrat purchased The Republic, one of the oldest daily papers in Missouri.
Of the group-owned newspapers in the United States in 1928 the Hearst chain is the most im portant, both in number and in influence. His group includes New York American, New York Journal, Boston Advertiser, Boston American, Chicago Herald & Examiner, Chicago Amer ican, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Call, Los Angeles Examiner, Los Angeles Herald, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Georgian-American, Oakland Post-Enquirer, Washington Herald, Washington Times, Baltimore American, Baltimore News, Mil waukee Sentinel, Albany Times-Union, San Antonio Light, De troit Times, Rochester Journal, Syracuse Journal, Milwaukee News and Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. Next in importance is the chain known as the Scripps-Howard string which consists of New York Telegram, Cleveland Press, Pittsburgh Press, Cincinnati Post, Columbus Citizen, Baltimore Post, San Francisco News, Washington News, Indianapolis Times, Oklahoma City News, Toledo News-Bee, Knoxville News-Sentinel, Terre Haute Post, San Diego Sun, Covington Kentucky Post, Akron Times-Press, Birmingham Post, Memphis Press-Scimitar, Houston Press, Youngstown Telegram, Fort Worth Press, Denver Rocky Moun tain News, Denver Evening News, Evansville Press, El Paso Post, Albuquerque New Mexico State Tribune. The Scripps-Howard plan of organization, while providing for central control through stock ownership, does permit executives on individual papers to have substantial stock in the enterprise. The Frank E. Gannett group, which originally consisted of dailies in New York State outside the metropolitan area, has branched out to include, for example, The Times of Hartford, Conn. The James M. Cox group of papers in Ohio has been increased by The News of Miami, Florida. The Paul Block group, more highly scattered, added The Brooklyn Standard-Union in 1928. The tendency al ready noticed has been an increase not only in the number of strings but also a lengthening of the string. Adolph S. Ochs, since his sale of The Philadelphia Public Ledger to Cyrus H. K. Curtis, has been content with the ownership of his Times in New York and his Times in Chattanooga. Curtis, on the other hand, entered the New York field with the purchase of The Evening Post.