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''The Columbus Telegram'' is a newspaper owned by
Lee Enterprises Lee Enterprises, Inc. is a publicly traded American media company. It publishes 77 daily newspapers in 26 states, and more than 350 weekly, classified, and specialty publications. Lee Enterprises was founded in 1890 by Alfred Wilson Lee and is b ...
and published in
Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...
, in the east-central part of the state of
Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...
in the
Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...
. It is delivered on Tuesday through Friday afternoon and on Saturday morning."About the Columbus Telegram".Columbus Telegram website.
Retrieved 2010-03-11.
Its circulation is 8,285.


History


19th century

On February 28, 1874, W. N. Hensley founded the ''Columbus Era''.Cutler, William (1882).



Retrieved 2010-03-11.
At that time, Columbus had two newspapers, the ''Journal'' and the ''Republican'', both
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
in policy. Hensley, a young lawyer, was working for Dr. George Miller, publisher of the ''Omaha Herald'' and a leader in the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...
, who advised him to start a Democratic newspaper in Columbus.Curry, Margaret (1950a).
"The Press".
Retrieved 2010-03-12.
The ''Era'' briefly ceased publication in November 1880; on April 9, 1881, it reappeared as the Columbus ''Democrat'', managed by A. B. Coffroth and J. K. Coffroth. In 1892, the name was changed to the ''Telegram''. In the early 1890s, D. Frank Davis attempted to publish the newspaper as a daily; however, Columbus was not large enough to support this, and the paper resumed weekly publication.


Edgar Howard

In 1900,
Edgar Howard Edgar Howard (September 16, 1858 – July 19, 1951) was a Nebraska editor and Democratic politician. He was the 15th lieutenant governor of Nebraska and served six terms in the United States House of Representatives. Early life and education ...
bought the ''Telegram'' from J. L. Paschal, who had been elected state senator. A lawyer and newspaperman, Howard was a strong Democrat. In 1883, he had purchased the ''Papillion Times'' in
Papillion, Nebraska Papillion is a city in Sarpy County in the state of Nebraska, United States. Designated as the county seat, it developed as an 1870s railroad town and suburb of Omaha. The city is part of the larger five-county metro area of Omaha. Papillion's ...
; in 1887, he had left the ''Times'' to go to Benkelman in southwestern Nebraska, where he founded the ''Dundy Democrat''. In 1890, he had returned to Papillion and bought back the ''Times''. He had served a few months as
William Jennings Bryan William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 – July 26, 1925) was an American lawyer, orator and politician. Beginning in 1896, he emerged as a dominant force in the History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, running ...
's private secretary in 1891; Retrieved 2010-03-12. in 1894, he was elected to a term in the
Nebraska House of Representatives The Nebraska House of Representatives was the lower house of the Nebraska Legislature during the days when Nebraska Territory, Nebraska was a territory from 1854 to 1867 and then again when Nebraska was a state from 1867 until 1937. In 1934, Nebras ...
representing Sarpy County;"Howard, Edgar (1858-1951)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
Retrieved 2010-03-12.
in 1896, he had resigned this seat to become probate judge of Sarpy County. Retrieved 2010-03-12. In 1900, he made an unsuccessful bid for a seat in
Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...
. In that same year, he sold the ''Times'', moved to Columbus, and purchased the ''Telegram''. He remained its editor for over fifty years."Edgar Howard, One of State's Most Colorful Citizens, Dies". ''Columbus Daily Telegram''. 1951-07-19. p. 1. In 1901, Howard incorporated the newspaper as the Telegram Company. In 1912, Zela H. Loomis, who had worked as a reporter and day editor for two
Fremont, Nebraska Fremont is a city and county seat of Dodge County in the eastern portion of the state of Nebraska in the Midwestern United States. The population was 27,141 at the 2020 census. Fremont is the home of Midland University. History From the 1830 ...
newspapers, became managing editor and city editor of the ''Telegram''; in the following year, he became vice-president of the company. In 1922, the Telegram Company bought out the ''Columbus Daily News'' and ended publication of that title; the ''Telegram'' went from weekly to daily publication as the ''Columbus Daily Telegram''. In that year, Howard was elected to the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
. He sold most of his stock to his associates in the company; however, at their request, he retained enough to allow him to remain president of the company and editor of the paper for the rest of his life. Howard was re-elected to the House five times, serving from 1923 to 1935. In 1934, he lost the seat to
Karl Stefan Karl Stefan (March 1, 1884 – October 2, 1951) was a Czech-American politician, newspaper editor, publisher, and radio commentator from Nebraska. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Nebraska's 3rd congressional district in the U.S ...
.


After Howard

In 1940, Zela Loomis acquired a controlling interest in the Telegram Company and became editor-publisher of the newspaper."Zela H. Loomis, editor, publisher of Telegram dies; rites Wednesday". ''Columbus Daily Telegram''. 1957-03-18. p. 1. After Howard's death in 1951, Loomis's name appeared at the top of the masthead as editor. Zela Loomis died in 1957, whereupon his widow Svea Loomis became president and associate editor,"Former Telegram publisher dead at 84, funeral Saturday". ''Columbus Telegram''. 1976-09-09. and their son Laird Loomis general manager.O'Brien, Irene (1992). "Keep us in Touch on Paper and Airwaves". ''Columbus 1992: A Snapshot''. p. 87. In 1969, the Loomis family sold the newspaper to Freedom Newspapers, Inc. Shortly after the transaction, the "Daily" was removed from the name, leaving it the ''Columbus Telegram''. In 1974, the newspaper made the conversion from
letterpress Letterpress printing is a technique of relief printing. Using a printing press, the process allows many copies to be produced by repeated direct impression of an inked, raised surface against sheets or a continuous roll of paper. A worker comp ...
to
offset Offset or Off-Set may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * "Off-Set", a song by T.I. and Young Thug from the '' Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' * ''Offset'' (EP), a 2018 EP by singer Kim Chung-ha * ''Offset'' (film), a 200 ...
printing. The
Omaha World-Herald Company The ''Omaha World-Herald'' is a daily newspaper in the midwestern United States, the primary newspaper of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area. It was locally owned from its founding in 1885 until 2020, when it was sold to the newspaper ch ...
bought the ''Telegram'' from Freedom Newspapers in September 1989. At the same time, the World-Herald bought the ''Pawnee Scout'' shopper, which they merged with the ''Telegram''. In 1998, the World-Herald sold the ''Telegram'' to Independent Media Group, Inc. (IMG). At the time of the sale, the paper's circulation was reported as 11,500. IMG was sold to Lee Enterprises and to Liberty Group Publishing in 2000; Lee acquired the ''Telegram'', whose circulation was again reported as 11,500; the circulation of the ''Scout Shopper'' was given as 13,000.


The ''Telegram'' today

The publisher of the ''Telegram'' is Carrie Colburn, who also publishes the daily
York News-Times The ''York News-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in York, Nebraska. It is the newspaper of record for York County and surrounding counties in the Rainwater Basin region. Part of Berkshire Hathaway's BH Media Group, the ''News-Times'' is pu ...
and the weekly David City ''Banner-Press'' and
Schuyler Schuyler may refer to: Places United States * Schuyler County, Illinois * Schuyler County, Missouri * Schuyler, Nebraska, a city * Schuyler County, New York * Schuyler, New York, a town * Schuyler Island, Lake Champlain, New York * Schuyler C ...
''Sun''. Colburn was appointed to the position in 2021. The editor is Monica Garcia. The market area for the newspaper consists of 24,000 households in seven counties in east central Nebraska: Boone,
Butler A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some a ...
, Colfax, Merrick, Nance, Platte, and
Polk Polk may refer to: People * James K. Polk, 11th president of the United States * Polk (name), other people with the name Places *Polk (CTA), a train station in Chicago, Illinois * Polk, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Polk, Missouri ...
. A weekly supplement, the ''Telegram Advantage'', is delivered to both subscribers and non-subscribers.


References


External links

* * {{Lee Enterprises Newspapers published in Nebraska Publications established in 1874 Lee Enterprises publications Companies based in Platte County, Nebraska 1874 establishments in Nebraska Daily newspapers published in the United States