{{Infobox newspaper , name = Jacksonville Journal , logo = , image = JaxJournal.jpg , image_size = 250px , caption = Final Journal edition , type = Daily newspaper , format = , owners = Perry family (1922-1959)
Florida Publishing Company (1959-1983)

Morris Communications Morris Communications, headquartered in Augusta, Georgia, is a privately held media company with diversified holdings that include magazine publishing, outdoor advertising, book publishing and distribution, visitor publications, and online serv ...

(1983-1988) , founder = , publisher = , president = , editor = , chiefeditor = , assoceditor = , maneditor = , generalmanager = , newseditor = , managingeditordesign = , campuseditor = , campuschief = , metroeditor = , metrochief = , opeditor = , sportseditor = , photoeditor = , staff = , foundation = 1887 , political = , language = English , ceased publication = October 28, 1988 , relaunched = , headquarters =

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...

, circulation = , sister newspapers = ''

Florida Times-Union ''The Florida Times-Union'' is a daily newspaper in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. Widely known as the oldest newspaper in the state, it began publication as the ''Florida Union'' in 1864. Its current incarnation started in 1883, when th ...

'' (1959-1988) , ISSN = , oclc = , RNI = , website = , free = , dirinteractive = The ''Jacksonville Journal'' was an afternoon

newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sports a ...

in the

area. It began publication as the ''Metropolis'' in 1887 before being renamed to ''The Florida Metropolis'' in the early 1900s and then to ''The Jacksonville Journal'' in 1922. It ceased publishing in 1988.

History

Early history

The newspaper began publication as the ''Metropolis'' in 1887. Renamed The ''Florida Metropolis'' in the early 1900s, it was renamed the Jacksonville Journal in 1922 upon its purchase by John H. Perry. The Journal's new owner was known for his focus on the community and

boosterism Boosterism is the act of promoting ("boosting") a town, city, or organization, with the goal of improving public perception of it. Boosting can be as simple as talking up the entity at a party or as elaborate as establishing a visitors' bureau. ...

. Perry once proposed that the city change its name to 'Jackson' because the suffix '-ville' was belittling to a growing metropolis. The Journal was historically the weaker newspaper in its rivalry with the local morning newspaper (The

) and published only Monday through Friday. The Journal branched out into local media outlets with a radio station and television station (both with the call letters WJHP). The television venture did not perform as well as expected because it was a

UHF Ultra high frequency (UHF) is the ITU designation for radio frequencies in the range between 300 megahertz (MHz) and 3 gigahertz (GHz), also known as the decimetre band as the wavelengths range from one meter to one tenth of a meter (on ...

station (Channel 36) at a time when televisions required extra-cost converter boxes to access the station.

Period of growth

Although it had a smaller circulation, the Journal had its moments in the 1960s. When

President Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination i ...

was assassinated, the Journal set records for evening readership with its Extra editions that kept locals updated about the tragedy. More copies would have been printed if the presses were not struck. The Journal later scored a major coup when one of its photographers won a

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

in 1968. " The Kiss of Life" by Rocco Morabito depicted a city utility lineman reviving a colleague with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation atop a utility pole. The Journal was a plucky younger sister to the Times-Union during the '70s and '80s. The Journal pioneered a special supplement for youth called "Action." The Journal, once known for including foil in its issues for cooking, made a tradition of printing on green paper for St. Patrick's Day.

Decline

Perry died in 1952 and his death spurred speculation about the fate of his newspaper chain (which also included The

Palm Beach Post ''The Palm Beach Post'' is an American daily newspaper serving Palm Beach County in South Florida, and parts of the Treasure Coast. On March 18, 2018, in a deal worth US$42.35 million, ''The Palm Beach Post'' and ''The Palm Beach Daily News'' we ...

). Rumors arose that the Hearst newspaper chain was going to purchase one or all of his holdings. For the rest of the decade Perry's sons managed the affairs of publishing. In 1959, the Times-Union's parent company - Florida Publishing Company - bought the Journal. Journal staff moved from their Laura Street building, where they had been since 1926, to the Times-Union's plant at 400 West Adams Street. The two papers worked as rival staffs in cramped quarters until they moved to a new location at One Riverside Avenue in 1967. Changing times eventually turned the tide against the Journal. The habit of watching evening newscasts on television grew because the 6 p.m. news offered more current news than a paper that was published in the early afternoon. Furthermore, the logistical difficulty of distributing papers to outlying areas doomed the Journal. Circulation fell from the 70,000s to near or below 30,000. The Journal ceased publication on October 28, 1988. only one year after celebrating its 100th anniversary. Defunct newspapers published in Florida Mass media in Jacksonville, Florida 1887 establishments in Florida 1988 disestablishments in Florida Publications established in 1887 Publications disestablished in 1988