Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...
, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the
U.S. west coast
The West Coast of the United States, also known as the Pacific Coast, Pacific states, and the western seaboard, is the coastline along which the Western United States meets the North Pacific Ocean. The term typically refers to the contiguous U.S ...
, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850, and published daily since 1861. It is the largest newspaper in
Oregon
Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...
and the second largest in the
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Tho ...
by circulation. It is one of the few newspapers with a statewide focus in the United States. The Sunday edition is published under the title ''The Sunday Oregonian''. The regular edition was published under the title ''The Morning Oregonian'' from 1861 until 1937.
''The Oregonian'' received the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, the only gold medal annually awarded by the organization. The paper's staff or individual writers have received seven other Pulitzer Prizes, most recently the award for Editorial Writing in 2014.
''The Oregonian'' is home-delivered throughout Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, and Yamhill counties in Oregon and Clark County, Washington four days a week (Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday); it is also home-delivered in parts of Marion and Columbia counties. Although some independent dealers do deliver the newspaper outside that area, in 2006 it ceased to be available in far
eastern Oregon
Eastern Oregon is the eastern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is not an officially recognized geographic entity; thus, the boundaries of the region vary according to context. It is sometimes understood to include only the eight easternmost ...
and the southern
Oregon Coast
The Oregon Coast is a coastal region of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to its west and the Oregon Coast Range to the east, and stretches approximately from the California state border in the south to the Columbia ...
and, starting in December 2008, "increasing newsprint and distribution costs" caused the paper to stop delivery to all areas south of Albany.
History
Establishment
One year prior to the incorporation of the tiny town of Portland, Oregon, in 1851, prospective leaders of the new community determined to establish a local newspaper—an institution which was seen as a prerequisite for urban growth.H.W. Scott ''History of Portland, Oregon: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Prominent Citizens and Pioneers.'' Syracuse, NY: D. Mason & Co., 1890; pg. 413. Chief among these pioneer community organizers seeking establishment of a Portland press were Col. W.W. Chapman and prominent local businessman Henry W. Corbett. In the fall of 1850, Chapman and Corbett traveled to
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
, at the time far and away the largest city on the west coast of the United States, in search of an editor interested in and capable of producing a weekly newspaper in Portland. There the pair met Thomas J. Dryer, a transplanted New Yorker who was an energetic writer with both printing equipment and previous experience in the production of a small circulation community newspaper in his native
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. It is situated along the Hudson River. As of the 2020 census, the population was 181,851. The county seat is Kingston. The county is named after the Irish province of Ulster.
History
...
.
First weekly issues
Dryer's press was transported to Portland and it was there on December 4, 1850, that the first issue of ''The Weekly Oregonian'' found its readers.Scott, ''History of Portland, Oregon,'' pg. 414. Each weekly issue consisted of four pages, printed six columns wide. Little attention was paid to current news events, with the bulk of the paper's content devoted to political themes and biographical commentary. The paper took a staunch political line supportive of the Whig Party—an orientation which soon brought it into conflict with ''The Statesman,'' a Democratic paper launched at Oregon City not long after ''The Weekly Oregonian'' debut. A loud and bitter rivalry between the competing news organs ensued.
1860s–1870s
Pittock era
Henry Pittock became the owner in 1861 as compensation for unpaid wages, and he began publishing the paper daily, except Sundays. Pittock's goal was to focus more on news than the bully pulpit established by Dryer. He ordered a new press in December 1860 and also arranged for the news to be sent by telegraph to Redding, California, then by stagecoach to Jacksonville, Oregon, and then by
pony express
The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders. It operated from April 3, 1860, to October 26, 1861, between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pi ...
to Portland.
Scott era
From 1866 to 1872 Harvey W. Scott was the editor. Henry W. Corbett bought the paper from a cash-poor Pittock in October 1872 and placed William Lair Hill as editor. Scott, fired by Corbett for supporting Ben Holladay's candidates, became editor of Holladay's rival '' Portland Daily Bulletin''. The paper went out of print in 1876, Holladay having lost $200,000 in the process. Corbett sold ''The Oregonian'' back to Pittock in 1877, marking a return of Scott to the paper's editorial helm. A part-owner of the paper, Scott would remain as editor-in-chief until shortly before his death in 1910.
1880s–1890s
One of the journalists who began his career on ''The Oregonian'' during this time period was
James J. Montague
James Jackson Montague (April 16, 1873 – December 16, 1941) was an American journalist, satirist, and poet. Renowned as a "versifier", Montague is best known for his column "More Truth Than Poetry", which was published in a wide number of ...
who took over and wrote the column "Slings & Arrows" until he was hired away by
William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst Sr. (; April 29, 1863 – August 14, 1951) was an American businessman, newspaper publisher, and politician known for developing the nation's largest newspaper chain and media company, Hearst Communications. His flamboya ...
in 1902. In this time period Governor Sylvester Pennoyer prominently criticized the ''Oregonian'' for calling for vigilante "justice" against Chinese Americans (Pennoyer favored running people of Chinese descent out of the state by "legal" means). The '' West Shore'' criticized the ''Oregonian'' for its sensationalized coverage of the English monarchy.
''Sunday Oregonian''
In 1881, the first ''Sunday Oregonian'' was published.Notson, Robert C. (December 6, 1981). "100 Years of Sunday Reading". ''The Sunday Oregonian'', pp. NW4-NW11. The paper became known as the voice of business-oriented Republicans, as evidenced by consistent endorsement of
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 ...
candidates for
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
in every federal election before 1992.
New location
The paper's offices and presses were originally housed in a two-story building at the intersection of First Street (now First Avenue) and Morrison Street, but in 1892 the paper moved into a new nine-story building at 6th and Alder streets. The new building was, the same as its predecessor (and successor), called
the Oregonian Building
The Oregonian Building was a building in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States, which served as the headquarters of Portland's major newspaper, ''The Oregonian'', from 1892 to 1948. It was the first steel-framed building constructed in the We ...
. It included a clock tower at one corner, and the building's overall height of 194"Oregonian Building Said Most Fireproof On Coast, Ahead of Its Time, When Built". (October 5, 1947). ''The Sunday Oregonian'', p. 16. to 196"Yeon Skyscraper Starts March 10". (February 6, 1910). ''The Sunday Oregonian'', Section 4, p. 12. feet (around 59 m) made it the tallest structure in Portland, a distinction it retained until the completion of the Yeon Building in 1911. It contained about of floor space, including the basement but not the tower. The newspaper did not move again until 1948. The 1892 building was demolished in 1950."Building Gone From Old Site". (November 19, 1950). ''The Sunday Oregonian'', p. 18.
1900s–1940s
Following the death of Harvey Scott in 1910, the paper's editor-in-chief was Edgar B. Piper, who had previously been managing editor. Piper remained editor until his death in 1928.
The Oregonian's first female journalist,
Louise Bryant
Louise Bryant (December 5, 1885 – January 6, 1936) was an American feminist, political activist, and journalist best known for her sympathetic coverage of Russia and the Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution of November 1917.
Born Anna ...
, joined the paper around 1909.
The ''Morning Oregonian'' and KGW
In 1922, the ''Oregonian'' discontinued its weekly edition, and launched
KGW
KGW (channel 8) is a television station in Portland, Oregon, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Tegna Inc. The station's studios are located on Jefferson Street in southwestern Portland, and its transmitter is located in the city' ...
, Oregon's first commercial radio station. Five years later, KGW affiliated with
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
(1927). The newspaper purchased a second station, KEX, in 1933,"Oregonian Acquires Radio Station KEX". (September 1, 1933). ''The Morning Oregonian'', p. 1. from NBC subsidiary Northwest Broadcasting Co. In 1944, KEX was sold to Westinghouse Radio Stations, Inc. ''The Oregonian'' launched KGW-FM, the Northwest's first FM station, in 1946 (acclaimed by "The Oregonian" May 8, 1946), known today as
KKRZ
KKRZ (100.3 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station in Portland, Oregon, known as Z100. It is owned by iHeartMedia and airs a Top 40/CHR radio format. The studios and offices are on SW 68th Parkway in Tigard. Z100 carries two syndicated s ...
. KGW and KGW-FM were sold to King Broadcasting Co in 1953.
In 1937, ''The Morning Oregonian'' shortened its name to ''The Oregonian''. Two years later, associate editor Ronald G. Callvert received a Pulitzer Prize for editorial reporting for "distinguished editorial writing...as exemplified by the editorial entitled " My Country 'Tis of Thee".
A 20-year trust under which the ''Oregonian'' was conducted expired in 1939. O. L. Price, who managed the newspaper under the trust, retired at age 61 upon its expiration. Ownership reverted to the heirs of Pittock and H. W. Scott.
Move in 1948
In 1948, the paper moved to a new location within downtown, where its headquarters ultimately would remain for the next 66 years, on SW Broadway between Jefferson Street and Columbia Street. The new building was designed by
Pietro Belluschi
Pietro Belluschi (August 18, 1899 – February 14, 1994) was an Italian-American architect. A leading figure in modern architecture, he was responsible for the design of over 1,000 buildings.Belluschi, Pietro. (2007). In ''Encyclopædia Britannic ...
and again was named the Oregonian Building. The block was previously home to the
William S. Ladd
William Sargent Ladd (October 10, 1826 – January 6, 1893) was an American politician and businessman in Oregon. He twice served as Portland, Oregon's mayor in the 1850s. A native of Vermont, he was a prominent figure in the early developme ...
mansion, which had been demolished around 1925. Circa 1946, ''The Oregonian'' purchased the block for $100,000, which led to complaints from paper editor Leslie M. Scott because of the outrageous price. Three years later, Scott purchased a nearby block for the state at $300,000 while holding the office of
Oregon State Treasurer
The Oregon State Treasurer is a constitutional officer within the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon, elected by statewide vote to serve a four-year term. As chief financial officer for the state, the office holder head ...
.
The new ''Oregonian'' building was to contain the
KGW
KGW (channel 8) is a television station in Portland, Oregon, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Tegna Inc. The station's studios are located on Jefferson Street in southwestern Portland, and its transmitter is located in the city' ...
radio station and a television studio, as well as a large and opulent dining room. The contractor was L. H. Hoffman, who was under a very profitable
cost-plus contract
A cost-plus contract, also termed a cost plus contract, is a contract such that a contractor is paid for all of its allowed expenses, ''plus'' additional payment to allow for a profit. Aside from the "extravagance of design", construction materials in short supply, the nation was under heavy inflation, and Belluschi's plans were never ready, leading to massive costs. ''The Oregonian'' had to borrow from banks, the first time in over 50 years. New company president E. B. MacNaughton was forced to exhaust the company's loan limits at First National Bank, then turn to the
Bank of America
The Bank of America Corporation (often abbreviated BofA or BoA) is an American multinational investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered at the Bank of America Corporate Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The bank ...
. MacNaughton then eliminated an extra elevator, the dining room, and KGW's radio and television studios. The building still cost $4 million, twice the original estimate.
The building opened in 1948, but ''The Oregonian'' had to sell it to
Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company
The Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, also known as MassMutual, is a Springfield, Massachusetts-based life insurance company.
MassMutual provides financial products such as life insurance, disability income insurance, long term care ...
for $3.6 million in a
leaseback
Leaseback, short for "sale-and-leaseback", is a financial transaction in which one sells an asset and leases it back for the long term; therefore, one continues to be able to use the asset but no longer owns it. The transaction is generally done ...
arrangement. Further financial issues led to the 1950 sale to Samuel Newhouse.
1950s–1960s
In 1950, Advance Publications founder S. I. "Si" Newhouse purchased the paper. At that time, the sale price of $5.6 million was the largest for a single newspaper. The sale was announced on December 11, 1950. In 1954, Newhouse bought 50% of Mount Hood Radio & Television Broadcasting Corp, which broadcasts
KOIN Koin or KOIN may refer to:
* KOIN, a TV station in Portland, Oregon
* Koin, Guinea
See also
* Koine (disambiguation)
{{dab ...
-TV, Portland's first VHF television station, KOIN AM (now
KUFO
KUFO (970 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Portland, Oregon. The station, owned by Alpha Media, calls itself "Freedom 970" and airs a talk radio format. KUFO's offices and studios are on Southwest 5th Avenue in Portland.
The ...
), and KOIN-FM (now
KXL-FM
KXL-FM (101.1 MHz) is a commercial radio station in Portland, Oregon. It is owned by Alpha Media and broadcasts a news/ talk radio format. The studios are on SW 5th Avenue in downtown Portland. KXL-FM is the flagship station for the national ...
). ''The Oregonian'' circulation in 1950 was 214,916; that of the rival ''Oregon Journal'' was 190,844.
In 1957, staff writers William Lambert and
Wallace Turner
Wallace Turner (March 15, 1921 – September 18, 2010) was an American journalist and government administrator. A native of Florida, he won a Pulitzer Prize in 1957 while working for ''The Oregonian'' in Portland, Oregon. Turner later worked i ...
Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting - No Edition time
The Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting has been awarded since 1953, under one name or another, for a distinguished example of investigative reporting by an individual or team, presented as a single article or series in a U.S. news publica ...
What was to become a long and heated strike began against both ''The Oregonian'' and ''
The Oregon Journal
''The Oregon Journal'' was Portland, Oregon's daily afternoon newspaper from 1902 to 1982. The ''Journal'' was founded in Portland by C. S. "Sam" Jackson, publisher of Pendleton, Oregon's ''East Oregonian'' newspaper, after a group of Portlander ...
'' began in November 1959. The strike was called by Stereotypers Local 49 over various contract issues, particularly the introduction of more automated plate-casting machinery; the new-to-American-publishing German-made equipment required one operator instead of the four that operated the existing equipment. Wallace Turner and many other writers and photographers refused to cross the picket lines and never returned. The two newspapers published a "joint, typo-marred paper" for six months until they had hired enough nonunion help to resume separate operations. Starting in February 1960, striking union workers published a daily newspaper, ''The (Portland) Reporter''; its circulation peaked at 78,000, but was shut down in October 1964.
In 1961, Newhouse bought ''The Oregon Journal'', Portland's afternoon daily newspaper. Production and business operations of the two newspapers were consolidated in ''The Oregonian'' building, while their editorial staffs remained separate. The
National Labor Relations Board
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is an independent agency of the federal government of the United States with responsibilities for enforcing U.S. labor law in relation to collective bargaining and unfair labor practices. Under the Na ...
ruled the strike illegal in November 1963. Strikers continued to picket until April 4, 1965, at which point the two newspapers became
open shop
An open shop is a place of employment at which one is not required to join or financially support a union ( closed shop) as a condition of hiring or continued employment.
Open shop vs closed shop
The major difference between an open and closed ...
s.
Late 1960s–early 1980s
In 1967, Fred Stickel came to ''The Oregonian'' from New Jersey to become general manager of the paper; he became president in 1972 and publisher in 1975.
As part of a larger corporate plan to exit broadcasting, ''The Oregonian'' sold KOIN-TV to newspaper owner
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 ...
in 1977. At the same time, KOIN-AM and -FM were sold to Gaylord Broadcasting Co. Since S. I. Newhouse died in 1979, S.I. Jr. has managed the magazines, and
Donald
Donald is a masculine given name derived from the Gaelic name ''Dòmhnall''.. This comes from the Proto-Celtic *''Dumno-ualos'' ("world-ruler" or "world-wielder"). The final -''d'' in ''Donald'' is partly derived from a misinterpretation of the ...
oversees the newspapers.
''The Oregonian'' lost its primary "competitor" and Portland became a one-daily-newspaper city in 1982, when Advance/Newhouse shut down the ''Journal'', citing declining
advertising
Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...
revenues.
1985
The Oregonian published a twenty-part series on the
Rajneeshpuram
Rajneeshpuram was a religious intentional community in the northwest United States, located in Wasco County, Oregon. Incorporated as a city between 1981 and 1988, its population consisted entirely of Rajneeshees, followers of the spiritual tea ...
, a religious community that established itself in
Antelope, Oregon
Antelope is a rural small town in Wasco County, Oregon, United States. Antelope had an estimated population of 47 people in 2012.
Overview
Antelope was originally a stage and freight wagon road stop on the old Dalles to Canyon City Trail. Howa ...
.
Late 1980s
Hilliard era
William A. Hilliard
William Arthur Hilliard (May 28, 1927 – January 16, 2017) was an American journalist. He was editor of ''The Oregonian'', the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, from 1987 to 1994 and was that newspaper's first African-American editor ...
was named editor in 1987, and was the paper's first
African-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...
editor. A resident of Oregon since the age of 8, Hilliard had already worked at ''The Oregonian'' for 35 years; he had been
city editor
A city editor is a title used by a particular section editor of a newspaper. They are responsible for the daily changes of a particular issue of a newspaper that will be released in the coming day. Mostly they stay at the publication at night and t ...
starting in 1971 and executive editor since 1982.
1989
''The Oregonian'' established an Asia bureau in
Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
in 1989.
Also in 1989, ''The Oregonian'' endorsed a Democratic candidate for president for the first time in its history when it supported
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
in 1992.
1990s
The year 1993 was an eventful year for ''The Oregonian''. Robert M. Landauer, then editorial page editor, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Writing for "a bold campaign to defuse myths and prejudice promoted by an anti-homosexual constitutional amendment, which was subsequently defeated", according to the Pulitzer judges. The integrity of ''The Oregonian'' became the subject of national coverage when ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' broke the story of inappropriate sexual advances which led to the resignation of Oregon senator
Bob Packwood
Robert William Packwood (born September 11, 1932) is an American retired lawyer and politician from Oregon and a member of the Republican Party. He resigned from the United States Senate, under threat of expulsion, in 1995 after allegations of ...
four years later. This prompted some to joke, "If it matters to Oregonians, it's in the ''Washington Post''" (a twist on the ''Oregonian'' slogan "If it matters to Oregonians, it's in ''The Oregonian''). Finally, Newhouse appointed a new editor for the paper, Sandra Rowe, who relocated from ''
The Virginian-Pilot
''The Virginian-Pilot'' is the daily newspaper for Norfolk, Virginia. Commonly known as ''The Pilot'', it is Virginia's largest daily. It serves the five cities of South Hampton Roads as well as several smaller towns across southeast Virgini ...
''.
Rowe era
Sandra Rowe joined the paper as executive editor in June 1993. She formally became editor in 1994 with the retirement of William Hilliard, but Hilliard had effectively already given her control of the editor's reins in 1993 as he focused his attention on his duties as the newly elected president of the
American Society of Newspaper Editors
The American Society of News Editors (ASNE) was a membership organization for editors, producers or directors in charge of journalistic organizations or departments, deans or faculty at university journalism schools, and leaders and faculty of ...
for 1993–94, in his final year before retirement.
According to '' Editor & Publisher'', soon after Rowe's arrival, she introduced organizational changes to the newsroom. Instead of having a large number of general assignment reporters, she organized them around teams, many of which often develop "subject expertise" that "reflect the interests of readers, not traditional newsroom boundaries." Examples (over the years) include "Northwest Issues and Environment", "Living In the '90s"/"How We Live", "Politics and Accountability", "Health, Science, and Medicine", "Sustainability and Growth", and "Higher Education". Accompanying the reorganization was a more bottom-up approach to identifying stories: "instead of having an assignment-driven newspaper, you have the beat reporters coming to editors with what is going on", with the team editors responsible for deciding what stories were covered by their teams.
The position of
public editor
A public editor is a position existing at some news publications; the person holding this position is responsible for supervising the implementation of proper journalism ethics at that publication. These responsibilities include identifying and e ...
was established at ''The Oregonian'' in 1993, and Robert Caldwell was appointed. Michele McLellan assumed the role three years later, and was delegated the authority to decide whether or not a newspaper error should result in the publication of a correction.
Pulitzer Prize
Staff writer
Richard Read
Richard Read (born 1957) is a freelance reporter based in Seattle, where he was a national reporter and bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times from 2019 to 2021. A two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, he was a senior writer and foreign correspondent for ...
won the 1999
Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting
The Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting has been presented since 1998, for a distinguished example of explanatory reporting that illuminates a significant and complex subject, demonstrating mastery of the subject, lucid writing and clear p ...
, for a series, The French Fry Connection. The articles illustrated the impact of the 1997 Asian financial crisis by following a case of french fries from a Washington-state farm to a McDonald's in Singapore, ending in Indonesia during riots that led to the
Fall of Suharto
Suharto resigned as President of Indonesia on 21 May 1998 following the collapse of support for his 32-year long presidency. Vice President B. J. Habibie took over the presidency.
Suharto's grip on power weakened following severe economic and ...
. The newsroom celebrated ''The Oregonian'' first Pulitzer in 42 years with champagne, McDonald's french fries and a brass band. The series also received the
Overseas Press Club
The Overseas Press Club of America (OPC) was founded in 1939 in New York City by a group of foreign correspondents. The wire service reporter Carol Weld was a founding member, as was the war correspondent Peggy Hull. The club seeks to maintain ...
award for best business reporting from abroad, the Scripps Howard Foundation award for business reporting and the Blethen award for enterprise reporting.
Co-worker Tom Hallman Jr. was a finalist for the 1999 Pulitzer Prize in Feature Writing, for his "unique profile of a man struggling to recover from a brain injury". Reporter Mark O'Keefe won an Overseas Press Club award for human rights reporting. The editors of ''
Columbia Journalism Review
The ''Columbia Journalism Review'' (''CJR'') is a biannual magazine for professional journalists that has been published by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961. Its contents include news and media industry trends, an ...
'' recognized ''The Oregonian'' as number twelve on its list of "America's Best Newspapers", and the best newspaper owned by the Newhouse family.
2000s
In 2000, ''The Oregonian'' was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting for its coverage of an environmental disaster created when the ''
New Carissa
MV ''New Carissa'' was a freighter that ran aground on a beach near Coos Bay, Oregon, United States during a storm in February 1999 and broke apart. An attempt to tow the bow section of the ship out to sea failed when the tow line broke, ...
'', a freighter that carried nearly 400,000 gallons of heavy fuel, ran aground February 4, 1999, north of
Coos Bay, Oregon
Coos Bay ( Coos language: Atsixiis) is a city located in Coos County, Oregon, United States, where the Coos River enters Coos Bay on the Pacific Ocean. The city borders the city of North Bend, and together they are often referred to as one ent ...
. The articles detailed "how fumbling efforts of official agencies failed to contain the far-reaching damage", according to the Pulitzer jury. That same year reporters Brent Walth and Alex Pulaski were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in Explanatory Writing for their series on political influences in pesticide regulation.
Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
''The Oregonian'' and news staff were acknowledged with two Pulitzer Prizes in 2001. The paper was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, for its "detailed and unflinching examination of systematic problems within the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, including harsh treatment of foreign nationals and other widespread abuses, which prompted various reforms." The series was reported and written by Kim Christensen,
Richard Read
Richard Read (born 1957) is a freelance reporter based in Seattle, where he was a national reporter and bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times from 2019 to 2021. A two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, he was a senior writer and foreign correspondent for ...
, Julie Sullivan-Springhetti and Brent Walth, with editorials by the editorial board.
Staff writer Tom Hallman Jr. received the 2001
Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing
The Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing is one of the fourteen American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Journalism. It has been awarded since 1979 for a distinguished example of feature writing giving prime consideration to high lite ...
for his series,
The Boy Behind the Mask
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
, on a teen with a facial deformity.
In 2003, music critic David Stabler was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Feature Writing for "his sensitive, sometimes surprising chronicle of a teenage prodigy's struggle with a musical talent that proved to be both a gift and a problem". Michael Arrieta-Walden became public editor in 2003; when he ended his three-year term in the position, no successor was named.
2004 criticism
In 2004 the paper faced criticism after a headline characterized a 1970s sexual relationship between then-mayor
Neil Goldschmidt
Neil Edward Goldschmidt (born June 16, 1940) is an American businessman and Democratic politician from the state of Oregon who held local, state and federal offices over three decades. After serving as the United States Secretary of Transportat ...
and a 14-year-old girl as an " affair", rather than
statutory rape
In common law jurisdictions, statutory rape is nonforcible sexual activity in which one of the individuals is below the age of consent (the age required to legally consent to the behavior). Although it usually refers to adults engaging in sexual ...
.
The paper endorsed a Democrat for president for the second time in its 150-year history when it backed
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party, he ...
for president in 2004.
2005–2006
In 2005, staff reporters Steve Suo and Erin Hoover Barnett were finalists for the
Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting
This Pulitzer Prize has been awarded since 1942 for a distinguished example of reporting on national affairs in the United States. In its first six years (1942–1947), it was called the Pulitzer Prize for Telegraphic Reporting – National.
Li ...
for "their groundbreaking reports on the failure to curtail the growing illicit use of methamphetamines". That same year, Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights published two reports on ''The Oregonian'', claiming the paper under-reported Palestinian deaths in its news stories of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and excluded the Palestinian narrative in its Opinion Pages.
Editorial writers Doug Bates and Rick Attig were awarded the 2006
Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing
The Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing is one of the fourteen American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Journalism. It has been awarded since 1917 for distinguished editorial writing, the test of excellence being clearness of style ...
for their editorials on the conditions at the
Oregon State Hospital
Oregon State Hospital is a public psychiatric hospital in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the state's capital city of Salem with a smaller satellite campus in Junction City opened in 2014. Founded in 1862 and constructed in the Kirkbride ...
. As of late 2006 and early 2007, the paper's circulation averaged 319,625 for the daily edition and 375,913 for the Sunday edition, giving ''The Oregonian'' the 22nd-largest circulation among all major newspapers in the U.S.
2007
In 2007, ''The Oregonian'' and its journalists were recognized with several awards. Sports columnist
John Canzano
John Canzano is an American sports columnist, radio talk show host on Portland's 750 AM "The Game". The show is also syndicated in Eugene. and Klamath Falls, Oregon. From 2002 to 2022, he was the lead sports columnist at ''The Oregonian'' and a ...
was selected as the nation's No. 2 sports columnist in the annual
Associated Press Sports Editors Awards Associated may refer to:
*Associated, former name of Avon, Contra Costa County, California
* Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto, a school in Canada
*Associated Newspapers, former name of DMG Media, a British publishing company
See also
*Associat ...
Bryan Denson
Bryan Denson is an American author and investigative journalist who often writes about spies, terrorists, and other national security issues. His work won the 2006 George Polk Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize during his 20-year car ...
, and
Les Zaitz
The ''Malheur Enterprise'' is a weekly newspaper in Vale, Oregon. It was established in 1909, and since October 2015 has been published by Malheur Enterprise Pub. Co.https://www.mondotimes.com/1/world/us/37/8646/23998 It is issued weekly on Wed ...
—were awarded the George Polk Award for national reporting, for their series about the failure of a decades-old, multibillion-dollar, federal program established by the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act intended to help people with severe disabilities find employment. Instead it "awarded executives handsomely but left disabled workers in segregated jobs often paying less than minimum wage."
On April 16, 2007, it was announced that the staff of ''The Oregonian'' was awarded a
Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting
The Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting is a Pulitzer Prize awarded for a distinguished example of breaking news, local reporting on news of the moment. It has been awarded since 1953 under several names:
*From 1953 to 1963: Pulitzer Priz ...
for their "skillful and tenacious coverage of a family missing in the Oregon mountains, telling the tragic story both in print and online." In addition, the paper's reporters were finalists in two other categories. Les Zaitz, Jeff Kosseff and Bryan Denson were finalists for the Pulitzer for National Reporting for the same series that also won the George Polk Award noted above. Inara Verzemnieks was nominated for the Pulitzer for Feature Writing for "her witty and perceptive portfolio of features on an array of everyday topics", according to the Pulitzer judges.
2008
In February 2008, '' Editor & Publisher'' named editor Sandra Mims Rowe and executive editor
Peter Bhatia
Peter Bhatia is an American journalist and the editor of the ''Detroit Free Press''. He was previously the editor of ''The Oregonian
''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publicati ...
as "Editors of the Year". The
trade journal
A trade magazine, also called a trade journal or trade paper (colloquially or disparagingly a trade rag), is a magazine or newspaper whose target audience is people who work in a particular trade or industry. The collective term for this ...
noted that since Rowe and Bhatia arrived in 1993, the paper and its journalists had won five Pulitzer Prizes and had been finalists a further nine times. ''E&P'' also cited "an increased focus on specialized reporting; a reorganized newsroom that promotes "team reporting" concepts over traditional beats; and regular training sessions and seminars that most staffers credit for encouraging fresh ideas and competitive approaches." Pulitzer Board member
Richard Oppel
Richard A. Oppel (born Jan. 30, 1943 in Newark, N.J.) is an American newspaper, magazine and digital editor living in Austin, Texas. He was interim editor-in-chief (May 5, 2018 – Feb. 1, 2019) of ''Texas Monthly'', an Austin-based publication ...
, the editor of the '' Austin American-Statesman'', called the paper "one of the finest newspapers in the country, easily in the top 10."
On September 28, 2008, the paper distributed a DVD of '' Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West'' as an advertising supplement for that day's edition, two weeks after ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', ''
The Charlotte Observer
''The Charlotte Observer'' is an American English-language newspaper serving Charlotte, North Carolina, and its metro area. The Observer was founded in 1886. As of 2020, it has the second-largest circulation of any newspaper in the Carolinas. I ...
'' and ''
The Miami Herald
The ''Miami Herald'' is an American daily newspaper owned by the McClatchy Company and headquartered in Doral, Florida, a city in western Miami-Dade County and the Miami metropolitan area, several miles west of Downtown Miami.Tom Potter
Thomas Jay Potter (born September 12, 1940) is a former American politician and law enforcement officer in the U.S. state of Oregon. He served as Mayor of Portland from 2005 to 2009, and had been the chief of the Portland Police Bureau. As mayor ...
's personal request that publisher Fred Stickel not distribute it because the "tenor of the video contributes towards a climate of distrust towards Muslims", and because the paper's willingness to distribute the DVD bestows upon it "an impression of objectivity and legitimacy it does not deserve." Stickel cited " freedom of speech", and an "obligation to keep our advertising columns as open as possible" as reasons for not rejecting the DVD.
Newsroom staff in 2008 was about the same size as it was in 1993, though there were fifty fewer full-time staff members than there were in 2002; about half of those positions were eliminated after a
buyout
In finance, a buyout is an investment transaction by which the ownership equity of a company, or a majority share of the stock of the company is acquired. The acquiror thereby "buys out" the present equity holders of the target company. A buyout ...
in late 2007. The paper's outside
news bureau
A news bureau is an office for gathering or distributing news. Similar terms are used for specialized bureaus, often to indicate a geographic location or scope of coverage: a ‘Tokyo bureau’ refers to a given news operation's office in Tokyo; ' ...
s grew from four to six during her tenure.
2009
In 2009, ''The Oregonian'' was scooped for a third time on a story of an Oregon politician's sex scandal, this time involving Mayor
Sam Adams
Samuel Adams ( – October 2, 1803) was an American statesman, political philosopher, and a Founding Father of the United States. He was a politician in colonial Massachusetts, a leader of the movement that became the American Revolution, and ...
about what ''
Newsweek
''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely ...
'' called his "public deception and private bad judgment" about his past relationship with a teenage legislative intern.
Nigel Jaquiss
Nigel Jaquiss (born 1962) is an American journalist who won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting, for his work exposing former Oregon Governor Neil Goldschmidt's sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl while he was mayor of Portland, ...
of ''
Willamette Week
''Willamette Week'' (''WW'') is an alternative weekly newspaper and a website published in Portland, Oregon, United States, since 1974. It features reports on local news, politics, sports, business, and culture.
History
Early history
''Willame ...
'' broke the story after 18 months of investigations; Jaquiss's reporting on another sex scandal involving
Neil Goldschmidt
Neil Edward Goldschmidt (born June 16, 1940) is an American businessman and Democratic politician from the state of Oregon who held local, state and federal offices over three decades. After serving as the United States Secretary of Transportat ...
earned Jaquiss a
2005 Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes for 2005 were announced on 2005-04-04.
Journalism
* Beat reporting: Amy Dockser Marcus of ''The Wall Street Journal'' for her "stories about patients, families and physicians f theworld of cancer survivors".
* Breaking news p ...
. Jaquiss thinks ''The Oregonian'''s failure to follow up on leads that both he and ''Oregonian'' reporters had received was a case of "one-newspaper towns being a little too cozy with local power brokers." A
media ethics
Media ethics is the subdivision dealing with the specific ethical principles and standards of media, including broadcast media, film, theatre, the arts, print media and the internet. The field covers many varied and highly controversial topics, r ...
teacher and consultant for
The Poynter Institute for Media Studies
The Poynter Institute for Media Studies is a non-profit journalism school and research organization in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. The school is the owner of the ''Tampa Bay Times'' newspaper and the International Fact-Checking Netw ...
suggests that the pattern of failure to cover such stories "may have more to do with the culture at ''The Oregonian'', which has recently "built its reputation on thoughtful, narrative coverage ...
hat
A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
doesn't lend itself well to digging up sex scandals."
In August 2009, the paper's owners announced the end of a policy that protected full-time employees from layoffs for economic or technological reasons; the change took effect the following February. In September 2009, publisher Fred Stickel announced his retirement, effective September 18, ending 34 years in the position; his son Patrick, president of the paper, was appointed interim publisher but was not a candidate to succeed his father, and Patrick Stickel retired on December 30, 2009.
N. Christian Anderson III was named as the new publisher in October, and began work in the position at the beginning of November 2009. After more than 16 years as editor, Sandra Rowe retired at the end of 2009. Peter Bhatia, then executive editor, succeeded her as editor.
2010s
Layoffs of 37 in February 2010 left the paper with a total of about 750 employees, including more than 200 in the news department. In September, the newspaper announced that its "TV Click" was to be replaced by ''
TV Weekly
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication Media (communication), medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of Transmission (telecommunications), television tra ...
'', a publication from the
Troy, Michigan
Troy is a city in Oakland County, Michigan, United States. Its population was 87,294 at the 2020 U.S. census, making Troy the most populous city in the county and the 13th most-populous municipality in the state. Troy is a northern suburb of Me ...
-based NTVB Media. Unlike "TV Click", ''TV Weekly'' requires a separate subscription fee; ''The Oregonian'' is following the example of the ''
Houston Chronicle
The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With i ...
'' and other major newspapers and switching to "some form of 'opt in and pay' TV sections (rather than dropping the sections) and have found only about 10 percent to 20 percent of subscribers use the sections."
2013
In 2013, publisher N. Christian Anderson announced the paper was restructuring and that beginning October 1, the Oregonian Publishing Company would be dissolved. Two new companies would be formed: the Oregonian Media Group, which will focus on providing content on its online news site, OregonLive.com though it would continue to publish a daily print edition of the paper; and Advance Central Services Oregon, which would provide production, packaging, and distribution support for the new company. Ownership remained with Advance Publications. Though the paper would be printed seven days a week, home delivery would be cut to four days a week: Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. These changes were put into effect, as scheduled, on October 1. The paper also announced that "significant" layoffs were expected. In addition, Anderson announced that the new company would likely move from its downtown Portland building.
2014–2015
On April 2, 2014, the paper switched from broadsheet format to the smaller tabloid format.
On April 14, 2014, it was announced that the paper's editorial staff—consisting of Mark Hester, Erik Lukens, Susan Nielsen, and Len Reed—had won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing, for their coverage of the state of Oregon's public employee retirement system. Reporter Les Zaitz was named as a finalist for
Explanatory Reporting
Explanatory journalism or explanatory reporting is a form of reporting that attempts to present ongoing news stories in a more accessible manner by providing greater context than would be presented in traditional news sources. The term is often a ...
for his work on Mexican drug cartels.
Editor Peter Bhatia left the paper in May 2014 to take a teaching position at Arizona State University. In July 2014, it was announced that Mark Katches had been hired as the paper's editor, and would also be the Oregonian Media Group's vice president of content. Also in July 2014, the newspaper moved its headquarters from the building at 1320 SW Broadway that it had occupied since 1948 to a smaller space elsewhere in downtown Portland. The new headquarters takes up around of space in the Crown Plaza office building, at 1500 SW First Avenue.
N. Christian Anderson left the Oregonian Media Group in May 2015, to become editor and publisher of ''
The Register-Guard
''The Register-Guard'' is a daily newspaper in the northwestern United States, published in Eugene, Oregon. It was formed in a 1930 merger of two Eugene papers, the ''Eugene Daily Guard'' and the ''Morning Register''. The paper serves the Eugene- ...
'', in Eugene, Oregon. Anderson became publisher of ''The Oregonian'' in 2009, subsequently being named president of the Oregonian Media Group when that new company replaced the Oregonian Publishing Company in October 2013, with the title of ''publisher'' thereafter no longer being used, and in turn was appointed to the new position of chairman of the group in September 2014. Steve Moss succeeded Anderson as Oregonian Media Group president, and the chairman position was to go unfilled.
In June 2015, Advance signed a contract with Signature Graphics to take over printing and distribution of the paper from Advance Central Services Oregon, and announced that it was considering selling its longtime printing plant located near Providence Park. Layoffs of printing-press workers were due to be implemented in August. In February 2017, the Oregonian Publishing Company sold the building for $20 million to a development partnership which said it planned to tear it down and build a 23-story apartment building on the site, now known as the Press Blocks. Demolition of the former printing complex began in fall 2018.
2016
Moss announced in July 2016 that he would depart at the end of August. In the article about Moss's impending departure, it was disclosed that the newspaper's Sunday circulation was at that time approximately 170,000.
On October 24, 2016, the paper's editorial board announced that it would once again decline to endorse a candidate for President of the United States, a practice it first abandoned in 2012. This decision was criticized by some readers, who wondered why the board would offer endorsements in state elections without also taking a position on the presidential race. The board justified its decision by citing the paper's general focus on local issues, writing "Our goal as an editorial board is to have an impact in our community. And we don't think an endorsement for president would move the needle. So that's why we focus our endorsement energy where voters may not have made up their minds and need help with the decision."
2018
Editor Mark Katches left the company in August 2018, to become editor of the Tampa Bay Times, owned by the non-profit Poynter Institute for Media Studies.
Therese Bottomly, who had worked 'The Oregonian'' since 1983, was named editor and vice president of content in September 2018.
2020
= Comments section elimination
=
On January 2, 2020, The Oregonian eliminated the comments section of Oregonlive.com. The paper said it was following the trend of other papers in the past decade and said most readers don't utilize the comments feature. The paper also said uncivil comments were taking up too many resources to moderate.
= Paywall
=
In mid June 2020, the paper started rolling out stories tagged "Exclusive" marking the announcement of upcoming paywall. These "exclusive" contents, usually front-page stories, were made subscribers-only partway through July and starting on July 27, 2020, it has been switched over to paywall and restricted to paid subscribers only.
Targeted publications
The staff of ''The Oregonian'' also produces three "targeted publications"—
glossy magazine A slick magazine is a magazine printed on high-quality glossy paper. The term may have come into use in the 1930s, and was used to distinguish these magazines from pulp magazines
Pulp magazines (also referred to as "the pulps") were inexpensive ...
s distributed free of charge to 40,000–45,000 wealthy residents of the
Portland metropolitan area
The Portland metropolitan area is a metro area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington centered on the principal city of Portland, Oregon. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) identifies it as the Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro, ...
, and sold on newsstands to 5,000 others. A fourth glossy magazine, ''Explore the Pearl'', is produced in conjunction with the
Pearl District
The Pearl District is an area of Portland, Oregon, formerly occupied by warehouses, light industry and railroad classification yards and now noted for its art galleries, upscale businesses and residences. The area has been undergoing significan ...
Business Association, and mailed to "high-income Portland Metro households" within
Lake Oswego
Lake Oswego () is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon, primarily in Clackamas County, with small portions extending into neighboring Multnomah and Washington counties. Located about south of Portland and surrounding the Oswego Lake, the town w ...
,
West Linn
West Linn is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. A southern suburb within the Portland metropolitan area, West Linn developed on the site of the former Linn City, which was named after U.S. Senator Lewis F. Linn of Ste. Genevie ...
OregonLive.com is a website covering local news in Oregon and Southwest Washington. The website serves as the online home of ''The Oregonian''. Started in 1997, it is owned by Advance Publications, which also owns ''The Oregonian''. Betsy Richter was the original editor of the website, and served through 1998 when Kevin Cosgrove took over as
editor-in-chief
An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies.
The highest-ranking editor of a publication may also be titled editor, managing ...
.
In addition to content from the affiliated newspapers, OregonLive also uses content from the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...