RISN Operations Inc., also called Rhode Island Suburban Newspapers, is a privately owned
publisher
Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...
of three
daily 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 ...
s and several
weekly newspaper
A weekly newspaper is a general-news or Current affairs (news format), current affairs publication that is issued once or twice a week in a wide variety broadsheet, magazine, and electronic publishing, digital formats. Similarly, a biweekly new ...
s in the U.S. state of
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
. The company was founded by
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
-based newspaper executives in early 2007 to purchase the Rhode Island holdings of
Journal Register Company
21st Century Media was an American media company. It was the successor of Ingersoll Publications and Journal Register Company, and it was succeeded by Digital First Media.
The company operated more than 350 multi-platform products in 992 comm ...
, which it did for $8.3 million.
[Grimaldi, Paul. "Journal Register Co. Sells its Nine R.I. Newspapers". ''The Providence Journal'', January 27, 2007.]
In 2013, RISN acquired the ''
Yuma Sun
The ''Yuma Sun'' is a newspaper in Yuma, Arizona, United States. It has a circulation of 18,799.[Porterville Recorder
The ''Porterville Recorder'' is a daily newspaper in the town of Porterville, California. Freedom Communications bought the paper in 1974 and sold it to current owner Rhode Island Suburban Newspapers
RISN Operations Inc., also called Rhode I ...](_blank)
'' from
Freedom Communications
Freedom Communications, Inc., was an American media conglomerate that operated daily and weekly newspapers, websites and mobile applications, as well as ''Coast Magazine'' and other specialty publications. Headquartered at 625 N. Grand Avenue in ...
.
In 2018, RISN acquired its former competitors
South County Newspapers
Independent Newspapers is an independent publisher of a weekly newspaper, ''The Independent'', and a magazine, ''South County Life'', in Washington County, Rhode Island.
The company was founded by veteran newspaper publisher Frederick J. Wilson I ...
and its publications ''The Independent'' and ''South County Life'' from
GateHouse Media, who had bought the papers from
Edward A. Sherman Publishing in 2017.
In 2019, RISN acquired ''
The Westerly Sun
''The Westerly Sun'' is a seven-day daily newspaper published in Westerly, Rhode Island, United States, covering portions of Washington County, Rhode Island, and New London County, Connecticut. ''The Sun'' is issued mornings 7 days a week. Unti ...
'' and
Sun Publishing Company from the
Record-Journal Publishing Company
The ''Record-Journal'' is an American daily newspaper based in Meriden, Connecticut, that dates back to the years immediately following the American Civil War. It is owned by the Record-Journal Publishing Company, a family-owned business entit ...
of
Meriden, Connecticut
Meriden is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located halfway between the regional cities of New Haven, Connecticut, New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut, Hartford. In 2020, the population of the city was 60,850.[The Union Democrat
''The Union Democrat'' is a newspaper that serves the Sonora and Sierra Nevada foothills area of Tuolumne and Calaveras counties, California since 1854.
It was acquired by Oregon-based Western Communications since 1998. Previously, it was owned ...]
'' in California.
In 2022, RISN acquired ''
The Chronicle'' of
Willimantic, Connecticut, fro
Central Connecticut Communications
Officers
The corporation's first two named officers, Melanie Radler (president) and Roland McBride (vice president and treasurer), were both Illinois residents connected with
Conrad Black
Conrad Moffat Black, Baron Black of Crossharbour (born 25 August 1944), is a Canadian-born British former newspaper publisher, businessman, and writer.
His father was businessman George Montegu Black II, who had significant holdings in Canadi ...
's former
Hollinger International
Sun-Times Media Group (formerly Hollinger International) is a Chicago-based newspaper publisher.
History
Sun-Times Media Group was founded in 1986 under the name ''American Publishing Company'', as a holding company for Hollinger Inc.'s Americ ...
newspaper chain. Radler is the daughter of
F. David Radler, a former Hollinger boss; McBride is chief financial officer of Horizon Publications Inc., the company Radler founded after he left Hollinger.
McBride also served as CFO of American Publishing Co., a former Hollinger subsidiary, and was said in an indictment to have aided Black's and
the elder Radler's misappropriation of $5.5 million in connection with the sale of some newspaper properties from Hollinger to Horizon.
The company is based in
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick ( or ) is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, the third largest city in the state with a population of 82,823 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is located approximately south of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, sout ...
. Its incorporation papers list a Delaware address.
RISN shares owners with Horizon Publications.
Dailies
RISN operates seven daily newspapers:
* ''
The Call'' of
Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Woonsocket ( ), is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 43,240 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Being Rhode Island's northernmost city, Woonsock ...
* ''
Kent County Daily Times
The ''Kent County Daily Times'' is a six-day (Monday through Saturday) evening daily newspaper based in West Warwick, Rhode Island, United States, covering central and western Kent County, Rhode Island. It is owned by RISN Operations Inc.
Towns i ...
'' of
West Warwick, Rhode Island
West Warwick is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 31,012 at the 2020 census.
West Warwick was incorporated in 1913, making it the youngest town in the state. Prior to 1913, the town, situated on the wester ...
* ''
Porterville Recorder
The ''Porterville Recorder'' is a daily newspaper in the town of Porterville, California. Freedom Communications bought the paper in 1974 and sold it to current owner Rhode Island Suburban Newspapers
RISN Operations Inc., also called Rhode I ...
'' of
Porterville, California
Porterville is a city in the San Joaquin Valley, in Tulare County, California, Tulare County, California, United States. It is part of the Visalia Metropolitan Area, Visalia-Porterville metropolitan statistical area.
Since its incorporation in 1 ...
* ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' of
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 75,604 at the 2020 census, making the city the fourth-largest in the state. Pawtucket borders Providence and East Providence to the south, Central Falls ...
* ''
The Union Democrat
''The Union Democrat'' is a newspaper that serves the Sonora and Sierra Nevada foothills area of Tuolumne and Calaveras counties, California since 1854.
It was acquired by Oregon-based Western Communications since 1998. Previously, it was owned ...
'' of
Sonora, California
Sonora is the county seat of Tuolumne County, California. Founded during the California Gold Rush by Mexican miners from Sonora (after which the city is named), the city population was 5,226 during the 2020 Census, an increase of 221 from the ...
* ''
The Westerly Sun
''The Westerly Sun'' is a seven-day daily newspaper published in Westerly, Rhode Island, United States, covering portions of Washington County, Rhode Island, and New London County, Connecticut. ''The Sun'' is issued mornings 7 days a week. Unti ...
'' of
Westerly, Rhode Island
Westerly is a town on the southwestern shoreline of Washington County, Rhode Island, first settled by English colonists in 1661 and incorporated as a municipality in 1669. It is a beachfront community on the south shore of the state with a popula ...
* ''
Yuma Sun
The ''Yuma Sun'' is a newspaper in Yuma, Arizona, United States. It has a circulation of 18,799.[Yuma, Arizona
Yuma ( coc, Yuum) is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. The city's population was 93,064 at the 2010 census, up from the 2000 census population of 77,515.
Yuma is the principal city of the Yuma, Arizona, M ...](_blank)
* ''
The Chronicle'' of
Willimantic, Connecticut
Willimantic is a city located in the town of Windham, Connecticut, Windham in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. It is a former Census-designated place and Borough (Connecticut), borough, and is currently organized as one of two Local gov ...
The company also briefly published the ''
Warwick Daily Times'', based in the West Warwick newsroom. The Warwick paper had been founded by JRC in 2006 but was folded by RISN in 2007.
[Nesi, Ted]
"Kent Co. Times Staff Down 28%, Not 75%"
. WPRI.com. January 17, 2011. Accessed January 29, 2012.
Weeklies
RISN's five weekly newspapers, known collectively as Southern Rhode Island Newspapers, are based in the village of
Wakefield
Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 99,251 in the 2011 census.https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/ks101ew Census 2011 table KS101EW Usual resident population, ...
, part of
South Kingstown, Rhode Island
South Kingstown is a town in, and the county seat of, Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 31,931 at the 2020 census. South Kingstown is the second largest town in Rhode Island by total geographic area, behind New ...
. A ''Providence Journal'' report said the group's combined weekly circulation of around 13,000 in 2007 was down from 16,140 in 2001.
Southern Rhode Island Newspapers' offices are at 187 Main Street,
Wakefield, Rhode Island
Wakefield is a village in the town of South Kingstown, Rhode Island, United States, and the commercial center of South Kingstown. Together with the village of Peace Dale, it is treated by the U.S. Census as a component of the census-designated ...
02879.
;''The Chariho Times'' :''The Chariho Times'' covers
Charlestown,
Hopkinton and
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
, three rural towns in western Washington County that form the
Chariho regional school district (the name comes from the first letters of each town's name). Founded in 1993, the paper circulated an average of 1,328 copies each Thursday in 2006.
Audit Bureau of Circulations An Audit Bureau of Circulations is a private organization that provides industry-agreed standards for media brand measurement of print publications and other media outlets in a given country. The International Federation of Audit Bureaux of Circula ...
br>"e-circ"
data for six months ending September 30, 2006. Accessed March 7, 2007.
;''The Coventry Courier'' :''The Coventry Courier'' covers
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its ...
and
West Greenwich
West Greenwich is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 6,528 at the 2020 census. West Greenwich was named for the historic town of Greenwich, Kent, England. It was separated from East Greenwich in 1741. Stud ...
, the two westernmost towns of Kent County, also covered by the ''
Kent County Daily Times
The ''Kent County Daily Times'' is a six-day (Monday through Saturday) evening daily newspaper based in West Warwick, Rhode Island, United States, covering central and western Kent County, Rhode Island. It is owned by RISN Operations Inc.
Towns i ...
''. It was founded in 1996 and circulated an average of 849 copies each Friday in 2006.
;''The East Greenwich Pendulum'' :''The East Greenwich Pendulum'' has covered
East Greenwich
East Greenwich is a town and the county seat of Kent County, Rhode Island. The population was 14,312 at the 2020 census. East Greenwich is the wealthiest municipality within the state of Rhode Island. It is part of the Providence metropolitan st ...
in Kent County since 1854. Its Thursday circulation in 2006 averaged 2,040.
;''
The Narragansett Times'' :With the largest and most frequent circulation of the Wakefield-based papers—5,006 in 2006,
delivered twice weekly, on Wednesday and Friday -- ''The Narragansett Times'' is the second oldest, having covered
Narragansett and
South Kingstown
South Kingstown is a town in, and the county seat of, Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 31,931 at the 2020 census. South Kingstown is the second largest town in Rhode Island by total geographic area, behind New ...
, in southeastern Washington County, since 1855.
;''The Standard-Times'' :''The Standard-Times'' is the only of RISN's newspapers to cover a community off the mainland. In addition to
Exeter
Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol.
In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal comm ...
and
North Kingstown
North Kingstown is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States, and is part of the Providence metropolitan area. The population was 27,732 in the 2020 census. North Kingstown is home to the birthplace of American portraitist Gilbe ...
, it covers
Jamestown in Newport County. Founded in 1888, its Thursday circulation was 3,854 in 2006.
;''
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'': ''The Independent'' covers
South Kingstown
South Kingstown is a town in, and the county seat of, Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 31,931 at the 2020 census. South Kingstown is the second largest town in Rhode Island by total geographic area, behind New ...
(including the villages of
Kingston,
Wakefield
Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 99,251 in the 2011 census.https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/ks101ew Census 2011 table KS101EW Usual resident population, ...
and
Peace Dale and the
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island (URI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Kingston, Rhode Island, United States. It is the flagship public research as well as the land-grant university of the state of Rhode Island ...
),
Narragansett and
North Kingstown
North Kingstown is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States, and is part of the Providence metropolitan area. The population was 27,732 in the 2020 census. North Kingstown is home to the birthplace of American portraitist Gilbe ...
. Founded in 1997 and originally operated by
South County Newspapers
Independent Newspapers is an independent publisher of a weekly newspaper, ''The Independent'', and a magazine, ''South County Life'', in Washington County, Rhode Island.
The company was founded by veteran newspaper publisher Frederick J. Wilson I ...
as two papers, the ''South County Independent'' and ''North East Independent'', which were both competitors to several Southern Rhode Island Newspapers publications. The two papers were eventually bought by Edward A. Sherman Publishing, the owners of ''
The Newport Daily News
''The Newport Daily News'' is a six-day daily newspaper serving Newport County, Rhode Island. It publishes in the mornings on weekdays (Monday through Friday) and in the morning on Saturdays. The ''Daily News'' was the state's largest family-owne ...
'', and in 2015 were merged into the single ''Independent'' newspaper. In 2017, Sherman Publishing was purchased by Gatehouse Media. RISN acquired ''The Independent'' and its sister magazine ''South County Life'' from Gatehouse in June 2018.
Sun Publishing Company also publishes weekly newspapers.
Plagiarism controversies
In April 2013, an assistant editor at ''The Narragansett Times'' plagiarized the lede (the first paragraph of a news story) from an article in a competitor newspaper, the ''South County Independent''
''.'' The ''South County Independent'' asked for a front-page apology, and ''The Narragansett Times'' subsequently printed a clarification stating the words were "inadvertently transcribed" and "apologize
for any confusion this may have caused our readers."
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Risn Operations
Newspaper companies of the United States
Newspapers published in Rhode Island
Companies based in Providence County, Rhode Island
Warwick, Rhode Island
American companies established in 2007
Publishing companies established in 2007
2007 establishments in Delaware
2007 establishments in Rhode Island
Glacier Media