Stauffer Communications was a privately held media corporation based in

Topeka, Kansas Topeka ( ; Kansa language, Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the Capital (political), capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the County seat, seat of Shawnee County, Kansas, Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the ...

, that owned many publications and broadcast outlets, including the ''

Topeka Capital-Journal ''The Topeka Capital-Journal'' is a daily newspaper in Topeka, Kansas, owned by Gannett. History The paper was formed following numerous name changes and mergers, including the merger of ''The Topeka Daily Capital'' and ''The Topeka State Jour ...

'' and WIBW,

WIBW-FM WIBW-FM (94.5 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station in Topeka, Kansas. It is owned by Alpha Media and airs a country radio format. The studios and offices are on SW Executive Drive in Topeka. The transmitter is off Windy Hill Road in Maple ...

, and

WIBW-TV WIBW-TV (channel 13) is a television station in Topeka, Kansas, United States, affiliated with CBS and owned by Gray Television. The station's studios are located on Commerce Place (next to the interchange of I-70, I-470, US 40, US 75 and K-4) ...

. The company operated from 1930 to 1995.

History

The company was founded by Oscar S. Stauffer in 1930 as Stauffer Publications. Oscar Stauffer had started a

journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (profes ...

career at the ''

Emporia Gazette The ''Emporia Gazette'' is a daily newspaper in Emporia, Kansas. History William Allen White bought the newspaper for $3,000 ($ in dollars) in 1895. Through his editorship, over the next five decades, he became an iconic figure in American journ ...

'' and ''

Kansas City Star ''The Kansas City Star'' is a newspaper based in Kansas City, Missouri. Published since 1880, the paper is the recipient of eight Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Star'' is most notable for its influence on the career of President Harry S. Truman and as ...

'', and in 1915 had become the publisher of the '' Peabody Gazette-Hearld'' in

Peabody, Kansas Peabody is a city in Marion County, Kansas, United States. It is named after F.H. Peabody, of Boston, former vice-president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Peabody is well known in the region for its Independence Day Celebration ...

until 1922. When Stauffer died at age 95 in 1982 the company had grown to include 31 newspapers and broadcast companies in 11 states.Ferguson, Lew
Journalism era ends with sale of Stauffer holdings
''

Fort Scott Tribune ''The Fort Scott Tribune'' is a daily newspaper serving Fort Scott, Kansas, United States. It has been owned by Rust Communications since 2004.

'', June 17, 1995 Oscar Stauffer's son John H. Stauffer became head of the company in 1992. In 1994, the company arranged to sell its properties to

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 ...

Augusta, Georgia Augusta ( ), officially Augusta–Richmond County, is a consolidated city-county on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies across the Savannah River from South Carolina at the head of its navig ...

. The transaction was completed in 1995 for $275 million. At the time of its sale, Stauffer's multi-state operations included 20 daily newspapers, 11 radio stations, 3 magazines, and the broadcast rights to

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...

baseball. As a condition of the sale, Morris had to sell Stauffer's television holdings. Most of the former Stauffer television holdings, including WIBW-TV, were sold to

Benedek Broadcasting Benedek Broadcasting was a television broadcasting company, who owned and operated 22 network-affiliated television stations throughout the United States, all affiliated with major television networks, serving mainly small and medium-size markets. ...

in 1996. Morris also sold off all of Stauffer's magazines and its insurance and alarm operations. Mary Stauffer Brownback, daughter of John Stauffer and granddaughter of Oscar Stauffer, is married to former

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

and

Kansas Governor The governor of Kansas is the head of state of KansasKS Const. art. I, § 3. and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Kan ...

Sam Brownback Samuel Dale Brownback (born September 12, 1956) is an American attorney, politician, diplomat, and member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party who served as the United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Fr ...

Properties

Newspapers

Florida

News Chief The ''News Chief'' is a daily paper located in Winter Haven, Florida that serves east Polk County, Florida. It is owned by Gannett and is located at 455 Sixth St. N.W. History The ''News Chief'' traces its beginnings to September 28, 1911, ...

(Florida)

Kansas

Grit (newspaper) ''Grit'' is a magazine, formerly a weekly newspaper, popular in the rural U.S. during much of the 20th century. It carried the subtitle "America's Greatest Family Newspaper". In the early 1930s, it targeted small town and rural families with 14 ...

(national) *

The Newton Kansan ''The Newton Kansan'' is an American daily newspaper published six days per week (excluding major holidays) in Newton, Kansas. It is owned by Gannett Gannett Co., Inc. () is an American mass media holding company headquartered in McLean, Vi ...

(Kansas) *

The Topeka Capital-Journal ''The Topeka Capital-Journal'' is a daily newspaper in Topeka, Kansas, owned by Gannett. History The paper was formed following numerous name changes and mergers, including the merger of ''The Topeka Daily Capital'' and ''The Topeka State Jour ...

(Kansas) *

Dodge City Daily Globe The ''Dodge City Daily Globe'' is a daily newspaper based in Dodge City, Kansas, United States, and owned by Gannett. History The paper was founded in 1878 as the ''Ford County Globe''. It was retitled as the ''Globe Live Stock Journal'' in 188 ...

(Kansas) *

The Morning Sun (Pittsburg) ''The Morning Sun'' is a newspaper published in Pittsburg, Kansas, United States. Though its history dates to the 1880s, it has been known as the ''Morning Sun'' since 1973. It was a seven-day daily paper, but decreased to five print editions ...

(Kansas) *

The Arkansas City Traveler ''The Cowley Courier Traveler'' is a local newspaper from Arkansas City, Kansas, United States. History ''The Arkansas City Traveler'' was one of two local newspapers that published in Cowley County, Kansas - the other being ''The Winfield Daily C ...

(Kansas) *

Peabody Gazette-Bulletin The ''Peabody Gazette-Bulletin'' is a local weekly newspaper for the cities of Peabody, Burns, Florence in the state of Kansas. The paper publishes every Wednesday. The newspaper also maintains an online presence. History The ''Peabody Gazett ...

(Kansas)

Michigan

The Holland Sentinel ''The Holland Sentinel'' is a newspaper published seven days a week in Holland, Michigan, United States, founded in 1896. It is published by Gannett. The newspaper covers most of Ottawa County, including Holland, Beechwood and Zeeland, as wel ...

(Michigan) *

Hillsdale Daily News The ''Hillsdale Daily News'' is a daily newspaper published in Hillsdale, Michigan, in the United States. It is owned by GateHouse Media. The ''Daily News'' covers Hillsdale County, Michigan, including the city of Hillsdale and the cities and vi ...

(Michigan)

Minnesota

Brainerd Dispatch The ''Brainerd Dispatch'' is a daily morning newspaper published in Brainerd, Minnesota. The newspaper was founded on December 22, 1881, and became a daily paper in 1883. In April 2004, the Dispatch became a morning paper. In July 2020, the public ...

(Minnesota)

Missouri

The Examiner (Missouri) ''The Examiner'' is the daily newspaper of eastern Jackson County, Missouri, including Independence, Blue Springs and Grain Valley. It is published five days a week – Tuesday through Saturday – and its webpage is at www.examiner.net. ''The ...

(Missouri) *

Maryville Daily Forum ''The Maryville Forum'' is a weekly newspaper published Thursdays in Maryville, Missouri, United States. In June 2021, the newspaper was purchased by Ken and Traci Garner via their publishing company Garner Media Holdings, LLC from former owners Ph ...

(Missouri) *

Hannibal Courier-Post The ''Hannibal Courier-Post'' is a daily newspaper published in Hannibal, Missouri, United States. It is owned by Phillips Media Group. In addition to Hannibal, the ''Courier-Post'' covers several other communities in Marion, Pike, and Ralls C ...

(Missouri)

Nebraska

Grand Island Independent ''The Grand Island Independent'' is a newspaper published in Grand Island, Nebraska. The ''Independent'' is published seven days a week but does not produce a newspaper on Christmas Day. Its daily circulation is 20,500, in eleven counties of cen ...

(Nebraska) *

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 ...

(Nebraska) *

Beatrice Daily Sun Beatrice may refer to: * Beatrice (given name) Places In the United States * Beatrice, Alabama, a town * Beatrice, Humboldt County, California, a locality * Beatrice, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Beatrice, Indiana, an unincorporated c ...

(Nebraska)

Oklahoma

The Shawnee News-Star ''The Shawnee News-Star'' is an American daily newspaper published in Shawnee, Oklahoma. It is the newspaper of record for Pottawatomie, Lincoln and Seminole counties, in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. It took its current name in 1943 aft ...

(Oklahoma) *

The Ardmoreite ''The Ardmoreite'' is an American daily newspaper published Tuesday through Friday and Sunday mornings. ''The Ardmoreite'' is owned by Gannett. The paper was owned by Stauffer Communications, which was acquired by Morris Communications Morr ...

(Oklahoma)

South Dakota

The Brookings Register The ''Brookings Register'' is a newspaper of South Dakota. The newspaper's offices are in Brookings, South Dakota. The newspaper is used for public notices including those published for the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission. The newspaper ...

(South Dakota) * Yankton Press & Dakotan (South Dakota)

Tennessee

* The Oak Ridger (Tennessee)

Radio

KRNT KRNT (1350 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. Serving the Des Moines, Iowa, United States, area, the station is owned by the Des Moines Radio Group subsidiary of Saga Communications through licensee Saga Communications of Iowa ...

(Iowa) * KRNQ-FM (Iowa)

Television

KGWN-TV KGWN-TV (channel 5) is a television station in Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States, affiliated with CBS and The CW Plus. The station is owned by Gray Television, and maintains studios on East Lincolnway/East 14th Street/ I-80 BUS/US 30 in Cheyen ...

, Cheyenne, Wyoming *

KMIZ KMIZ (channel 17) is a television station licensed to Columbia, Missouri, United States, serving the Columbia–Jefferson City, Missouri, Jefferson City media market, market as an affiliate of American Broadcasting Company, ABC and MyNetworkTV. I ...

, Columbia, Missouri *

, Topeka *

KCOY-TV KCOY-TV (channel 12) is a television station licensed to Santa Maria, California, United States, serving the Central Coast (California), Central Coast of California as an affiliate of the digital multicast network Dabl. It is owned by VistaWest M ...

, Santa Maria, California *

KGNC-TV KAMR-TV (channel 4) is a television station in Amarillo, Texas, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside low-power broadcasting#Television, low-power MyNetworkTV affiliate KCPN-LD (channel 33); Nexstar al ...

, Amarillo, Texas *

KGWC-TV KGWC-TV (channel 14) is a television station in Casper, Wyoming, United States, affiliated with CBS. It is owned by Big Horn Television LLC, which maintains a shared services agreement (SSA) with Coastal Television Broadcasting Company LLC, o ...

, Casper, Wyoming

References

{{reflist Companies based in Topeka, Kansas Mass media companies disestablished in 1995 Defunct companies based in Kansas Defunct broadcasting companies of the United States Defunct mass media companies of the United States 1930 establishments in Kansas Mass media companies established in 1930 American companies established in 1930