Tampa Tribune

''The Tampa Tribune'' was a daily newspaper published in Tampa, Florida. Along with the competing ''Tampa Bay Times'', the ''Tampa Tribune'' was one of two major newspapers published in the Tampa Bay area.

The newspaper also published a ''St. Petersburg Tribune'' edition, sold and distributed in Pinellas County. It published a Sunday magazine, ''Florida Accent'', during the 1960s and 1970s. ''The Tampa Tribune'' also operated ''Highlands Today'', a daily newspaper in Sebring. The ''Tribune'' stopped publishing the ''Hernando Today'', which was located in Brooksville, on December 1, 2014, citing "a tough newspaper advertising climate."

On May 3, 2016, the ''Tampa Bay Times'' announced that it had acquired the ''Tribune'', and was combining the ''Times'' and ''Tribune''s operations, ending publication of the ''Tribune''.

History

Daily publication of the ''Tribune'' started in 1895 when Wallace Stovall upgraded printing from once a week.

In 1927, newspaper mogul John Stewart Bryan, of Virginia, and his business partner Samuel Emory Thomason, previously a vice-president with the ''Chicago Tribune'', purchased ''The Tampa Tribune'' for $900,000.

The Tampa Tribune Publishing company grew to include the ''Tampa Tribune'', the ''Tampa Times'', ''TBO.com'', ''TampaBayOnline.com'', WFLA radio, and WFLA-TV.

In 1966, the ''Tampa Tribune'', along with sister properties WFLA-AM- FM- TV, was purchased by Richmond Newspapers, becoming Media General in 1969. Since 2000, the ''Tribune'' partnered with WFLA-TV and TBO.com in a converged arrangement, all connected with one another under owner Media General. The large media complex is located on Parker Street in Downtown Tampa. The ''Tribune'' was a flagship newspaper under the Media General banner until it was sold in 2012.

Executive editor Janet Coats left the paper in December 2009 and was not replaced until May 17, 2012, when managing editor Richard "Duke" Maas was promoted to executive editor.

On May 17, 2012, it was announced that investment company Berkshire Hathaway would be acquiring Media General's newspaper division; the purchase did not include the ''Tribune'' or its associated regional papers, which were being retained by Media General. No reason was given as to why Media General was retaining the ''Tribune'', but there was speculation that the paper would be sold to another party, such as Halifax Media Group (which owns several papers in Florida) or a completely different owner, or that the paper would merge with the ''Tampa Bay Times''. In October 2012, ''The Tampa Tribune'' and its associated print and digital products were acquired by Tampa Media Group, Inc., a new company formed by Revolution Capital Group.

On May 3, 2016, the ''Tampa Bay Times'' announced that it had acquired the ''Tribune'', and was combining the ''Times'' and ''Tribune''s operations, ending publication of the ''Tribune''. The acquisition also includes ''Highlands Today'', weekly newspaper ''The Suncoast News'', and weekly Spanish-language newspaper ''Centro''; all of these will continue publishing under Times' ownership. The ''Tampa Tribune'' name will be repurposed as a neighborhood news section of the Times.

''Tampa Daily Times'' trademark

In 1958, the ''Tribune'' acquired Tampa's struggling evening newspaper, the ''Tampa Daily Times.'' The ''Tribune'' published the paper as ''The Tampa Times'' until 1982. From then until the ''Tribune'' closed down, the ''Tribune'' displayed the logo for ''The Tampa Times'' in the masthead on the front section. This was part of an effort by the ''Tribune'' to keep its trademark on the ''Tampa Times'' name, and to avoid confusion with the then-''St. Petersburg Times,'' which long published a Tampa edition. In 2006, it was decided in a lawsuit that the ''Tribune'' could keep its exclusive use of the ''Tampa Times'' name, but only for five years. This exclusivity ended at the end of 2011, allowing the ''St. Petersburg Times'' to rename itself the ''Tampa Bay Times'', effective January 1, 2012. The decision did not restrict the use of ''The Tampa Times'' name by the ''Tribune'' after the expiration of exclusivity.

Awards

The ''Tampa Tribune'' won a Pulitzer Prize in 1966 for local investigative specialized reporting. The award went to John Anthony Frasca for his "investigation and reporting of two robberies that resulted in the freeing of an innocent man."

See also

* List of newspapers in Florida

References

Further reading

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tampa Tribune, The
1895 establishments in Florida
2016 disestablishments in Florida
Mass media in the Tampa Bay area
Defunct newspapers published in Florida
Publications established in 1895
Publications disestablished in 2016