The ''Billings Gazette'' is a daily newspaper based in
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, with a population of 117,116 as of the 2020 census. Located in the south-central portion of the state, it is the seat of Yellowstone County and the principal city of the Billings Met ...
that primarily covers issues in southeast Montana and parts of northern Wyoming. Historically it has been known as the largest newspaper in
Montana
Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...
and is geographically one of the most widely distributed newspapers in the nation.
The Gazette employs a newsroom staff of roughly 20 reporters, editors and photographers combined. The paper frequently exchanges content with its four sister papers in the state —
the Missoulian, the
Helena Independent Record
The ''Independent Record'' (often abbreviated to ''IR'') is a daily newspaper printed and distributed in Helena, Montana. The newspaper is part of the Lee Enterprises group.
History
The roots of the ''IR'' lie in two newspapers that were fou ...
,
The Montana Standard and the
Ravalli Republic Ravalli is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Antonio Ravalli (1812–1884), Italian Jesuit missionary
* Giorgio Ravalli (1925–2001), Italian field hockey player
* Giovanni Ravalli (1909–1998), Italian military officer
See ...
— all of which, along with the Gazette, are owned by
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 ...
. Lee announced a Montana State News Bureau near the end of 2020 that serves the Gazette and its sister papers.
In 2013, circulation of the print edition was around 39,405 copies, and that number increased to more than 44,000 on Sundays. The Gazette website
billingsgazette.com receives over 10 million page views per month.
The Gazette has been located in its 94,000 sq ft facility at 401 N. Broadway in Billings since July 20, 1968. On September 15, 2021, it was announced that the Gazette's downtown headquarters would be listed for sale, as most of the building was by then vacant as a result of a rapidly shrinking staff.
In May 2020, non-managerial employees at the paper, including reporters, copy-editors and photographers, announced the formation of the Montana News Guild, and in July of that year they unanimously voted to
unionize
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits (su ...
. Their first contract was ratified in November, making the Gazette the only unionized newspaper in the state of Montana.
*The first newspaper in
Billings
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, with a population of 117,116 as of the 2020 census. Located in the south-central portion of the state, it is the seat of Yellowstone County and the principal city of the Billings Metro ...
was published in 1882.
*The first edition of the ''Gazette'' was published May 2, 1885, on a single sheet of paper.
Press
The press runs from around 10:30p.m. to 3:00a.m. daily and prints approximately 45,000copies of the ''Billings Gazette''; , non‑Sunday circulation was 39,405, the highest in Montana;
on Sunday, the press runs from around 9:30p.m. to 3:30a.m. and 44,937copies are printed.
References
External links
*
Lee Enterprises profile of the ''Billings Gazette''
{{Authority control
Newspapers published in Montana
Lee Enterprises publications
Mass media in Billings, Montana
1885 establishments in Montana Territory
Publications established in 1885
Daily newspapers published in the United States