Editing Courier Journal (section)

==History==

===Origins===
''The Courier-Journal'' was created from the merger of several newspapers introduced in [[Kentucky]] in the 19th century.

A pioneer paper called ''The Focus of Politics, Commerce and Literature'' was founded in 1826 in [[Louisville]] when the city was an early settlement of less than 7,000 individuals.  In 1830 a new newspaper, ''The Louisville Daily Journal'', began distribution in the city and, in 1832, the ''Journal'' absorbed ''The Focus of Politics, Commerce and Literature''. The Louisville ''Journal'' was an organ of the [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig Party]] and was founded and edited by [[George D. Prentice]], a New Englander who initially came to Kentucky to write a biography of [[Henry Clay]].<ref>{{cite journal|jstor=23375897|last=Congleton|first=Betty Carolyn|title=The Louisville Journal: Its Origin and Early Years |journal=The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society |volume=62|issue=2|pages=87–88|date=April 1964}}</ref> Prentice edited the ''Journal'' for more than 40 years.

In 1844, another newspaper, the ''Louisville Morning Courier'', was founded in Louisville by [[Walter Newman Haldeman]]. ''The Louisville Daily Journal'' and the ''Louisville Morning Courier'' were leading newspapers in [[Louisville]] and were politically opposed throughout the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]; ''The Journal'' was [[Abolitionism|against slavery]] while the ''Courier'' was [[Confederate States of America|pro-Confederacy]]. The ''Courier'' was suppressed by the Union and had to move to [[Nashville]], but it returned to Louisville after the war.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

Upon the announcement of the [[Emancipation Proclamation]] that ended slavery in the Confederate states, the ''Journal'' opposed the Proclamation as an unconstitutional use of presidential power, and predicted: "Kentucky cannot and will not acquiesce in this measure. Never!"<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HZxOJarwChkC&pg=PA105|title=Fighting Words: An Illustrated History of Newspaper Accounts of the Civil War|last=Coopersmith|first=Andrew S.|place=New York|publisher=The New Press|year=2004|isbn=1-56584-796-2|pages=105–106|access-date=September 8, 2021|archive-date=March 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319081527/https://books.google.com/books?id=HZxOJarwChkC&pg=PA105|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Progress and Intelligence of Americans|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9jdcAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA65|last=Wheat|first=M.T.|edition=2nd|year=1862|place=Louisville|pages=65–68|access-date=September 8, 2021|archive-date=March 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319081528/https://books.google.com/books?id=9jdcAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA65|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 1868, an ailing Prentice persuaded the 28-year-old [[Henry Watterson]] to come edit for the ''Journal''. During secret negotiations in 1868, ''The Journal'' and the ''Courier'' merged, and the first edition of ''The Courier-Journal'' was delivered to Louisvillians on Sunday morning, November 8, 1868.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

===Watterson era===
[[File:Editorial Staff of "The Courier-Journal" 1868.jpg|thumb|Editorial staff of ''The Courier-Journal'', 1868]]
Henry Watterson, the son of a Tennessee congressman, had written for ''[[Harper's Magazine]]'' and [[The New York Times|''The'' ''New York Times'']] before enlisting in the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] Army. He became nationally known for his work as ''The Courier-Journal'' emerged as the region's leading paper. He supported the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] and pushed for the industrialization of Kentucky and the South in general, notably through urging the [[Southern Exposition]] be held in Louisville. He attracted controversy for attempting to prove that [[Christopher Marlowe]] had actually written the works of [[Shakespeare]]. He won a [[Pulitzer Prize]] in 1917 for editorials demanding the United States enter [[World War I]].<ref name="presshist">{{cite book|title=The Press of Kentucky: 1787–1994|year=1994|author=Towles, Donald B.|publisher=Kentucky Press Association|asin=B0006P81OQ}}</ref>

''The Courier-Journal'' founded a companion afternoon edition of the paper, ''[[The Louisville Times]]'', in May 1884. In 1896, Watterson and Haldeman opposed Democratic presidential candidate [[William Jennings Bryan]] over his support of [[free silver]] coinage. This unpopular decision upset readers and advertisers, many of whom pulled their support for ''The Courier-Journal''. Kentucky voted for the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] candidate in 1896, the first time in state history, and local political leaders blamed the Courier. Only the popularity of ''The Louisville Times'', which had no strong editorial reputation, saved the newspaper company from bankruptcy. The ''Courier'' supported Bryan in future elections.<ref name="presshist" />

Haldeman had owned the papers until his death in 1902, and by 1917 they were owned by his son, [[William Birch Haldeman|William]], and Henry Watterson.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

===Bingham ownership===
[[File:Courier-Journal offices in downtown Louisville.jpg|thumb|right|250px|''Courier-Journal'' offices in downtown Louisville, built during the Bingham era]]

On August 8, 1918, [[Robert Worth Bingham]] purchased two-thirds interest in the newspapers and acquired the remaining stock in 1920. The liberal Bingham clashed with longtime editor Watterson, who remained on board, but was in the twilight of his career. Watterson's editorials opposing the [[League of Nations]] appeared alongside Bingham's favoring it, and Watterson finally retired on April 2, 1919.<ref name="presshist" />

{{Blockquote|I have always regarded the newspapers owned by me as a public trust and have endeavored so to conduct them as to render the greatest public service.|[[Robert Worth Bingham]]}}

As publisher, Bingham set the tone for his editorial pages, and pushed for improved public education, support of African Americans and the poor of [[Appalachia]]. In 1933, the newspapers passed to his son, [[Barry Bingham, Sr.]] Barry Bingham would continue in his father's footsteps, guiding the editorial page and modernizing the paper by setting up several news bureaus throughout the state, expanding the news staff. During Barry Bingham, Sr.'s tenure, the paper was considered Kentucky's "Newspaper of Record" and consistently ranked among the 10 best in the nation.<ref name="presshist" />

In 1971, [[Barry Bingham, Jr.]] succeeded his father as the newspapers' editor and publisher.

The Binghams were well-liked owners popularly credited with being more concerned with publishing quality journalism than making heavy profits. They also owned the leading local radio and television stations – [[WHAS-TV]], [[WHAS-AM]], and [[WAMZ|WAMZ-FM]]—and [[Standard Gravure]], a [[rotogravure]] printing company that printed ''The Courier-Journal''{{'s}} Sunday ''Magazine'' as well as similar magazines for other newspapers.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

Barry Bingham Jr. sought to free the papers from conflicts of interests, and through ''The Louisville Times'', experimented with new ideas such as signed editorials. Bingham Jr. also parted with tradition by endorsing several Republican candidates for office.<ref name="presshist" />

In 1974, [[Carol Sutton (journalist)|Carol Sutton]] became managing editor of ''The Courier-Journal'', the first woman appointed to such a post at a major US daily newspaper. Under the leadership of C. Thomas Hardin, director of photography, the combined photography staff of ''The Courier-Journal and Louisville Times'' was awarded the 1976 [[Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography]] for its coverage of school desegregation in Louisville.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

[[Barry Bingham, Jr.]] served as editor and publisher until he resigned in 1986, shortly after his father announced that the newspaper company was for sale, in large measure because of disagreements between Bingham Jr. and his sister [[Sallie Bingham|Sallie]].{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

===Gannett ownership===
{{update section|date=March 2017}}
[[File:CJ Dispenser.jpg|thumb|200px|A Courier Journal dispenser]]
On January 8, 1986, Barry Bingham Sr. announced his intent to sell the family owned media properties including the Courier-Journal.<ref>{{Cite book|last=E.|first=Tifft, Susan|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/123102936|title=The patriarch : the rise and fall of the Bingham dynasty|date=1993|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=0-671-79707-7|oclc=123102936|access-date=December 16, 2021|archive-date=May 1, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240501011254/https://search.worldcat.org/title/123102936|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 1986, [[Gannett Company, Inc.]] purchased the newspaper company for $300 million, outbidding [[The Washington Post]] and the [[Tribune company]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bingham Family Newspapers Sold to Gannett|url=https://apnews.com/article/58b26571abb7b2d1e68003e1e0b1c94e|access-date=December 16, 2021|website=AP NEWS|language=en|archive-date=March 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319080928/https://apnews.com/article/58b26571abb7b2d1e68003e1e0b1c94e|url-status=live}}</ref> Gannett appointed George N. Gill President and Publisher who had been with the newspaper and the Binghams for over two decades. Gill worked his way up from copy editor to chief executive officer of the Bingham Companies.<ref>{{Cite web|title=School of Journalism and Media : George N. Gill|url=https://ci.uky.edu/jam/hall_of_fame/1998/george-n-gill|access-date=December 16, 2021|website=ci.uky.edu|archive-date=December 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211216051612/https://ci.uky.edu/jam/hall_of_fame/1998/george-n-gill|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1993, Gill retired and Edward E. Manassah became president and Publisher.<ref>{{cite web|first=Alex|last=Jones|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/05/20/us/gannett-gets-louisville-papers-for-300-million.html|title=GANNETT GETS LOUISVILLE PAPERS FOR 300 MILLION|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 20, 1986|access-date=September 8, 2021|archive-date=May 12, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512162513/http://www.nytimes.com/1986/05/20/us/gannett-gets-louisville-papers-for-300-million.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

February 1987 saw the last publication of ''[[The Louisville Times]]'', which like most afternoon papers had experienced declining readership; the news operations of the two papers had previously been consolidated under Gannett. The surviving Courier featured a strong news content increase by 29%.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Coulson|first1=David C.|last2=Hansen|first2=Anne|date=March 1995|title=The Louisville Courier-Journal's News Content after Purchase by Gannett|url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/107769909507200117|journal=Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly|language=en|volume=72|issue=1|pages=205–215|doi=10.1177/107769909507200117|s2cid=144734353|issn=1077-6990|access-date=December 16, 2021|archive-date=December 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211216051616/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/107769909507200117|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

In 1989, the paper's news staff won the Pulitzer Prize for general local reporting for what the Pulitzer board called "exemplary initial coverage" of a [[Carrollton, Kentucky bus collision|collision]] that was the nation's worst drunk-driving crash and school-bus accident. In 2005, cartoonist [[Nick Anderson (cartoonist)|Nick Anderson]] won the paper's 10th Pulitzer, but when he left for the ''[[Houston Chronicle]]'', the paper did not replace him, instead relying largely on submissions from local cartoonists. One, lawyer Marc Murphy, has become a near-regular and gained respect for his work.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

The newspaper resumed polling on elections, and began video streaming its editorial-board conferences with major candidates, under Publisher Arnold "Arnie" Garson, who came from the Argus Leader, Gannett's paper in Sioux Falls, S.D., in late 2008. Garson is an outspoken promoter of the future of printed newspapers in the digital age. Under him, the paper began keeping occasional major stories or sports columns off its website and promoting them as print exclusives. Most of these have run on Sundays; in July 2009, Garson announced that the paper's Sunday home-delivery circulation was up 0.5 percent over the previous year.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}