Editing Courier Journal (section)

===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}}