Alamogordo Daily News
Encyclopedia
Alamogordo Daily News, founded in 1898, is a daily newspaper published in Alamogordo, New Mexico
. It carries local news as well as syndicated content from Associated Press and others.
as a weekly in 1896, then moved to La Luz
the next year and changed its name to Sacramento Chief. It was sold to the Alamogordo Printing Company in 1899 and continued under the same name briefly before becoming the Alamogordo News.
The paper continued as a weekly until the 1950s when it went daily.
The paper has been sold several times. Most recently it was sold by Community Newspaper Holdings
to MediaNews Group
in 2001.
The paper is part of the Texas-New Mexico Newspapers Partnership, a joint venture formed in 2003 between MediaNews Group and Gannett, with MediaNews Group the managing partner.
The paper was an evening paper until September 1, 2006, published weekday evenings and Sunday mornings. It then switched to a morning paper, published daily except Mondays.
The paper regularly wins awards from the New Mexico Press Association
and from the New Mexico Associated Press Managing Editors.
. It covers the city of Alamogordo and the neighboring village of Tularosa
. The other incorporated area in Otero County
, Cloudcroft
, has its own newspaper, the Mountain Monthly, and does not get much coverage in this paper.
The paper publishes and shares some content with a free weekly tabloid, Hollogram, at nearby Holloman Air Force Base
covering happenings on base.
There are several weekly editorial inserts (in additional to advertising inserts):
The Opinion page combines editorials, editorial cartoons, op-ed pieces, letters to the editor, and occasionally short feature articles written by community members.
There are regular columns on gardening, on Alamogordo Public Schools, on Alamogordo Public Library
, on animals in the Alameda Park Zoo
, and on Otero County Community Health Council. "New Mexico Tally", a roll call from Thomas Voting Reports of how New Mexico's Congressional delegation voted on the most important bills, appears each Saturday.
.
In 2006 it made endorsements for all races in the November general election.
The paper runs a lead editorial in each issue, but they are nearly all reprinted from other newspapers, particularly other MediaNews Group
papers. There is no editorial cartoonist, but each issue carries an editorial cartoon from the Copley News Service. The syndicated columnist Jay Miller from Santa Fe
appears frequently with his "Inside the Capitol" column about New Mexico politics.
Newspaper staffers occasionally write signed opinion pieces, and while these are not official positions they are featured prominently on the Opinion page. For example, in 2007 there was a contentious bill before the State Legislature to prohibit smoking in most indoor public places and work places. The paper did not take a position on this, but it published signed opinion pieces against the bill by the Assistant Editor
and for the bill by the Publisher.
Alamogordo, New Mexico
Alamogordo is the county seat of Otero County and a city in south-central New Mexico, United States. A desert community lying in the Tularosa Basin, it is bordered on the east by the Sacramento Mountains. It is the nearest city to Holloman Air Force Base. The population was 35,582 as of the 2000...
. It carries local news as well as syndicated content from Associated Press and others.
History
Alamogordo Daily News claims 1898 as it founding date, but a case can be made for 1896. A predecessor, the Chief, was founded in TularosaTularosa, New Mexico
Tularosa is a village in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. It shares its name with the Tularosa Basin, in which the town is located. To the east, Tularosa is flanked by the western edge of the Sacramento Mountains. The population was 2,864 at the 2000 census...
as a weekly in 1896, then moved to La Luz
La Luz, New Mexico
La Luz is a census-designated place in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,615 at the 2000 census. It is located immediately north of Alamogordo and lies in the eastern edge of the Tularosa Basin and on the western flank of the Sacramento Mountains. Until 1848, La Luz...
the next year and changed its name to Sacramento Chief. It was sold to the Alamogordo Printing Company in 1899 and continued under the same name briefly before becoming the Alamogordo News.
The paper continued as a weekly until the 1950s when it went daily.
The paper has been sold several times. Most recently it was sold by Community Newspaper Holdings
Community Newspaper Holdings
Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. is a publisher of newspapers and advertising-related publications throughout the eastern part of the United States. The company was formed in 1997 by Ralph Martin, and is based in Birmingham, Alabama. The company is financed by the Retirement Systems of...
to MediaNews Group
MediaNews Group
MediaNews Group, based in Denver, Colorado, is one of the largest newspaper companies in the United States. It is privately owned and operates 56 daily newspapers in 12 states, with combined daily and Sunday circulation of approximately 2.4 million and 2.7 million, respectively...
in 2001.
The paper is part of the Texas-New Mexico Newspapers Partnership, a joint venture formed in 2003 between MediaNews Group and Gannett, with MediaNews Group the managing partner.
The paper was an evening paper until September 1, 2006, published weekday evenings and Sunday mornings. It then switched to a morning paper, published daily except Mondays.
The paper regularly wins awards from the New Mexico Press Association
and from the New Mexico Associated Press Managing Editors.
Coverage
Alamogordo Daily News is primarily a local newspaper. It has a staff of reporters and news editor to write local news. It also carries state, local, and national news from the Associated PressAssociated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. It covers the city of Alamogordo and the neighboring village of Tularosa
Tularosa, New Mexico
Tularosa is a village in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. It shares its name with the Tularosa Basin, in which the town is located. To the east, Tularosa is flanked by the western edge of the Sacramento Mountains. The population was 2,864 at the 2000 census...
. The other incorporated area in Otero County
Otero County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*72.7% White*3.5% Black*6.7% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*4.2% Two or more races*11.2% Other races*34.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, Cloudcroft
Cloudcroft, New Mexico
Cloudcroft is a village in Otero County, New Mexico and is within the Lincoln National Forest. The population was 749 at the 2000 census. Despite being located in an otherwise arid region, its extremely high elevation allows for a relatively mild summer that makes it a popular tourist attraction...
, has its own newspaper, the Mountain Monthly, and does not get much coverage in this paper.
The paper publishes and shares some content with a free weekly tabloid, Hollogram, at nearby Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
covering happenings on base.
Major sections
The paper is published in two sections:- A: local news; weather; an Opinion page; an extensive listing of coming events
- B: sports; state, national, and international news (sometimes split with section A); comics; classified ads
There are several weekly editorial inserts (in additional to advertising inserts):
- Wednesday: As Seen on TV, a locally produced tabloid based on content from zip2it.com; complete TV listings and some feature stories
- Thursday: American Profile, a national rotogravure magazine published by Publishing Group of America
- Friday: Vámonos, an arts, entertainment, and dining tabloid covering OteroOtero County, New Mexico-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*72.7% White*3.5% Black*6.7% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*4.2% Two or more races*11.2% Other races*34.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
and LincolnLincoln County, New Mexico-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*85.1% White*0.5% Black*2.4% Native American*0.4% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.5% Two or more races*9.1% Other races*29.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
Counties; published by and appearing in Alamogordo Daily News and in Ruidoso NewsRuidoso NewsRuidoso News is a newspaper in Ruidoso, New Mexico, USA. It has been published since the 1940s.... - Sunday: USA WeekendUSA WeekendUSA Weekend is a national publication distributed through more than 800+ newspapers in the United States. It reaches 47 million readers in 22.6 million households every weekend. Awarded for its journalism and design, USA WEEKEND focuses on social issues, entertainment, health, food and travel....
, a national rotogravure magazine published by Gannett
The Opinion page combines editorials, editorial cartoons, op-ed pieces, letters to the editor, and occasionally short feature articles written by community members.
Recurring features
There are full-page sections of photos and press releases that appear once or twice a week:- "¿Qué Pasa?" features upcoming or just-passed local events
- "Celebrate" features wedding announcements, anniversaries, promotions, etc.
- "Kudos" covers awards and other notable achievements
There are regular columns on gardening, on Alamogordo Public Schools, on Alamogordo Public Library
Alamogordo Public Library
Alamogordo Public Library is the public library serving Alamogordo, New Mexico and Otero County, New Mexico. The library has extensive collections of Spanish-language and German-language books and of materials related to the Western writer Eugene Manlove Rhodes.-History:Alamogordo Public Library...
, on animals in the Alameda Park Zoo
Alameda Park Zoo
Alameda Park Zoo, located in Alamogordo, New Mexico, was founded in 1898 and claims to be the oldest zoo in the Southwestern United States. It is one of three AZA-accredited zoos in New Mexico and participates in the Species Survival Plan for the Mexican Gray Wolf.-Features:Notable species at the...
, and on Otero County Community Health Council. "New Mexico Tally", a roll call from Thomas Voting Reports of how New Mexico's Congressional delegation voted on the most important bills, appears each Saturday.
Web site
The paper's web site carries all the locally-written editorial content. It is updated once or twice daily with breaking news stories that will appear in tomorrow's print edition. There is also an official newspaper blogBlog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
.
Editorial position
Alamogordo Daily News rarely prints unsigned editorials or expresses an official editorial position. The few it publishes usually deal with endorsements for an election. For example, in the March 2008 municipal election it endorsed a candidate in the only contested City Commission race and endorsed a bond issue for street maintenance.In 2006 it made endorsements for all races in the November general election.
The paper runs a lead editorial in each issue, but they are nearly all reprinted from other newspapers, particularly other MediaNews Group
MediaNews Group
MediaNews Group, based in Denver, Colorado, is one of the largest newspaper companies in the United States. It is privately owned and operates 56 daily newspapers in 12 states, with combined daily and Sunday circulation of approximately 2.4 million and 2.7 million, respectively...
papers. There is no editorial cartoonist, but each issue carries an editorial cartoon from the Copley News Service. The syndicated columnist Jay Miller from Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
appears frequently with his "Inside the Capitol" column about New Mexico politics.
Newspaper staffers occasionally write signed opinion pieces, and while these are not official positions they are featured prominently on the Opinion page. For example, in 2007 there was a contentious bill before the State Legislature to prohibit smoking in most indoor public places and work places. The paper did not take a position on this, but it published signed opinion pieces against the bill by the Assistant Editor
and for the bill by the Publisher.