New York World Journal Tribune
Encyclopedia
The New York World Journal Tribune, also known as the World-Journal-Tribune, was a newspaper published in New York City
from September 1966 until May 1967. The World Journal Tribune represented an attempt to save the heritages of several historic New York City newspapers by merging them together into a consolidated newspaper.
. Newspapers had acquired a new competitor for the eyes and ears of the nation, television
. Competition from radio
and magazines for the news audience also continued unabated. The market for evening papers in particular was affected by television and by the suburb
an lifestyle, but all papers were affected by it. The New York media
market was by far the nation's largest at the time (by an even larger margin than it is currently) and had by far the most daily newspapers. Mergers had been ongoing for several years. In the 1960s the market got even more competitive, forcing the closure of the Hearst Corporation
-owned New York Daily Mirror
in 1963. The newspaper industry was struggling with financial troubles by the mid-1960s and had warned their unions
– some of the more militant in the city at that time – that they could not survive yet another strike
following devastating walk-outs in 1962–1963
and 1965.
and the New York Herald Tribune
to become the New York World Journal Tribune, an evening broadsheet
newspaper which would rely on newsstand sales to survive.
The management of the merged paper told their employees that to succeed the new enterprise would need concessions from the unions, but the unions, upset that several thousand workers were planned to be laid-off, demanded their own concessions from management. The result of the impasse was a 140 day strike which delayed the debut of the new paper until September 12, 1966.Associated Press
(13 September 1966). New Paper is Born in New York, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
(6 May 1967). World Journal Trib Conceived In High Hopes; Lost Anyway, The Daytona Beach News-Journal During its short life, the paper never opened a Washington bureau, and did not have any foreign correspondents on its staff, relying instead on the Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service for foreign coverage.
The folding of the WJT left the New York Times, the New York Daily News
, and the New York Post
as the only daily English-language general circulation newspapers in New York City for many years, when in 1900 there had been fifteen. Of the three remaining papers, only the first was a broadsheet
with a reputation for quality journalism
, the other two were tabloids which often lived up to their reputation for sensationalism.
One survivor of the demise of the World Journal Tribune was New York
magazine, which began as the Sunday supplement for the Herald Tribune and continued after the merger as the supplement for the WJT. After the newspaper folded, the editor of New York, Clay Felker
bought the rights to the title with partners and brought it out as a glossy magazine.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from September 1966 until May 1967. The World Journal Tribune represented an attempt to save the heritages of several historic New York City newspapers by merging them together into a consolidated newspaper.
Background
The late 1940s and the 1950s were a troubled time for newspapers throughout North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Newspapers had acquired a new competitor for the eyes and ears of the nation, television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
. Competition from radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and magazines for the news audience also continued unabated. The market for evening papers in particular was affected by television and by the suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an lifestyle, but all papers were affected by it. The New York media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
market was by far the nation's largest at the time (by an even larger margin than it is currently) and had by far the most daily newspapers. Mergers had been ongoing for several years. In the 1960s the market got even more competitive, forcing the closure of the Hearst Corporation
Hearst Corporation
The Hearst Corporation is an American media conglomerate based in the Hearst Tower, Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. Founded by William Randolph Hearst as an owner of newspapers, the company's holdings now include a wide variety of media...
-owned New York Daily Mirror
New York Daily Mirror
The New York Daily Mirror was an American morning tabloid newspaper first published on June 24, 1924, in New York City by the William Randolph Hearst organization as a contrast to their mainstream broadsheets, the Evening Journal and New York American, later consolidated into the New York Journal...
in 1963. The newspaper industry was struggling with financial troubles by the mid-1960s and had warned their unions
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
– some of the more militant in the city at that time – that they could not survive yet another strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
following devastating walk-outs in 1962–1963
1962 New York City newspaper strike
The 1962-63 New York City Newspaper Strike ran from December 8, 1962 until March 31, 1963, lasting for a total of 114 days.-Preliminary actions:...
and 1965.
Merger
In April 1966, in an attempt to avoid closing down, the Scripps-Howard owned New York World-Telegram and Sun merged with Hearst's New York Journal AmericanNew York Journal American
The New York Journal American was a newspaper published from 1937 to 1966. The Journal American was the product of a merger between two New York newspapers owned by William Randolph Hearst: The New York American , a morning paper, and the New York Evening Journal, an afternoon paper...
and the New York Herald Tribune
New York Herald Tribune
The New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald.Other predecessors, which had earlier merged into the New York Tribune, included the original The New Yorker newsweekly , and the Whig Party's Log Cabin.The paper was home to...
to become the New York World Journal Tribune, an evening broadsheet
Broadsheet
Broadsheet is the largest of the various newspaper formats and is characterized by long vertical pages . The term derives from types of popular prints usually just of a single sheet, sold on the streets and containing various types of material, from ballads to political satire. The first broadsheet...
newspaper which would rely on newsstand sales to survive.
The management of the merged paper told their employees that to succeed the new enterprise would need concessions from the unions, but the unions, upset that several thousand workers were planned to be laid-off, demanded their own concessions from management. The result of the impasse was a 140 day strike which delayed the debut of the new paper until September 12, 1966.Associated Press
Associated 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...
(13 September 1966). New Paper is Born in New York, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune is a daily newspaper located in Sarasota, Florida.It is owned by The New York Times Company, who purchased it in 1982, and part of its regional news group. Along with Comcast, the newspaper operates a local 24-hour...
Closing
The World Journal Tribune never became economically viable, and it ceased to exist eight months later, on May 5, 1967.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...
(6 May 1967). World Journal Trib Conceived In High Hopes; Lost Anyway, The Daytona Beach News-Journal During its short life, the paper never opened a Washington bureau, and did not have any foreign correspondents on its staff, relying instead on the Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service for foreign coverage.
The folding of the WJT left the New York Times, the New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
, and the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
as the only daily English-language general circulation newspapers in New York City for many years, when in 1900 there had been fifteen. Of the three remaining papers, only the first was a broadsheet
Broadsheet
Broadsheet is the largest of the various newspaper formats and is characterized by long vertical pages . The term derives from types of popular prints usually just of a single sheet, sold on the streets and containing various types of material, from ballads to political satire. The first broadsheet...
with a reputation for quality journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, the other two were tabloids which often lived up to their reputation for sensationalism.
One survivor of the demise of the World Journal Tribune was New York
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
magazine, which began as the Sunday supplement for the Herald Tribune and continued after the merger as the supplement for the WJT. After the newspaper folded, the editor of New York, Clay Felker
Clay Felker
Clay Schuette Felker was an American magazine editor and journalist who founded New York Magazine in 1968. He was known for bringing large numbers of journalists into the profession...
bought the rights to the title with partners and brought it out as a glossy magazine.