Newspaper Agency Corporation
Encyclopedia
The Newspaper Agency Corporation Inc. (or NAC or NACorp) is a printing
, delivery and advertising
company jointly owned by the Deseret Morning News
and The Salt Lake Tribune
, the two major daily newspaper
s in Salt Lake City
, Utah
.
In 1952 the two papers worked out a 30-year agreement, known as the Joint Operating Agreement (JOA). The agreement, founding the NAC, combined the expenses of press
, advertising, circulation and mechanical departments, while still maintaining separate newsrooms. Longtime Tribune publisher John F. Fitzpatrick
was the architect of the NAC. He approached his friend and LDS President David O. McKay
with the idea. Fitzpatrick's brainchild, the JOA would ensure the continuation of the News while keeping the dominant position of the Tribune in the state. Without this agreement the Deseret News may have fallen into ruin after a failed subscription promotional effort. The agreement also allowed the Tribune to sell its lackluster afternoon paper, the Salt Lake Telegram to the News, which was then an evening paper. The Telegram promptly ceased publication.
There was much confusion early on; many people confused joint presses with joint newsrooms. Adding to this confusion, beginning in 1952 the Deseret News stopped printing a Sunday edition. News subscribers would receive a Sunday copy of the Tribune instead.
The NAC was the subject of congressional
antitrust
investigations during the 1960s, but in 1970 Richard Nixon
signed the Newspaper Preservation Act, protecting the NAC.
The JOA was renewed in 1982. The agreement negotiated between publishers Wendell J. Ashton
of the Deseret News and John W. Gallivan
of The Salt Lake Tribune, allowed the Deseret News to print a Sunday paper again. The new agreement is in effect until 2012.
In a move thought to be an embrace of the "convergence" of newspaper, radio, television and the Internet, NAC is planning to change its name to "Media One," thereby ridding itself of the notion that it is solely dedicated to the production of only newspapers. However the confusion carried over from the NAC still exists with most advertisers and subscribers alike.
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
, delivery and advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
company jointly owned by the Deseret Morning News
Deseret Morning News
The Deseret News is a newspaper published in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is Utah's oldest continuously published daily newspaper. It has the second largest daily circulation in the state behind The Salt Lake Tribune. The Deseret News is owned by Deseret News Publishing Company, a subsidiary of...
and The Salt Lake Tribune
The Salt Lake Tribune
The Salt Lake Tribune is the largest-circulated daily newspaper in the U.S. city of Salt Lake City. It is distributed by Newspaper Agency Corporation, which also distributes the Deseret News. The Tribune — or "Trib," as it is locally known — is currently owned by the Denver-based MediaNews Group....
, the two major daily newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
.
History
Starting in 1948 long-time rivals the Deseret News and The Salt Lake Tribune, along with several newspapers in the country, were experiencing financial troubles. The News had begun an aggressive plan to win new subscribers, including improving content as well as offering prizes to new readers. The Deseret News had been floundering for years while The Salt Lake Tribune controlled market share, although the Tribune still felt economic pressure. Rising printing costs also contributed to this decline.In 1952 the two papers worked out a 30-year agreement, known as the Joint Operating Agreement (JOA). The agreement, founding the NAC, combined the expenses of press
Printing press
A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium , thereby transferring the ink...
, advertising, circulation and mechanical departments, while still maintaining separate newsrooms. Longtime Tribune publisher John F. Fitzpatrick
John F. Fitzpatrick (publisher)
John Francis Fitzpatrick was the publisher of The Salt Lake Tribune from 1924 to 1960. He created the Newspaper Agency Corporation in 1952.- Early life :...
was the architect of the NAC. He approached his friend and LDS President David O. McKay
David O. McKay
David Oman McKay was the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1951 until his death. Ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was a general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church...
with the idea. Fitzpatrick's brainchild, the JOA would ensure the continuation of the News while keeping the dominant position of the Tribune in the state. Without this agreement the Deseret News may have fallen into ruin after a failed subscription promotional effort. The agreement also allowed the Tribune to sell its lackluster afternoon paper, the Salt Lake Telegram to the News, which was then an evening paper. The Telegram promptly ceased publication.
There was much confusion early on; many people confused joint presses with joint newsrooms. Adding to this confusion, beginning in 1952 the Deseret News stopped printing a Sunday edition. News subscribers would receive a Sunday copy of the Tribune instead.
The NAC was the subject of congressional
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
antitrust
Antitrust
The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace. These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both,...
investigations during the 1960s, but in 1970 Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
signed the Newspaper Preservation Act, protecting the NAC.
The JOA was renewed in 1982. The agreement negotiated between publishers Wendell J. Ashton
Wendell J. Ashton
Wendell J. Ashton was the publisher of the Deseret News and the head of the Public Communications Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was a brother of church Apostle Marvin J. Ashton.-Biography:Ashton was a graduate of LDS High School in Salt Lake City, Utah...
of the Deseret News and John W. Gallivan
John W. Gallivan
John W. Gallivan is an American newspaper publisher, cable television pioneer, and civic leader. A major figure in the promotion and development of Salt Lake City and Utah's ski industry, he was instrumental in starting the campaign to bring the 2002 Olympic Winter Games to Salt Lake City...
of The Salt Lake Tribune, allowed the Deseret News to print a Sunday paper again. The new agreement is in effect until 2012.
In a move thought to be an embrace of the "convergence" of newspaper, radio, television and the Internet, NAC is planning to change its name to "Media One," thereby ridding itself of the notion that it is solely dedicated to the production of only newspapers. However the confusion carried over from the NAC still exists with most advertisers and subscribers alike.