Sentinel & Enterprise
Encyclopedia
The Sentinel & Enterprise is a morning daily newspaper published in Fitchburg, Massachusetts
, with a satellite news bureau in Leominster, Massachusetts
. The newspaper covers local news in Fitchburg, Leominster and several nearby towns in northern Worcester County
and northwest Middlesex County, Massachusetts
. It is one of four Massachusetts
newspapers owned by MediaNews Group
.
The main competitors to the Sentinel & Enterprise are the county's largest daily, the Telegram & Gazette of Worcester
; on the west, The Gardner News
; and on the east, Nashoba Publishing
weeklies and The Sun of Lowell
, also owned by MediaNews.
In the 1980s, the paper was known as the Fitchburg-Leominster Sentinel & Enterprise, and published only six days a week, Monday through Saturday, in the afternoon. In the later years of this arrangement, the Saturday paper was published in the morning and called the "weekend edition." In 1990, the Sentinel & Enterprise debuted a Sunday morning edition. The weekday papers remained afternoon publications.
By 1997, the Sentinel & Enterprise had switched to seven-day morning publication. Its longtime owner, Thomson Corporation
, as part of a nationwide divestment of small-market newspapers, sold the Fitchburg paper to MediaNews. No price was released in the transaction between two private companies. Average circulation was given at the time of sale as 19,640, daily, and 20,087 on Sunday.
Following MediaNews' purchase of The Sun and Nashoba Publications weeklies covering several towns between Lowell and Leominster, the company in 2002 consolidated printing for all of these properties at a new $7 million press plant in Devens, Massachusetts. The move was said to have a beneficial effect on traffic in downtown Fitchburg and Lowell.
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,318 at the 2010 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.- History :...
, with a satellite news bureau in Leominster, Massachusetts
Leominster, Massachusetts
Leominster is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the second-largest city in Worcester County, with a population of 40,759 at the 2010 census. Leominster is located north of Worcester and west of Boston. Both Route 2 and Route 12 pass through Leominster. Interstate 190,...
. The newspaper covers local news in Fitchburg, Leominster and several nearby towns in northern Worcester County
Worcester County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:In 1990 Worcester County had a population of 709,705.As of the census of 2000, there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 496 people per square mile . There were 298,159 housing units at an average density...
and northwest Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge* Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Longfellow National Historic Site* Lowell National Historical Park* Minute Man National Historical Park* Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge...
. It is one of four Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
newspapers owned by 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...
.
The main competitors to the Sentinel & Enterprise are the county's largest daily, the Telegram & Gazette of Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
; on the west, The Gardner News
The Gardner News
The Gardner News is a family-owned daily newspaper serving seven cities and towns in northwest Worcester County, Massachusetts. In addition to the city of Gardner, where it is headquartered, it also covers the rural towns of Ashburnham, Hubbardston, Phillipston, Templeton, Westminster, and...
; and on the east, Nashoba Publishing
Nashoba Publishing
Nashoba Publishing is a weekly newspaper company in the far northwest suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts. It is operated by the Sentinel & Enterprise, which in turn is owned by MediaNews Group.- Sisters and Competitors :...
weeklies and The Sun of Lowell
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
, also owned by MediaNews.
History
Formed in 1973 by the merger of two newspapers covering adjacent cities, the daily traces its lineage back to the Fitchburg Sentinel (founded 1831) and Leominster Enterprise (1873).In the 1980s, the paper was known as the Fitchburg-Leominster Sentinel & Enterprise, and published only six days a week, Monday through Saturday, in the afternoon. In the later years of this arrangement, the Saturday paper was published in the morning and called the "weekend edition." In 1990, the Sentinel & Enterprise debuted a Sunday morning edition. The weekday papers remained afternoon publications.
By 1997, the Sentinel & Enterprise had switched to seven-day morning publication. Its longtime owner, Thomson Corporation
Thomson Corporation
The Thomson Corporation was one of the world's largest information companies.Thomson was active in financial services, healthcare sectors, law, science & technology research, and tax & accounting sectors...
, as part of a nationwide divestment of small-market newspapers, sold the Fitchburg paper to MediaNews. No price was released in the transaction between two private companies. Average circulation was given at the time of sale as 19,640, daily, and 20,087 on Sunday.
Following MediaNews' purchase of The Sun and Nashoba Publications weeklies covering several towns between Lowell and Leominster, the company in 2002 consolidated printing for all of these properties at a new $7 million press plant in Devens, Massachusetts. The move was said to have a beneficial effect on traffic in downtown Fitchburg and Lowell.