Spokesman-Review
Encyclopedia
The Spokesman-Review is a daily broadsheet
newspaper
based in Spokane, Washington
, where it is the city's only daily publication. It has the third highest readership among daily newspapers in Washington, with most of its readership base in Eastern Washington
and North Idaho
.
edition and an Idaho edition covering northern Idaho
. After a large downsizing of the newsroom staff in November 2007 the paper moved to a single zoned edition emphasizing localized "Voices" sections staffed primarily by non-union employees.
Despite its hometown feel, The Spokesman-Review has been known to take a moderate-to-liberal stance when it comes to opinions ranging from tackling city hall to hate groups in the region. Those (hate) groups have threatened to attack the paper, and at times have made good on that promise. In 1997 three extreme-right
militant
s were tried and eventually convicted of bombing the office of The Spokesman-Review as well as an abortion clinic (see Citizens Rule Book).
The Spokesman-Review is also one of the few remaining family-owned newspapers in the United States
. It is owned by Cowles Publishing Company
, which also owns KHQ-TV/Spokane and The KHQ Television Group
. While the newspaper wins awards, it is also burdened with local critics and activists who suspect the Cowles family of using their alleged vast local media influence to sway public opinion. In particular a (1997–2004) issue regarding a public private partnership wherein the Cowles family may have profited, some claim, up to $20 million. This is referred to as the "River Park Square
Parking Garage" issue. The newspaper underwent an independent review by the Washington News Council
regarding its River Park Square coverage, and was found to be at fault for its news bias.
In 2004 Spokane mayor James E. West
became the target of a sting operation
conducted by The Spokesman-Review. Some journalists and academics criticized the paper for what they saw as a form of entrapment. West was later cleared of criminal charges by the FBI
, but not before the mayor lost a recall
vote by the citizens of Spokane in December 2005. In the summer of 2006, West died of cancer (see (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/hiddenlife/view/).
According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, as reported in the Puget Sound Business Journal April 29, 2010, the newspaper's average Sunday circulation totaled 95,939. Weekly circulation averaged 76,291. That represented a year-over-year decrease of about 10.5 percent; a trend widely reflected during the same year in newspapers throughout Washington state. With the demise of the print edition of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
, The Spokesman-Review is the state's third-largest paper, after the Seattle Times and the News-Tribune of Tacoma.
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
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...
based in Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, where it is the city's only daily publication. It has the third highest readership among daily newspapers in Washington, with most of its readership base in Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington is the portion of the U.S. state of Washington east of the Cascade Range. The region contains the city of Spokane , the Tri-Cities, the Columbia River and the Grand Coulee Dam, the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and the fertile farmlands of the Yakima Valley and the...
and North Idaho
Idaho Panhandle
The Idaho Panhandle is the northern region of the U.S. State of Idaho that encompasses the ten northernmost counties of Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce, Shoshone. Residents of the panhandle refer to the region as North Idaho...
.
History
The Spokesman-Review was formed from the merger of the Spokane Falls Review (1883–1894) and the Spokesman (1890–1893) in 1893 and was first published under the present name on June 29, 1894. It later absorbed the competing afternoon paper the Spokane Chronicle. The newspaper formerly published three editions, a metro edition covering Spokane and the outlying areas, a Spokane ValleySpokane Valley, Washington
Spokane Valley is an incorporated city in Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is located east of Spokane and west of Coeur d'Alene. It surrounds the town of Millwood on three sides...
edition and an Idaho edition covering northern Idaho
Idaho Panhandle
The Idaho Panhandle is the northern region of the U.S. State of Idaho that encompasses the ten northernmost counties of Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce, Shoshone. Residents of the panhandle refer to the region as North Idaho...
. After a large downsizing of the newsroom staff in November 2007 the paper moved to a single zoned edition emphasizing localized "Voices" sections staffed primarily by non-union employees.
Despite its hometown feel, The Spokesman-Review has been known to take a moderate-to-liberal stance when it comes to opinions ranging from tackling city hall to hate groups in the region. Those (hate) groups have threatened to attack the paper, and at times have made good on that promise. In 1997 three extreme-right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
militant
Militant
The word militant, which is both an adjective and a noun, usually is used to mean vigorously active, combative and aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in 'militant reformers'. It comes from the 15th century Latin "militare" meaning "to serve as a soldier"...
s were tried and eventually convicted of bombing the office of The Spokesman-Review as well as an abortion clinic (see Citizens Rule Book).
The Spokesman-Review is also one of the few remaining family-owned newspapers in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is owned by Cowles Publishing Company
Cowles Publishing Company
Cowles Publishing Company, sometimes shortened to Cowles Company, is a newspaper publisher and diversified company in Spokane, Washington in the United States. Cowles Publishing owns and operates the The Spokesman-Review newspaper in Spokane founded in 1894...
, which also owns KHQ-TV/Spokane and The KHQ Television Group
The KHQ Television Group
The KHQ Television Group is a television broadcasting group based in Spokane, Washington and is a subsidiary of Cowles Publishing Company, also of Spokane, which owns television stations KION, KKFX, and KCOY in southern California. Cowles also owns The Spokesman-Review.KHQ, Inc...
. While the newspaper wins awards, it is also burdened with local critics and activists who suspect the Cowles family of using their alleged vast local media influence to sway public opinion. In particular a (1997–2004) issue regarding a public private partnership wherein the Cowles family may have profited, some claim, up to $20 million. This is referred to as the "River Park Square
River Park Square
River Park Square is a $110 million shopping mall and entertainment complex in Spokane, Washington. The mall opened in 1999 using public and private funds in an effort to revitalize downtown Spokane. It is owned by the Cowles family....
Parking Garage" issue. The newspaper underwent an independent review by the Washington News Council
News council
A news council is an organization set up to look into complaints about journalism, such as inaccuracy and bias. The methods that are used vary substantially from one country to another.- News councils in Britain :...
regarding its River Park Square coverage, and was found to be at fault for its news bias.
In 2004 Spokane mayor James E. West
James E. West (politician)
James Elton "Jim" West was an American politician. In 2005, while Mayor of Spokane, Washington, he was the target of allegations of the sexual abuse of boys twenty years earlier. These allegations became public after West became a target of a sting operation conducted by his hometown newspaper,...
became the target of a sting operation
Sting operation
In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person committing a crime. A typical sting will have a law-enforcement officer or cooperative member of the public play a role as criminal partner or potential victim and go along with a suspect's actions to gather...
conducted by The Spokesman-Review. Some journalists and academics criticized the paper for what they saw as a form of entrapment. West was later cleared of criminal charges by the FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
, but not before the mayor lost a recall
Recall election
A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended...
vote by the citizens of Spokane in December 2005. In the summer of 2006, West died of cancer (see (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/hiddenlife/view/).
According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, as reported in the Puget Sound Business Journal April 29, 2010, the newspaper's average Sunday circulation totaled 95,939. Weekly circulation averaged 76,291. That represented a year-over-year decrease of about 10.5 percent; a trend widely reflected during the same year in newspapers throughout Washington state. With the demise of the print edition of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is an online newspaper and former print newspaper covering Seattle, Washington, United States, and the surrounding metropolitan area...
, The Spokesman-Review is the state's third-largest paper, after the Seattle Times and the News-Tribune of Tacoma.