Star Tribune
Encyclopedia
The Star Tribune is the largest newspaper
in the U.S. state
of Minnesota
and is published seven days each week in an edition for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area
. A statewide version is also available across Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin
, Iowa
, South Dakota
, and North Dakota
. The paper's largest competitor is the St. Paul
-based Pioneer Press
, though it competes with a number of other papers in its wide circulation area.
Today's Star Tribune is the product of the merger in 1982 between the Minneapolis Star, an evening newspaper, and the Minneapolis Tribune, a morning newspaper published by the same company.
Several earlier mergers preceded that one by many years, as outlined below. The Minneapolis Tribune was founded in 1867, and operated by the Murphy family between 1891 and 1941. The Minneapolis Journal was founded in 1878 as an evening paper.
The Minneapolis Times was a morning paper starting in 1889; it was purchased by the Tribune in 1905 and its name was used in various forms until 1948. Finally the Minnesota Daily Star began printing in 1920, and later became the Minneapolis Star, distributed in the evening.
The Cowles family bought the Star in 1935 and the Journal in 1939 and the two were merged into the Star-Journal, soon truncated to Star. The Cowles family bought the Tribune in 1941. The papers were operated as separate morning and evening papers. In 1944, John Cowles, Sr. hired William P. Steven
, a Wisconsin
native and former editor of the Tulsa Tribune
, as managing editor of the two papers. Steven was named vice president and executive editor in 1954.
During his tenure in Minneapolis, he served one term as president of the Associated Press Managing Editors Association in 1949 and became first chairman of the organization's Continuing Studies Committee. By August 1960, John Cowles, Jr. had been named vice president and associate editor of the two papers. It was soon apparent that he disapproved of Steven's hard-nosed approach to journalism. He told Steven that he would be the person clearing Steven's orders. When Steven balked, the younger Cowles fired him.
In 1982, the papers were merged into the Minneapolis Star and Tribune, and in 1987 adopted the present name Star Tribune and the slogan "Newspaper of the Twin Cities". In 1998 The McClatchy Company
purchased Cowles Media Company
and sold off its other holdings, keeping the Star Tribune.
In 1987, the paper had separate Minneapolis, St. Paul, and statewide editions but today it has two editions: a Minneapolis-St. Paul metro-area edition, and a Midwest
edition covering news throughout Minnesota and parts of surrounding states.
On December 26, 2006 McClatchy Co sold the paper to private-equity firm Avista Capital Partners
for $530 million, less than half of what McClatchy paid for the paper in 1998, when it bought the Star Tribune from Cowles Media for $1.2 billion.
In March 2007 Par Ridder was named Publisher of the Star Tribune, after his predecessor, J. Keith Moyer, decided to leave the newspaper after the sale. Ridder resigned on December 7, 2007. Ridder is a member of the Ridder family that had owned Knight-Ridder, the publishers of several newspapers including the (rival) Saint Paul Pioneer Press. Ridder's arrival resulted in considerable litigation when it was discovered that he had stolen a hard drive which was Pioneer Press property. This hard drive was laden with information about employees and advertisers which the Pioneer Press characterized as "trade secrets". Ridder also took two high-ranking staff members with him to the Minneapolis paper, which raised eyebrows as the employees in these roles usually have non-compete clauses in their contracts (which prohibit their employment with rival papers for a period of time specified under their employment agreement). On September 18, 2007, Ridder was removed from his new post by a Ramsey County judge.
On January 15, 2009, as the nation's 15th largest daily paper, the paper filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
On September 17, 2009 the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York approved a Bankruptcy plan for the paper which saw it emerge from bankruptcy protection on Sept. 28. The paper’s senior secured lenders took hold of approximately 95 percent of the stock in the post-bankruptcy company.
Having emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the newspaper’s former ownership group, led by New York City-based Avista Capital Partners, has no stake in the company.
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...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
and is published seven days each week in an edition for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
. A statewide version is also available across Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, and North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. The paper's largest competitor is the St. Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
-based Pioneer Press
St. Paul Pioneer Press
The St. Paul Pioneer Press is a newspaper based in St. Paul, Minnesota, primarily serving the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Circulation is heaviest in the eastern metro region, including Ramsey, Dakota, and Washington counties, along with western Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota and Anoka County,...
, though it competes with a number of other papers in its wide circulation area.
History
Several earlier mergers preceded that one by many years, as outlined below. The Minneapolis Tribune was founded in 1867, and operated by the Murphy family between 1891 and 1941. The Minneapolis Journal was founded in 1878 as an evening paper.
The Minneapolis Times was a morning paper starting in 1889; it was purchased by the Tribune in 1905 and its name was used in various forms until 1948. Finally the Minnesota Daily Star began printing in 1920, and later became the Minneapolis Star, distributed in the evening.
William P. Steven
William Pickford Steven was a noted American newspaper executive. A native of Eau Claire, Wisconsin he graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in journalism. In 1930, he became a reporter for the Tulsa Tribune, where he was promoted to managing editor in 1937. During World War...
, a Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
native and former editor of the Tulsa Tribune
Tulsa Tribune
The Tulsa Tribune was an afternoon daily newspaper published in Tulsa, Oklahoma from 1919 to 1992. Owned and run by three generations of the Jones family, the Tribune closed in 1992 after the termination of its joint operating agreement with the morning Tulsa World.-Antecedents:In 1895, a group of...
, as managing editor of the two papers. Steven was named vice president and executive editor in 1954.
During his tenure in Minneapolis, he served one term as president of the Associated Press Managing Editors Association in 1949 and became first chairman of the organization's Continuing Studies Committee. By August 1960, John Cowles, Jr. had been named vice president and associate editor of the two papers. It was soon apparent that he disapproved of Steven's hard-nosed approach to journalism. He told Steven that he would be the person clearing Steven's orders. When Steven balked, the younger Cowles fired him.
In 1982, the papers were merged into the Minneapolis Star and Tribune, and in 1987 adopted the present name Star Tribune and the slogan "Newspaper of the Twin Cities". In 1998 The McClatchy Company
The McClatchy Company
The McClatchy Company is a publicly traded American publishing company based in Sacramento, California. It operates 30 daily newspapers in 15 states and has an average weekday circulation of 2.2 million and Sunday circulation of 2.8 million...
purchased Cowles Media Company
Cowles Media Company
Cowles Media Company was a newspaper, magazine and information publishing company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the United States. The company operated Cowles Business Media, Cowles Creative Publishing and Cowles Enthusiast Media units. The McClatchy Company purchased Cowles Media in 1998...
and sold off its other holdings, keeping the Star Tribune.
In 1987, the paper had separate Minneapolis, St. Paul, and statewide editions but today it has two editions: a Minneapolis-St. Paul metro-area edition, and a Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
edition covering news throughout Minnesota and parts of surrounding states.
On December 26, 2006 McClatchy Co sold the paper to private-equity firm Avista Capital Partners
Avista Capital Partners
Avista Capital Partners is a private equity firm focused on growth capital and leveraged buyout investments in middle-market companies in the energy, healthcare and media sectors....
for $530 million, less than half of what McClatchy paid for the paper in 1998, when it bought the Star Tribune from Cowles Media for $1.2 billion.
In March 2007 Par Ridder was named Publisher of the Star Tribune, after his predecessor, J. Keith Moyer, decided to leave the newspaper after the sale. Ridder resigned on December 7, 2007. Ridder is a member of the Ridder family that had owned Knight-Ridder, the publishers of several newspapers including the (rival) Saint Paul Pioneer Press. Ridder's arrival resulted in considerable litigation when it was discovered that he had stolen a hard drive which was Pioneer Press property. This hard drive was laden with information about employees and advertisers which the Pioneer Press characterized as "trade secrets". Ridder also took two high-ranking staff members with him to the Minneapolis paper, which raised eyebrows as the employees in these roles usually have non-compete clauses in their contracts (which prohibit their employment with rival papers for a period of time specified under their employment agreement). On September 18, 2007, Ridder was removed from his new post by a Ramsey County judge.
On January 15, 2009, as the nation's 15th largest daily paper, the paper filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
On September 17, 2009 the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York approved a Bankruptcy plan for the paper which saw it emerge from bankruptcy protection on Sept. 28. The paper’s senior secured lenders took hold of approximately 95 percent of the stock in the post-bankruptcy company.
Management
Michael J. Klingensmith is publisher and CEO of Star Tribune Media Company LLC with overall responsibility for all news and business operations of the company.Having emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the newspaper’s former ownership group, led by New York City-based Avista Capital Partners, has no stake in the company.
See also
- City PagesCity PagesCity Pages is an alternative weekly newspaper serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. It features news, film, theatre and restaurant reviews, and music criticism. It is printed in a tabloid format, and is available free every Wednesday...
- The Minnesota DailyMinnesota DailyThe Minnesota Daily is the campus newspaper of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, published Monday-Thursday while school is in session, and published weekly on Wednesdays during summer sessions. Published since 1900, the paper is one of the largest student-run and student-written newspapers...
- MinnPost.comMinnPost.comMinnPost.com also known as MinnPost is a non-profit news website in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with a focus on Minnesota news. Its mission is "to provide high-quality journalism for news-intense people who care about Minnesota."...
- Pioneer PressSt. Paul Pioneer PressThe St. Paul Pioneer Press is a newspaper based in St. Paul, Minnesota, primarily serving the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Circulation is heaviest in the eastern metro region, including Ramsey, Dakota, and Washington counties, along with western Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota and Anoka County,...
- Jim KlobucharJim KlobucharJim Klobuchar is a Minnesota journalist, author, and travel guide. He wrote for the Star Tribune in Minneapolis for three decades, and now writes an occasional column for the Christian Science Monitor. He is the father of Senator Amy Klobuchar....
- Minneapolis Star-Tribune columnist and father of U.S. Senator Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharAmy Jean Klobuchar is the senior United States Senator from Minnesota. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, an affiliate of the Democratic Party...
, D-MN - Sid HartmanSid HartmanSid Hartman is an American sports journalist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the WCCO 830 AM radio station.-Background and early career:A high-school dropout, Hartman received no formal writing training...
- Minneapolis Star-Tribune sportswriter - Katherine KerstenKatherine KerstenKatherine Kersten is a conservative columnist who writes for the Minneapolis Star Tribune.-Background:Kersten, a graduate of Notre Dame and Yale universities, began her career as a financial analyst for a Chicago bank. Subsequently, she worked as a budget planner for the University of...
External links
Additional Resources
- A collection of survey data and statistics used to produce the Metro Poll and the Minnesota Poll for the Minneapolis Star and Tribune Company is available for research use at the Minnesota Historical Society.