William Dean Singleton
Encyclopedia
William Dean Singleton is an American newspaper executive. He is the chairman of the board of directors of the Associated Press
, on which he has sat since 1999. He is also the founder, vice chairman and chief executive officer of MediaNews Group
, the fourth-largest newspaper company in the United States
in terms of circulation, with 53 daily papers totaling 2.7 million subscriptions daily and 3 million on Sunday. Additionally, he has been publisher of a number of MediaNews' dailies, including the Denver Post, the Salt Lake Tribune and the Detroit News.
. He began his newspaper career at the age of 15 as a part-time reporter in Graham and bought his first newspaper at age 21.
Singleton has built his newspaper company through the acquisition of newspapers frequently on the edge of closure. Some of his newspapers, such as the Fort Worth Press and the Houston Post
, had to be closed. Other newspapers—the Denver Post and the Oakland Tribune—became more successful under his ownership, through centralizing the news bureaus to increase efficiency.
Singleton was a pioneer in "clustering"—developing groups of newspapers that centralized a variety of functions, including production, ad sales, business operations and, in some cases, editorial. An example of this was the Alameda Newspaper Group in suburban San Francisco, where in the mid-1990s, a central newsroom in Pleasanton, California
, did all the copy editing, layout and page makeup for five daily papers. Upon acquiring the diverse group of papers, Singleton consolidated several news sections (such as sports and features) to one local office away in order to streamline work.
He was also a pioneer at developing pooled-asset partnerships. Among the first were papers in California, which included papers from Gannett Co. Inc., Stephens Media Group and MediaNews. Singleton's company contributed Los Angeles Daily News
and the ANG operation, as well as other papers, while Stephens contributed papers such as the Vallejo Times Herald
and the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
of Ontario. A year after forming the partnership, the duo allowed Gannett to enter, with its contributions including the San Bernardino Sun and the Marin Independent Journal
. The partnership is known as the "California Newspapers Partnership". MediaNews has entered into similar partnerships in Texas and Pennsylvania with Gannett and in Colorado with The E.W. Scripps Company.
In the late 1990s, Singleton began focusing less on consolidating news rooms and put more focus on the quality of news rooms. He lured Gregory Moore, the former assistant managing editor of the Boston Globe, to the Denver Post and together the two worked to improve the paper's journalism.
Singleton's empire began rapid growth in the early part of the 21st century, when he acquired in rapid succession daily newspapers in Salt Lake City, Detroit, St. Paul, Minnesota, and San Jose, California
.
Singleton served on the board of the Newspaper Association of America
from 1993 until 2004 and is the former board chairman. He is on several boards in Colorado
, including The Helen G. Bonfils Foundation, The Denver Center for the Performing Arts
, the Winter Park Recreational Association Board, and the Rocky Mountain Multiple Sclerosis Center, the National Sports Center for the Disabled. In addition, he is a former member of the board of trustees for University of Denver
.
He is married to the former Adrienne Casale of Fairfield, New Jersey
. They have three children, William, Paige, and Adam.
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...
, on which he has sat since 1999. He is also the founder, vice chairman and chief executive officer of 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 fourth-largest newspaper company in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in terms of circulation, with 53 daily papers totaling 2.7 million subscriptions daily and 3 million on Sunday. Additionally, he has been publisher of a number of MediaNews' dailies, including the Denver Post, the Salt Lake Tribune and the Detroit News.
Biography
Singleton was born in Graham, TexasGraham, Texas
Graham is a city in north central Texas. It is the county seat of Young County, and as of the 2010 Census had a population of 8,903.-History:...
. He began his newspaper career at the age of 15 as a part-time reporter in Graham and bought his first newspaper at age 21.
Singleton has built his newspaper company through the acquisition of newspapers frequently on the edge of closure. Some of his newspapers, such as the Fort Worth Press and the Houston Post
Houston Post
The Houston Post was a newspaper that had its headquarters in Houston, Texas, United States. In 1995, the newspaper was absorbed into the Houston Chronicle.-History:The newspaper was established on February 19, 1880, by Gail Borden Johnson...
, had to be closed. Other newspapers—the Denver Post and the Oakland Tribune—became more successful under his ownership, through centralizing the news bureaus to increase efficiency.
Singleton was a pioneer in "clustering"—developing groups of newspapers that centralized a variety of functions, including production, ad sales, business operations and, in some cases, editorial. An example of this was the Alameda Newspaper Group in suburban San Francisco, where in the mid-1990s, a central newsroom in Pleasanton, California
Pleasanton, California
Pleasanton is a city in Alameda County, California, incorporated in 1894. It is a suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area located about east of Oakland, and west of Livermore. The population was 70,285 at the 2010 census. In 2005 and 2007, Pleasanton was ranked the wealthiest middle-sized city in...
, did all the copy editing, layout and page makeup for five daily papers. Upon acquiring the diverse group of papers, Singleton consolidated several news sections (such as sports and features) to one local office away in order to streamline work.
He was also a pioneer at developing pooled-asset partnerships. Among the first were papers in California, which included papers from Gannett Co. Inc., Stephens Media Group and MediaNews. Singleton's company contributed Los Angeles Daily News
Los Angeles Daily News
The Los Angeles Daily News is the second-largest circulating daily newspaper of Los Angeles, California. It is the flagship of the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, a branch of Colorado-based MediaNews Group....
and the ANG operation, as well as other papers, while Stephens contributed papers such as the Vallejo Times Herald
Vallejo Times Herald
The Vallejo Times Herald is a newspaper in the town of Vallejo, California. Luther Gibson founded the Vallejo Herald in 1922. Later that year, he purchased the Vallejo Times and merged the papers. He owned the paper until 1974, when he sold it to the Donrey Media Group. It is now owned by MediaNews...
and the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin is a daily newspaper based in Ontario, California and serving the San Bernardino Valley region. The Daily Bulletin is a member of the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, a division of MediaNews Group....
of Ontario. A year after forming the partnership, the duo allowed Gannett to enter, with its contributions including the San Bernardino Sun and the Marin Independent Journal
Marin Independent Journal
The Marin Independent Journal is the main newspaper of Marin County, California. The paper is owned by California Newspapers Partnership which is in turn mostly owned by MediaNews Group.-History:...
. The partnership is known as the "California Newspapers Partnership". MediaNews has entered into similar partnerships in Texas and Pennsylvania with Gannett and in Colorado with The E.W. Scripps Company.
In the late 1990s, Singleton began focusing less on consolidating news rooms and put more focus on the quality of news rooms. He lured Gregory Moore, the former assistant managing editor of the Boston Globe, to the Denver Post and together the two worked to improve the paper's journalism.
Singleton's empire began rapid growth in the early part of the 21st century, when he acquired in rapid succession daily newspapers in Salt Lake City, Detroit, St. Paul, Minnesota, and San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
.
Singleton served on the board of the Newspaper Association of America
Newspaper Association of America
The Newspaper Association of America is a trade association representing approximately 2000 newspapers in the United States and Canada. Member newspapers represented by the NAA include large daily papers, non-daily and small-market publications, as well as digital and multiplatform...
from 1993 until 2004 and is the former board chairman. He is on several boards in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, including The Helen G. Bonfils Foundation, The Denver Center for the Performing Arts
Denver Center for the Performing Arts
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts ' is an organization in Denver, Colorado which provides a showcase for live theatre, a nurturing ground for new plays, a preferred stop on the Broadway touring circuit, a graduate-level training school for actors, acting classes for the community and rental...
, the Winter Park Recreational Association Board, and the Rocky Mountain Multiple Sclerosis Center, the National Sports Center for the Disabled. In addition, he is a former member of the board of trustees for University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
.
He is married to the former Adrienne Casale of Fairfield, New Jersey
Fairfield, New Jersey
Fairfield is a township in far northwestern Essex County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 7,466. Fairfield is the least densely populated town in Essex County....
. They have three children, William, Paige, and Adam.