Eagle Newspapers was an American newspaper publisher serving the states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho. The company originated in 1948 when Elmo Smith purchased the Blue Mountain Eagle. He would later sell the paper but the company's name would be derived from that title. Smith served a partial term as Oregon Governor and upon his death the business was managed by his son Denny Smith, who rapidly grew it from three newspapers to nearly twenty in the span of two decades. By 1985, Eagle Newspapers publications accounted for nearly one-half of the weekly newspapers sold each week in Oregon.[1] The company sold off its last paper in 2020.
| Company type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Media |
| Founded | 1948 |
| Founder | Elmo Smith |
| Defunct | 2020 |
| Headquarters | 4901 Indian School Rd NE, Salem OR 97309-0008 |
| Revenue | $8 million (1978-79) |
| Owner | Denny Smith |
Number of employees | 350 (1980) |
| Website | eaglenewspapers |
History
editOrigins (1933 to 1968)
editThe origins of the company date back to 1933 when Elmo Smith and his wife, Dorothy, borrowed $25 to establish a mimeographed pennysaver in Ontario, Oregon.[2] In 1936, the couple bought a press and founded the Eastern Oregon Observer.[3] Smith sold the newspaper in December 1946 to Jessica Longston and Robert Pollock.[4] He used the proceeds in 1948 to purchase the Blue Mountain Eagle in John Day, Oregon.[2] That same year Smith and his friend Bill Robinson purchased The Madras Pioneer and the family business was incorporated as Blue Mountain Eagle Newspapers, Inc.[2] In 1961, the company purchased the Hood River News[2] and the Polk County Itemizer-Observer in 1964.[5] The Blue Mountain Eagle was sold In 1968 to Donna and John Moreau.[6]
Expansion (1968 to 2004)
editElmo Smith died in 1968 and the company was inherited by his son Denny Smith. At the time he worked as a pilot for Pan American Airlines and had served as a jet fighter pilot in the Vietnam War.[3] The new owner set a goal of buying 10 newspapers as a way to cut overall costs through consolidation and to create more opportunities for employees to advance.[3] BME purchased the Central Oregonian in 1969.[7] A year later the company moved its headquarters in 1970 from Dallas to Salem after a gas leak led to an explosion that destroyed its printing plant.[3] The Eagle Web Press in Salem was completed in 1971.[3]
The company acquired the Independence Enterprise-Herald and the Woodburn Independent in 1971; the Canby Herald in 1972; Goldendale Sentinel in 1974; Polk Sun of Monmouth in 1975;[3] White Salmon Enterprise,[8] Molalla Pioneer and North Willamette News in 1976;[9] and The Dalles Reminder, Sheridan Sun and Lake Oswego Review in 1978.[3]
BME purchased the Polk Sun of Monmouth in 1975 from Frank Parchman, and then merged it with the Independence Enterprise-Herald to form the Sun-Enterprise.[10] A year later BME merged operations with the owners of the North Willamette News of Aurora in 1976. The deal included the Molalla Pioneer and Wilsonville News along with the BME-owned newspapers Canby Herald and Woodburn Independent.[9]
The company's name was shortened to Eagle Newspapers, Inc. in 1979 when it merged with newspaper publishing companies in Hood River and Hermiston.[3] Eagle pooled resources with Jerry Reed, who owned the Hermiston Herald, in a stock-for-stock exchange along with Dick Nafsinger, who owned the remaining shares in Hood River News which had been operating as a subsidiary of Eagle.[11] That same year Eagle launched the free weekly Tualatin Valley Observer, which ceased after three years.[12]
In 1981,[13] Joe Blaha, who worked at Eagle, founded the West Linn Tidings.[14] That same year Eagle acquired the Idaho County Free Press [15] and sold the Sheridan Sun to its publisher.[11] In 1984, Eagle bought the Sunnyside Sun[16][17] and sold the Goldendale Sentinel to A.J. and Lynda McNab.[18] That same year Jerry Reed divested from Eagle Newspapers and regained full ownership of the Hermiston Herald.[19]
The company purchased the Newberg Graphic in 1985.[20] Also in 1985, Eagle entered into an agreement with The Guard Publishing Co., which owned The Register-Guard, to manage its five weekly newspapers in Washington County. The papers were operated by its subsidiary Times Publishing Co. and included the Valley Times in Beaverton, Tigard Times, Tualatin Times, Forest Grove News-Times and Cornelius Times.[1] In 1987, the Lake Oswego Review (which also published the Lake Oswego Review and West Linn Tidings) was merged into Times Publishing Co. and Eagle obtained part ownership of the new joint venture,[21] which was called Community Newspapers, Inc.[22] The business was sold to Steve Clark in 1996.[23]
Eagle purchased the Daily News of Sunnyside and merged it with Sunnyside Sun in 1986 to form the Daily Sun News.[24] Eagle also bought Daily Shipping News in 1995,[25] The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle in 1996,[26]and The Dalles Chronicle from Pulitzer in 1996.[27]
Sell-off (2004 to 2020)
editIn October 2004, the company sold the Camas-Washougal Post Record to The Columbian Publishing Co.[28] In January 2013, Eagle sold six newspapers in Central Oregon and the Willamette Valley to the Pamplin Media Group. The sale included the Canby Herald, Madras Pioneer, Molalla Pioneer, Newberg Graphic, Wilsonville Spokesman and Woodburn Independent.[29][30] In June 2013, Eagle also sold Pamplin the Central Oregonian and its printing facility in Prineville.[31]
In 2018, the company sold the Daily Sun News to Andy McNab, who renamed it back to the Sunnyside Sun.[32] A year later Eagle sold the Idaho County Free Press in Grangeville to the paper's publisher Sarah Klement.[33] The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle was also sold in 2019 to the paper's manager J. Louis Mullen.[26]
Due to the COVID-19 recession in the United States, Eagle Newspapers announced plans to shutter the Hood River News, The Dalles Chronicle and the White Salmon Enterprise.[34] Instead the paper's publisher Chelsea Marr purchased them in March 2020.[35] The three were combined to form the Columbia Gorge News on April 8.[36][37]
In April 2020, the company sold the Polk County Itemizer-Observer to SJ Olson Publishing, Inc.[38][39]
Newspapers formerly published by Eagle
edit| Title | Year acquired | Year sold or closed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Mountain Eagle | 1948 | 1968 | Sold to John Moreau |
| The Madras Pioneer | 1948 | 2013 | Sold to Pamplin Media Group |
| Hood River News | 1961 | 2020 | Sold to Chelsea Marr |
| Polk County Itemizer-Observer | 1964 | 2020 | Sold to Scott Olson |
| Central Oregonian | 1969 | 2013 | Sold to Pamplin Media Group |
| Woodburn Independent | 1971 | 2013 | Sold to Pamplin Media Group |
| Independence Enterprise-Herald | 1971 | 1975 | Merged with Polk Sun to form Sun-Enterprise |
| Canby Herald | 1972 | 2013 | Sold to Pamplin Media Group |
| Goldendale Sentinel | 1974 | 1984 | Sold to Andy McNab[11] |
| Polk Sun of Monmouth | 1975 | 1975 | Merged with Enterprise Herald to form Sun-Enterprise[40] |
| Sun-Enterprise | 1975 | 1992 | Merged into Polk County Itemizer-Observer[40] |
| White Salmon Enterprise | 1976 | 2020 | Sold to Chelsea Marr |
| Molalla Pioneer | 1976 | 2013 | Sold to Pamplin Media Group |
| Wilsonville News | 1976 | ||
| North Willamette News of Aurora | 1976 | ||
| The Dalles Reminder | 1978 | 1996 | Merged into The Dalles Chronicle[11] |
| Sheridan Sun | 1978 | 1981 | Sold to publisher[11] |
| Lake Oswego Review | 1978 | 1987 | Ownership transferred to Community Newspapers, Inc. |
| Hermiston Herald | 1979 | 1984 | Herald owner Jerry Reed divested from Eagle Newspapers[19] |
| Tualatin Valley Observer | 1979 | 1982 | Closed |
| Camas-Washougal Post Record | 1980s | 2004 | Sold to The Columbian Publishing Co.[28] |
| West Linn Tidings | 1981 | 1987 | Ownership transferred to Community Newspapers, Inc. |
| Idaho County Free Press | 1981 | 2018 | Sold to Sarah Klement |
| Wilsonville Spokesman | 1983 | 2013 | Sold to Pamplin Media Group |
| Sunnyside Sun | 1984 | 1986 | Merged with Daily News to form Daily Sun News[24] |
| Newberg Graphic | 1985 | 1987 | Ownership transferred to Community Newspapers, Inc. |
| Daily News of Sunnyside | 1986 | 1986 | Merged with Sunnyside Sun to form Daily Sun News[24] |
| Daily Sun News | 1986 | 2018 | Sold to Andy McNab |
| Daily Shipping News | 1995 | ||
| The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle | 1996 | 2019 | Sold to J. Louis Mullen |
| The Dalles Chronicle | 1996 | 2020 | Sold to Chelsea Marr |
| Vancouver Value Clipper | 2003[41] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Eagle to manage Times publications". The Oregonian. February 8, 1985. p. 75.
- ^ a b c d "About Us". Eagle Newspapers. Archived from the original on September 24, 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-25.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Easterling, Jerry (1980-01-20). "The Eagle is soaring: Newspaper chain undergoes rapid growth in past decade". Statesman Journal. p. 66. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ^ "Pair Purchase Ontario Newspaper". The Idaho Statesman. August 30, 1947. p. 5.
- ^ "Polk County Publisher Sells Paper". The Capital Journal. 1964-04-16. p. 16. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ^ "About Us". Blue Mountain Eagle. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ^ "Pamplin Media purchases Central Oregonian". The Madras Pioneer. 2013-07-03. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ^ "Yesteryears: The Hood River 'runs out of water' in 1976". Columbia Gorge News. 2016-07-06. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ a b "2 papers in Valley merging". Statesman Journal. 1976-09-15. p. 10. Retrieved 2024-09-15.
- ^ "Two Polk papers planning to merge". The Capital Journal. March 12, 1975. p. 1.
- ^ a b c d e Edstrom, Judy (August 15, 2012). "Eagle's 76 Years – our history – first installment". Eagle Newspapers Inc. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ^ Amick, Steve (September 21, 1982). "Weekly in Tualain ceases publication". The Oregonian. p. 39.
- ^ "West Linn Tidings". Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ^ "Joe Blaha obituary". Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ^ "Oregon chain buys Free Press weekly in Idaho County". The Idaho Statesman. July 31, 1981. p. 24.
- ^ Bagwell, Steve; Stapilus, Randy (2013). New Editions: The Northwest's newspapers as they were, are, and will be. Carlton, Oregon: Ridenbaugh Press. pp. 281–282. ISBN 978-0-945648-10-9. OCLC 861618089.
- ^ "Local group buys weekly paper". Statesman Journal. December 9, 1984. p. 52.
- ^ "About Us". Goldendale Sentinel. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ^ a b McDowell, Jade (2016-11-04). "Former Herald owner/publisher Jerry Reed has died". Hermiston Herald. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ^ "Eagle chain buys Graphic". The Oregonian. 1985-01-04. p. 56. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ^ "Oregon papers to merge". The World. December 5, 1987. p. 19.
- ^ "Media". The Oregonian. March 7, 1988. p. 36.
- ^ "Couple buys chain of community newspapers for undisclosed price". The Oregonian. 1996-10-10. p. 19. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ^ a b c "Daily Sun News to close after 32 years". Sunnyside Sun. 2020-01-09. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ "Portland's Daily Shipping News sold to Eagle Newspapers Inc". The Oregonian. September 29, 1995. p. 31.
- ^ a b "Chronicle celebrates 110 years". Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle. 2020-05-20. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ^ "Pulitzer in Paper Deals". The New York Times. Associated Press. October 2, 1996. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
- ^ a b "About The Columbian Publishing Co". The Columbian. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ^ "Pamplin Media Group acquires 6 weekly papers from Eagle Newspapers". The Oregonian. January 8, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
- ^ "Pamplin Media Group Acquires Additional News Outlets". Editor & Publisher. January 8, 2013. Archived from the original on July 4, 2018. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
- ^ Giegerich, Andy (June 27, 2013). "Pamplin group buys Prineville's Central Oregonian paper". Portland Business Journal. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
- ^ Perez, Kennia (2024-04-18). "Sunnyside Sun staff bring ownership home". Sunnyside Sun. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
- ^ Rauzi, David Rauzi (2019-12-04). "Free Press returns to local ownership under publisher, Klement". Idaho County Free Press. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ Nichols, Rodger (January 2021). "Don't Stop the Presses". Northern Wasco County PUD. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ "Chronicle under new ownership". Columbia Gorge News. 2020-03-31. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ "Commentary: Introducing the once-and-future Columbia Gorge News". Columbia Gorge News. 2020-04-08. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ "Columbia Gorge News wins state recognition". Columbia Gorge News. 2021-09-21. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
- ^ Mentzer, Emily (2020-03-31). "Eagle sells IO to Scott Olson". Polk County Itemizer-Observer. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ Barreda, Virginia. "Salem-based Eagle Newspapers Inc. sells Polk County Itemizer-Observer". Statesman Journal. Retrieved 2022-07-25.
- ^ a b Visoky, Tom (1992-12-23). "Two Polk weeklies merge today". Statesman Journal. p. 3. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ^ "Second installment of Eagle's history". Eagle Newspapers Inc. September 13, 2012. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
External links
edit- Eagle Newspapers, Inc. (official website)