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In September of 1998, the paper launched Tennessean.com, its news and information [[website]].
In September of 1998, the paper launched Tennessean.com, its news and information [[website]].


Among the notable journalists who have worked for ''The Tennessean'' are Vice President [[Al Gore]] and his wife [[Tipper Gore|Tipper]], [[Pulitzer Prize]] winning author [[David Halberstam]], columnist/author [[Larry Woody]] and cartoonist [[Anthony Wright (cartoonist)|Anthony Wright]].
Among the notable journalists who have worked for ''The Tennessean'' are Vice President [[Al Gore]] and his wife [[Tipper Gore|Tipper]], [[Pulitzer Prize]] winning author [[David Halberstam]], and cartoonist [[Anthony Wright (cartoonist)|Anthony Wright]].


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 18:32, 20 April 2008

The Tennessean
The July 27, 2005 front page of
The Tennessean
TypeDaily newspaper
FormatBroadsheet
Owner(s)Gannett Company
PublisherEllen Leifeld
EditorMark Silverman
Founded1907
Headquarters1100 Broadway
Nashville, Tennessee 32703
 United States
Circulation174,073 Daily
232,334 Sunday[1]
WebsiteTennessean.com
This article is about the newspaper. For other uses, see Tennessean.

The Tennessean is the principal daily newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, with a circulation area covering 39 counties in Middle Tennessee and eight counties in southern Kentucky.

As of November 2, 2005, the paper reported daily circulation of 177,714; Saturday circulation of 199,489 and Sunday circulation of 250,575. These values were lower than Audit Bureau of Circulations figures for late 2004, which listed circulation as 199,366, 199,366 and 271,849, respectively.

It is owned by the Gannett Corporation, and is affiliated with several smaller community newspapers in Middle Tennessee, including the Dickson Herald, the Gallatin News-Examiner, the Hendersonville Star-News, the Fairview Observer, and the Ashland City Times. Its circulation area also overlaps those of the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle and the Murfreesboro Daily News-Journal, two other independent Gannett papers.

The company publishes several specialty publications including the Nashville Record, All The Rage (a weekly, entertainment-oriented publication), and Nashville Lifestyles magazine. It publishes Davidson AM, Williamson AM, and Rutherford AM, local supplements covering these counties.

The paper's primary print competitors are the daily The City Paper, the weekly Nashville Scene and the Nashville Business Journal. In 2004 Gannett announced the acquisition of the Franklin Review-Appeal, and the Murfreesboro Daily News-Journal from Morris Multimedia. The Review-Appeal became a supplement of The Tennessean, while the Daily News Journal continued to operate as an independent newspaper.

The paper maintains two Goss Colorliner presses. In 2002, the paper completed installation of a MAN Roland UNISET press, which is now used to print regional editions of USA Today, as well as commercial printing jobs.

Ellen Leifeld was named as publisher in September 2005, succeeding Leslie Giallombardo, who became the newspaper's first female publisher in April 2002.

Frank Sutherland served as editor of the newspaper for most of the last decade.[when?] He began his journalism career as a reporter at the paper in the 1960s, and returned as editor after a serving in several leadership positions at other newspapers. He announced his retirement in September of 2004, and was briefly succeeded by Everett J. Mitchell II, the former managing editor of the Detroit News, who was the first African American to be editor of The Tennessean. Mark Silverman was announced as editor September 18, 2006.

History

The Tennessean, Nashville's primary daily newspaper, traces its roots back to the Nashville Whig, a weekly paper that began publication on September 1, 1812. The paper is involved in various mergers and acquisitions throughout the 19th century, eventually emerging as the Nashville American.

The first issue of the Nashville Tennessean was printed on Sunday May 12, 1907. The paper was founded by Col. Luke Lea, a 28-year-old attorney and local political activist.

In 1910, the publishers purchased a controlling interest in the Nashville American, and began publishing an edition known as The Tennessean American. The American formally folded in 1911, with some of its employees banding together to found the Nashville Democrat. This paper was purchased by the Tennessean in 1913.

In 1931, Col. Luke Lea and his son Luke Lea Jr. were indicted for their role in the failure of the Central Bank and Trust Co. of Asheville, North Carolina. On March 3, 1933, the newspaper was placed under federal receivership, and Ashland City attorney and former Tennessean editorial writer Littleton J. Pardue was appointed to direct the paper. Under his leadership circulation grew swiftly, but the newspaper continued to lose money.

In 1935, the Reconstruction Finance Corporation acquired a large portion of the paper's outstanding bonds, which it eventually sold to Paul Davis, president of the First American National Bank of Nashville.

The paper was sold at auction in 1937, and was purchased for $850,000 by Silliman Evans, Sr. a former reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Evans came to an agreement with Nashville Banner publisher James Stahlman to move both newspapers into new offices at 1100 Broadway, and to create the Newspaper Printing Corporation as a business agent for both papers. As part of this agreement, the Tennessean ceased publication of its evening editions, and the Banner ceased publication of its Sunday edition. The two newspapers maintained a joint operating agreement from 1937 until the Banner ceased publication February 20, 1998. The two papers operated out of the same building and shared advertising and production staff, but maintained separate (and very distinct) ownership and editorial voices.

On June 2, 1955, Silliman Evans Jr. was named president of the paper. After his father died unexpectedly of a heart attack on June 26, the board of the paper elected him publisher, and he became president of the Newspaper Printing Corporation in August.

In 1957, Tennessean cartoonist Tom Little won a Pulitzer Prize for his cartoon encouraging parents to have their children immunized against polio.

In 1961, Silliman Evans Jr. died of a heart attack at age 36 while on his boat on Old Hickory Lake. Ownership of the newspaper passed to his mother, and several months later his brother Amon Carter Evans was named Chief Executive of the paper.

Tennessean reporters Nat Caldwell and Gene Graham won a Pulitzer Prize in 1962 "[f]or their exclusive disclosure and six years of detailed reporting, under great difficulties, of the undercover cooperation between management interests in the coal industry and the United Mine Workers." In the same year, John Seigenthaler Sr. was named editor of the newspaper. He would earn the additional title of publisher in 1973.

In 1972, the Gannett Corporation purchased the Nashville Banner from the Stahlman family. In 1979, Gannett sold the Banner to a group of local investors including political figure John Jay Hooker, businessman Brownlee Currey and Franklin banker Irby Simpkins for about $25 million. It then purchased the Tennessean from the Evans family for about $50 million. John Seigenthaler became president, publisher, and editor of the Gannett-owned Tennessean.

In 1989, Frank Sutherland was named editor. He had begun his career as a reporter at the paper in 1963. Seigenthaler retired as publisher in 1991. He was replaced by Craig Moon, who held the post until he moved into a corporate position with Gannett in 2002; Moon was later named publisher of USA Today. Leslie Giallombardo was publisher from 2002 to 2005. Seigenthaler remains "Chairman Emeritus."

In September of 1998, the paper launched Tennessean.com, its news and information website.

Among the notable journalists who have worked for The Tennessean are Vice President Al Gore and his wife Tipper, Pulitzer Prize winning author David Halberstam, and cartoonist Anthony Wright.

References

  1. ^ "2007 Top 100 Daily Newspapers in the U.S. by Circulation" (PDF). BurrellesLuce. 2007-03-31. Retrieved 2007-05-29. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)