Akron Beacon Journal
{{Short description|American daily newspaper}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox newspaper
| name = Akron Beacon Journal
| image = Akron Beacon Journal front page.jpg
| caption = The March 2, 2007 front page of the
Akron Beacon Journal
| type = Daily newspaper
| format = Broadsheet
| foundation = {{start date and age|1839}} (as the Summit Beacon)
| ceased publication =
| price =
| owners = Gannett
| publisher = Bill Albrecht
| editor = Cheryl Powell
| circulation = {{unbulleted list|21,947 Daily|34,841 Sunday}}
| circulation_date = 2022
| headquarters = 388 South Main Street
Akron, Ohio
US
| ISSN =
| website = {{URL|beaconjournal.com}}
}}
The Akron Beacon Journal is a morning newspaper in Akron, Ohio, United States. Owned by Gannett, it is the sole daily newspaper in Akron and is distributed throughout Northeast Ohio. The paper's coverage focuses on local news. The Beacon Journal has won four Pulitzer Prizes: in 1968, 1971, 1987 and 1994.
History
The paper was founded with the 1897 merger of the Summit Beacon, first published in 1839, and the Akron Evening Journal, founded in 1896.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ohio.com/akron/lifestyle/beacon-journal-pulitzer-prizes|title=Akron Beacon Journal|access-date=2018-10-29|language=en}} In 1903, the Beacon Journal was purchased by Charles Landon Knight. His son John S. Knight inherited the paper, in 1933, on Charles' death. The Beacon Journal under Knight was the original and flagship newspaper of Knight Newspaper Company, later called Knight Ridder.
The McClatchy Company bought Knight Ridder in June 2006 with intentions of selling 12 Knight Ridder newspapers. On August 2, 2006, McClatchy sold the Beacon Journal to Black Press. In 2018, GateHouse Media bought the newspaper.{{Cite web|date=2018-04-11|title=Akron Beacon Journal sold to GateHouse Media|url=https://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20180411/news/157966/akron-beacon-journal-sold-gatehouse-media|access-date=2020-06-26|website=Crain's Cleveland Business|language=en}}
On November 11, 2013, the Akron Beacon Journal printed its last paper in-house. It subsequently used the presses at The Repository in Canton, Ohio,{{Cite web|date=2013-10-08|title=Beacon Journal to be printed in Canton|url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/article/20131008/NEWS/310088755|access-date=2020-06-26|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en}} also owned by GateHouse. {{As of|March 2019}} it was using the presses at The Plain Dealer in Cleveland.{{cite news|first=Bruce|last=Winges|title=Beacon Journal Editor Bids Farewell|url=https://www.ohio.com/news/20190302/beacon-journal-editor-bids-farewell|work=Akron Beacon Journal|date=March 2, 2019|access-date=March 6, 2019}}
The Akron Beacon Journal is Summit County's oldest continuously operating business.
Notable journalists
File:AkronBeaconJournalBuilding.jpg
- Herman Fetzer: better known as "Jake Falstaff" to the Akron Beacon Journal, Akron Times and Cleveland Press readers, worked as suburban reporter for the Akron Times, where in 1920 he began his column Pippins and Cheese, taking its title and his pen name from William Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor. While working at the Akron Beacon Journal, his desk sat adjacent to that of writer Josephine Van De Grift, columnist of Demi-Tasse and Mrs. Grundy..{{cite news |last1=Fetzer |first1=Herman |title=Pays Tribute To Beacon Journal Writer |work=The Akron Beacon Journal |date=Aug 22, 1927}}
- Sheldon Ocker: Covered the Cleveland Indians for the Beacon Journal. Received the 2018 J. G. Taylor Spink Award;{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/12/12/sheldon-ocker-wins-hall-of-fames-spink-award/108533076/|title=Sheldon Ocker wins Hall of Fame's Spink Award|website=USA TODAY}}{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/21747632|title=Ocker to receive Hall of Fame's Spink Award|date=12 December 2017|website=ESPN.com}} inducted him into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohio.com/akron/sports/baseball-hall-of-fame-former-beacon-journal-writer-sheldon-ocker-honored-with-j-g-taylor-spink-award|title=Baseball Hall of Fame: Former Beacon Journal writer Sheldon Ocker honored with J.G. Taylor Spink Award|last=Lewis|first=Ryan|date=2018-07-28|access-date=2019-06-12}}
- Terry Pluto: recognized as NSSA Ohio Sportswriter of the year multiple times. Wrote more than 20 books, mostly about Northeast Ohio sports.
- Josephine Van De Grift, early 20th century newspaperwoman with the Newspaper Enterprise Association and daily columnist for the Akron Beacon Journal with Demi-Tasse and Mrs. Grundy.{{cite news |last1=Van De Grift |first1=Josephine |title=New Beacon Journal Feature Of Interest To Entire Family |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/228597999/?match=1&terms=josephine%20van%20de%20grift |access-date=10 October 2023 |work=Akron Beacon Journal |agency=Newspapers.com |date=July 6, 1925|page=1}}
Awards
The paper has won four Pulitzer Prizes:{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohio.com/article/20140920/news/309209570|title=Beacon Journal Pulitzer Prizes|date=2014-09-20|website=Ohio.com (Akron Beacon Journal)|access-date=2019-06-12}}
- 1968 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing (John S. Knight) for Vietnam War weekly notebook columns
- 1971 Pulitzer Prize for General Local Reporting for coverage of Kent State Shootings
- 1987 Pulitzer Prize for General News Reporting for coverage of potential Goodyear takeover: "The Goodyear War"
- 1994 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for race relations series: "A Question of Color"
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-07-2006/0004376561&EDATE= McClatchy to Sell the Akron Beacon Journal to Black Press Ltd. (news release)]
- [https://www.newspapers.com/paper/the-akron-beacon-journal/4267/ Search Akron Beacon Journal Archive]
{{Gannett}}
{{PulitzerPrize BreakingNews 1985–2000}}
{{PulitzerPrize PublicService 1976–2000}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Daily newspapers published in the United States
Category:Newspapers published in Ohio
Category:Pulitzer Prize–winning newspapers
Category:Mass media in Akron, Ohio
Category:1839 establishments in Ohio
Category:Black Press newspapers
Category:Newspapers established in 1839