50-485: The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC (formerly Philadelphia Media Network ( PMN )) is an American media company. It owns The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News . The company is owned by The Philadelphia Foundation , a nonprofit organization in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania, U.S. Philadelphia Media Network, then including the newspapers' joint web portal Philly.com , was formed and initially owned by
100-585: A libel suit against Knight Ridder, The Philadelphia Inquirer , and Inquirer editor Robert Rosenthal over comments Rosenthal made about Cipriano to The Washington Post , claiming it was difficult reporting negative stories in The Inquirer about the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia . Rosenthal later claimed that Cipriano had "a very strong personal point of view and an agenda...He could never prove (his stories)." The suit
150-476: A charter that balances public benefit alongside shareholder returns. In 2019, Philadelphia Media Network renamed Philly.com to Inquirer.com and made the Daily News an edition of The Inquirer . Philadelphia Media Network was renamed The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. In January 2020, Lisa Hughes was named publisher and CEO; she is the first female publisher of The Inquirer. This Philadelphia -related article
200-655: A contract agreement with the union representing the company's newspaper delivery drivers. Philadelphia Newspapers, represented by Lawrence G. McMichael of Dilworth Paxson LLP, challenged the right of creditors to credit bid at a bankruptcy auction. Their claim was ultimately heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit , which agreed that that credit bidding was not permitted. In September 2010, both newspapers again were placed for auction, and again Philadelphia Media Network (PMN) won
250-435: A group of Philadelphia-area business people, including Brian Tierney , PMH's chief executive. The new owners announced plans to spend US$ 5 million on advertisements and promotions to increase The Inquirer 's profile and readership. Following PMH's acquisition, The Inquirer advertising and other revenue, especially its national advertising revenue, fell considerably, and the newspaper's circulation also continued to fall. As
300-489: A group of local business leaders paid $ 55 million for the newspaper, less than 15 percent of the $ 515 million spent to buy the papers in 2006. In June 2014, PMN was sold to H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest , who appointed C.Z. "Terry" Egger as publisher and chief executive officer four months later, in October 2015. The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC (formerly Philadelphia Media Network ( PMN ))
350-475: A larger building on Chestnut Street . Following the Civil War, The Inquirer faced financial challenges, and Harding became ill. Despite Philadelphia's population growth, distribution fell from 70,000 during the Civil War to 5,000 in 1888. In 1889, the newspaper was sold to publisher James Elverson, who moved The Inquirer to a new building that included the latest printing technology. Elverson also increased
400-432: A more active role in its operations. Knight Ridder pressured The Inquirer to expand into the more profitable Philadelphia suburbs, while at the same time cutting staff and coverage of national and international stories. Some of The Inquirer 's best reporters accepted buyouts, and left for The New York Times and The Washington Post . By the late 1990s, all of the high-level editors who had worked with Roberts in
450-415: A partner three years earlier. William Harding changed the name of the newspaper to its current name, The Philadelphia Inquirer . In an attempt to increase circulation , Harding cut the price of the paper, began delivery routes and had newsboys sell papers on the street. In 1859, circulation had been around 7,000; by 1863 it had increased to 70,000. Part of the increase was due to the interest in news during
500-424: A result, the newspaper's management cut 400 jobs at The Inquirer and Daily News between 2006 and 2009. On February 21, 2009, despite cutting its operating costs, however, Philadelphia Newspapers LLC, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with the company holding approximately US$ 390 million in debt, much of which was borrowed to acquire The Inquirer and Daily News . The bankruptcy filing kicked off
550-446: A year-long dispute between Philadelphia Media Holdings and its creditors. Creditors, including banks and hedge funds , sought to take control of Philadelphia Newspapers LLC themselves and opposed efforts by Philadelphia Media Holdings to maintain control of the newspaper's operations. Philadelphia Media Holdings was supported by most of the newspaper's unions. It also launched a public relations campaign to promote its continued control of
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#1732772969788600-472: Is Elizabeth H. Hughes, and its editor is Gabriel Escobar. The Philadelphia Inquirer was founded June 1, 1829, by printer John R. Walker and John Norvell , former editor of Philadelphia's largest newspaper, the Aurora & Gazette . An editorial in the first issue of The Pennsylvania Inquirer promised that the paper would be devoted to the right of a minority to voice their opinion and "the maintenance of
650-411: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This United States media company article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . The Philadelphia Inquirer#Corporate ownership The Philadelphia Inquirer , often referred to simply as The Inquirer , is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . Founded on June 1, 1829, The Philadelphia Inquirer
700-619: Is an American media company. It owns The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News . The company is owned by The Philadelphia Foundation , a nonprofit organization in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania, U.S. Philadelphia Media Network, then including the newspapers' joint web portal Philly.com , was formed and initially owned by the creditors of Philadelphia Media Holdings (PMH), acquired out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection . The company sold its inherited community newspaper division in December 2010. A group of local investors under
750-541: Is the third-longest continuously operating daily newspaper in the United States. The newspaper has the largest circulation of any newspaper in both Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region, which includes Philadelphia and its surrounding communities in southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey , northern Delaware , and the northern Eastern Shore of Maryland . As of 2020, the newspaper has
800-525: The American Civil War . An estimated 25,000 to 30,000 copies of The Inquirer were distributed to Union Army soldiers during the war and several times the U.S. government asked The Philadelphia Inquirer to publish special editions for its soldiers. The Philadelphia Inquirer supported the Union, but Harding wanted their coverage to remain neutral. Confederate generals often sought copies of
850-597: The Democratic Party , The Inquirer ' s political orientation eventually shifted toward the Whig Party and then the Republican Party before stating, in the mid-20th century, that it was politically independent. By the end of the 1960s, The Inquirer trailed its chief competitor, The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin in circulation, and was lacking modern facilities and experienced staff. In
900-465: The Evening Bulletin shut down in 1982, The Inquirer hired 17 Bulletin reporters and doubled its bureaus to attract former Bulletin readers. By 1989, Philadelphia Newspapers Inc.'s editorial staff reached a peak of 721 employees. In the 1990s, The Inquirer again confronted challenges with diminishing circulation and advertisement revenue. While part of a nationwide trend, the impact
950-418: The Evening Bulletin to shut down two years later. Between 1970 and 1985, however, The Inquirer experienced eleven strikes, the longest of which, in 1985, lasted 46 days. The Inquirer also faced criticism for its expanded international coverage, which led Time magazine to report that it was covering " Karachi better than Kensington ". Throughout the 1980s, however, the newspaper continued to grow. When
1000-594: The Record went out of business, and The Philadelphia Inquirer emerged as Philadelphia's only major daily morning newspaper. While still trailing behind Philadelphia's largest newspaper, the Evening Bulletin , The Inquirer also continued to operate profitably. In 1948, Walter Annenberg expanded the Inquirer Building with a new structure that housed new printing presses for The Inquirer . During
1050-458: The Record 's circulation had dropped to 204,000 from 328,322. In 1939, Annenberg was charged with income tax evasion . Annenberg pleaded guilty before his trial and was sentenced to three years in prison. While incarcerated, he fell ill and died from a brain tumor six weeks after his release from prison in June 1942. Upon Moses Annenberg's death, his son, Walter Annenberg , took over. In 1947,
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#17327729697881100-471: The 17th-largest circulation of any newspaper in the United States As of 2020, The Inquirer has won 20 Pulitzer Prizes . Several decades after its 1829 founding, The Inquirer began emerging as one of the nation's major newspapers during the American Civil War . Its circulation dropped after the Civil War's conclusion, but it rose again by the end of the 19th century. Originally supportive of
1150-541: The 1950s and 1960s, Annenberg acquired Seventeen magazine and TV Guide . In 1957, Annenberg bought the Philadelphia Daily News and combined the Daily News ' facilities with The Inquirer 's. In 1958, a 38-day strike in 1958 hurt The Inquirer and, following the strike, so many reporters had accepted buyout offers and left that the newsroom was noticeably empty, leaving many copy clerks with little experience responsible for reporting. One of
1200-440: The 1970s and 1980s had left, none at normal retirement age. Since the 1980s, The Philadelphia Inquirer has won three Pulitzers: a 1997 award for "Explanatory Journalism.", the public service award (the top category) in 2012 for "its coverage of pervasive violence in the city's schools", and the 2014 prize for criticism, won by the newspaper's architecture critic, Inga Saffron. In 1998, Inquirer reporter Ralph Cipriano filed
1250-435: The 1970s, however, following its acquisition by Knight Ridder and the hiring of new editors, it once again emerged as one of the nation's most prominent and influential newspapers. The Philadelphia Inquirer is owned by The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC , which also publishes Philadelphia Daily News , the city's daily tabloid , and the news portal philly.com. As of 2023, the newspaper's publisher and chief executive officer
1300-577: The Depression. The lack of growth allowed J. David Stern 's newspaper, The Philadelphia Record , to surpass The Inquirer in circulation and become the largest newspaper in Pennsylvania. Under Moses Annenberg, The Inquirer turned around. Annenberg added new features, increased staff and held promotions to increase circulation. By November 1938 Inquirer 's weekday circulation increased to 345,422 from 280,093 in 1936. During that same period
1350-474: The bid. After successfully negotiating a contract with all of the newspaper's 14 unions, the $ 139 million deal was finalized on October 8. The Philadelphia Inquirer continued with profitability, largely due to emerging competition from digital media sources. By May 2012, the combined journalist staff at all of Philadelphia Media Network was about 320, and some of the same stories and photographs appear both in The Inquirer and Daily News . On April 2, 2012,
1400-462: The company defaulted in payments of maturity notes. Ownership of The Inquirer then returned to the Patenôtre family and Elverson Corp. Charles A. Taylor was elected president of The Inquirer Co. and ran the paper until it was sold to Moses L. Annenberg in 1936. During the period between Elverson Jr. and Annenberg The Inquirer stagnated, its editors ignoring most of the poor economic news of
1450-462: The company to The Philadelphia Foundation , a nonprofit organization. The Philadelphia Media Network also converted to a public benefit corporation with a charter that balances public benefit alongside shareholder returns. In 2019, Philadelphia Media Network renamed Philly.com to Inquirer.com and made the Daily News an edition of The Inquirer . Philadelphia Media Network was renamed The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. In January 2020, Lisa Hughes
1500-509: The corporate name of Interstate General Media LLC bought the company for $ 55 million in April 2012. Publisher and chief executive officer Greg Osberg stepped down on May 11, 2012. He was replaced by Bob Hall, 67, the publisher of the Daily News and Inquirer from 1990 to 2003, when the papers were owned by Knight Ridder . Philadelphia Media Network was purchased by Philadelphia businessman Gerry Lenfest in 2014. In 2016, Lenfest donated
1550-405: The creditors of Philadelphia Media Holdings (PMH), acquired out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection . The company sold its inherited community newspaper division in December 2010. A group of local investors under the corporate name of Interstate General Media LLC bought the company for $ 55 million in April 2012. Publisher and chief executive officer Greg Osberg stepped down on May 11, 2012. He
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1600-430: The early 1960s before Karafin was exposed in 1967 and was subsequently convicted of extortion a year later, in 1968. As the newspaper entered the 1970s, circulation and advertising revenue was declining, and the newspaper had become, as Time magazine reported, "uncreative and undistinguished." In 1969, Samuel Newhouse offered Annenberg $ 55 million to acquire The Inquirer . But having earlier promised John S. Knight
1650-403: The few star reporters of the 1950s and 1960s was investigative reporter Harry Karafin , who exposed corruption and wrote exclusive stories for The Inquirer , but also extorted money out of individuals and organizations. Karafin told sources that he had harmful information on them, and would demand money in exchange for him not making the information public. This went on from the late 1950s into
1700-605: The lineage of The Packet and The North American is counted in the newspaper's history, The Inquirer would currently be the longest continuously published newspaper in the nation. Six months after The Inquirer was founded, with competition from eight established daily newspapers, lack of funds forced Norvell and Walker to sell the newspaper to publisher and United States Gazette associate editor Jesper Harding . In 1829, The Inquirer moved from its original location between Front and 2nd streets to between 2nd and 3rd streets. After Harding acquired The Pennsylvania Inquirer , it
1750-549: The newspaper continued to grow, eventually needing to move again. Elverson Jr. bought land at Broad and Callowhill Streets and built the 18-story Elverson Building, now known as the Inquirer Building . The first issue of The Inquirer was printed at the new building on July 13, 1925. Four years later, in 1929, Elverson Jr. died, and his sister, Eleanor Elverson Patenôtre, widow of Jules Patenôtre , assumed leadership of The Inquirer . Patenôtre ordered cuts throughout
1800-436: The newspaper soon grew into a major Philadelphia newspaper. The expanded content included the addition of fiction. In 1840, Harding gained rights to publish several Charles Dickens novels for which Dickens was paid a significant sum, even though the common practice was to pay little or nothing for the rights of foreign authors' works. Harding retired in 1859, and was succeeded by his son, William White Harding, who had become
1850-489: The newspaper won more journalism awards than any other newspaper in the United States. Time magazine named The Inquirer one of the ten best daily newspapers in the United States, calling Roberts' changes to the paper, "one of the most remarkable turnarounds, in quality and profitability, in the history of American journalism." In 1980, The Inquirer had emerged as the most circulated paper in Philadelphia, forcing
1900-598: The newspaper's staff. A new Philadelphia Inquirer premiered on March 1, 1889, and was successful enough that Elverson launched a Sunday edition of the newspaper. In 1890, in an attempt to increase circulation further, the price of The Inquirer was cut and the paper's size was increased, mostly with classified advertisements . After five years, The Inquirer had to move into a larger building on Market Street , and later expanded further into an adjacent property. After Elverson's death in 1911, his son by his wife Sallie Duvall, James Elverson Jr. took charge. Under Elverson Jr.,
1950-430: The newspaper, highlighting the value of local ownership of media. On April 28, 2010, at a bankruptcy auction, the group of lending creditors and a group of local investors allied with Tierney both bid for The Inquirer and Daily News . The lenders emerged with the winning bid for the newspapers, but the deal collapsed after the lenders, operating under the name of Philadelphia Media Network (PMN), were unable to reach
2000-483: The paper, believing that the newspaper's war coverage was accurate. During the Civil War, Inquirer journalist Uriah Hunt Painter was at the First Battle of Bull Run in 1861, a battle which ended in a Confederate victory. Initial reports from the government claimed a Union victory, but The Inquirer went with Painter's firsthand account. Crowds threatened to burn The Inquirer 's building down because of
2050-666: The paper, but was not really interested in managing it, and ownership of the newspaper was put up for sale. Cyrus Curtis and Curtis-Martin Newspapers Inc. bought the newspaper on March 5, 1930. Curtis died a year later and his stepson-in-law, John Charles Martin , took charge. Martin merged The Inquirer with another paper, the Public Ledger , but the Great Depression hurt Curtis-Martin Newspapers and
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2100-660: The report. Another report about General George Meade , angered Meade enough that he punished Edward Crapsey, the reporter who wrote it. Crapsey and other Civil War correspondents at the newspaper later decided to attribute any victories of the Army of the Potomac , Meade's command, to Ulysses S. Grant , commander of the Union Army. Any defeats, conversely, were attributed to Meade. During the Civil War, The Inquirer continued to grow with more staff being added and another move into
2150-403: The right of first refusal to any sale, Annenberg instead sold the newspaper to Knight, and The Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News became part of Knight Newspapers and its new subsidiary, Philadelphia Newspapers Inc. (PNI). Five years later, in 1974, Knight Newspapers merged with Ridder Publications to form Knight Ridder . When The Inquirer was acquired, it was understaffed, its equipment
2200-533: The rights and liberties of the people, equally against the abuses as the usurpation of power." They pledged support to then- President Andrew Jackson and "home industries, American manufactures, and internal improvements that so materially contribute to the agricultural, commercial and national prosperity." The Philadelphia Inquirer is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the United States. In 1962, an Inquirer -commissioned historian traced The Inquirer to John Dunlap 's The Pennsylvania Packet , which
2250-521: Was briefly published as an afternoon paper before returning to its original morning format in January 1830. When Harding bought and merged the Morning Journal in January 1830, the newspaper was moved to South Second Street. Ten years later, The Inquirer moved again, this time to its own building at the corner of Third Street and Carter's Alley. Harding expanded The Inquirer' s content, and
2300-448: Was exacerbated by, according to dissatisfied Inquirer employees, the newspaper resisting changes that many other daily newspapers implemented to keep readers and pressure from Knight Ridder to cut operating costs. During most of Roberts's time as editor, Knight Ridder allowed him a great deal of freedom in running the newspaper. In the late 1980s, however, Knight Ridder expressed concern about The Inquirer 's profitability and took
2350-492: Was founded on October 28, 1771. In 1850, The Packet was merged with another newspaper, The North American , which later merged with the Philadelphia Public Ledger . The Public Ledger , in turn, merged with The Philadelphia Inquirer in the 1930s. Between 1962 and 1975, a line on The Inquirer ' s front page claimed that the newspaper is the United States' oldest surviving daily newspaper. If
2400-430: Was largely outdated, many of its employees were underskilled, and the newspaper trailed its chief competitor, the Evening Bulletin , in weekday circulation. In 1972, however, Eugene L. Roberts Jr. became The Inquirer 's executive editor, and once again turned the newspaper around. Between 1975 and 1990, The Inquirer won seventeen Pulitzers , six of which were won in consecutive years between 1975 and 1980, and
2450-683: Was later settled out of court in 2001. In the early 21st century, The Philadelphia Inquirer launched an online news desk to compete with local Philadelphia radio stations in the coverage of breaking news. In June 2006, Knight Ridder was acquired by its rival, The McClatchy Company . The Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News were among the 12 least profitable Knight Ridder newspapers that McClatchy put up for sale in March 2006. On June 29, 2006, The Inquirer and Daily News were sold to Philadelphia Media Holdings LLC (PMH),
2500-426: Was replaced by Bob Hall, 67, the publisher of the Daily News and Inquirer from 1990 to 2003, when the papers were owned by Knight Ridder . Philadelphia Media Network was purchased by Philadelphia businessman Gerry Lenfest in 2014. In 2016, Lenfest donated the company to The Philadelphia Foundation , a nonprofit organization. The Philadelphia Media Network also converted to a public benefit corporation with
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