Cleveland Press
This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2022) |
Scripps-Howard; Joseph E. Cole | |
Editor | Joseph E. Cole |
---|---|
Founded | November 2, 1878 |
Ceased publication | June 17, 1982 |
Headquarters | Cleveland, Ohio, US |
The Cleveland Press was a daily American newspaper published in Cleveland, Ohio from November 2, 1878, through June 17, 1982.[1] From 1928 to 1966, the paper's editor was Louis B. Seltzer.
Known for many years as one of the country's most influential newspapers for its focus on working class issues, its neighborhood orientation, its promotion of public service, and its editorial involvement in political campaigns at the state and local levels,[2] the paper may best be remembered for its controversial role in the 1954 Sam Sheppard murder case.
History
The paper was founded by
During the 1920s, the Press reached nearly 200,000 in circulation and stood out by proposing the
The paper endorsed winning mayoral candidates
However, the Press was criticized for its role, led by editor-in-chief Louis B. Seltzer, in the conviction of Dr. Sam Sheppard in 1954 for the murder of his wife, Marilyn. A Federal judge stated, "If ever there was a trial by newspaper, this is a perfect example. And the most insidious example was the Cleveland Press. For some reason that newspaper took upon itself the role of accuser, judge and jury."[3] The appeals process eventually made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The paper's aggressive coverage that goaded local officials and potentially prejudiced the jury resulted in a ruling that pre-trial publicity had been injurious to Sheppard. It was a major reason why a new trial was ordered where Sheppard was acquitted in 1966.[4]
In January 1960, Scripps-Howard purchased Press rival the
The Press was passed in circulation by The Plain Dealer in 1968, and after Boardman's retirement in 1979, rumors began circulating that the Press would shortly suspend publication unless a buyer could be found. Scripps-Howard sold the paper on October 31, 1980, to Cleveland businessman Joseph E. Cole, who purchased the paper only after gaining concessions from the employee unions.
Closing
Cole introduced a Sunday edition on August 2, 1981, followed by a morning edition on March 22, 1982. The morning edition was sold on newsstands only. Color presses were introduced, and circulation increased from 303,400 in March 1981 to 316,100 a year later. However, a bad economy, coupled with losses in advertising resulted in the paper's closing. Its final issue was published on June 17, 1982.[7][8]
The remnants of the paper live on in the Cleveland Press Collection at the Cleveland State University library. The collection consists of clippings and photographs from the newspaper's archives. Among the paper's foremost writers from the 1940s–1970s were Jack Ballantine and Dick Feagler.
See also
References
- ^ Mike Casey (June 17, 1982). "The 103-year-old Cleveland Press, once one of the nation's..." UPI. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
- ^ "CLEVELAND PRESS – The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History". The Encyclopedia of Cleveland. A joint effort by Case Western University and the Western Reserve Historical Society. July 14, 1997. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ^ Neff, James (2001). The Wrong Man. New York: Random House. p. 230.
- ^ Sheppard v. Maxwell, 384 U.S. 333, 358 (1964) (U.S. Supreme Court)
- UPI via The Miami News. January 24, 1960.
- ISBN 0-253-33056-4. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
- ^ "Press Halts Publication". Cleveland Press. June 17, 1982. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
The Cleveland Press, one of the nation's oldest newspapers and an important voice in Greater Cleveland for more than a century, ceased publication with today's editions.
- Newspapers.com.
Further reading
- Tidyman, John (2009). Gimme Rewrite, Sweetheart: Tales From the Last Glory Days of Cleveland Newspapers—Told By The Men and Women Who Reported the News. Cleveland, OH: Gray & Company, Publishers. ISBN 978-1-59851-016-4