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Copley Press
Copley Press was a privately held newspaper business, founded in Illinois but later based in La Jolla, California. The company operated in California, Illinois and Ohio. Its flagship paper was The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Col. Ira Clifton Copley was a successful politician and industrialist who operated an electric and gas company in Illinois in the early 1900s. He used his accumulated wealth to purchase local papers. Copley bought the Aurora Beacon in December 1905, then sued its rival, the Aurora News, for libel in April 1909, seeking $250,000 in damages. Copley acquired the Elgin Courier in August 1911, the News in December 1911, and then a month later merged it with the Beacon to form the Aurora Beacon-News. In August 1913, Copley acquired a stake in the Joliet Daily Herald and Joliet Daily News, and in April 1915, merged the two to form The Herald-News.
In December 1925, Copley purchased the Elgin Daily News, and then merged it with the Courier to form the Elgin Courier-News. In January 1926, Copley sold his holdings in the Western Electric Gas and Electric company and its affiliated businesses, the sale price $30 million, and soon went on a newspaper spending spree. He bought the Illinois State Journal in January 1928, the San Diego Union and its evening Tribune edition, also in January 1928, followed by 15 newspapers in Southern California from Kellogg Newspapers in February 1928. Later that year, Senator George W. Norris accused Copley Press of receiving money from public utility companies, but Copley successfully defended his position before the Federal Trade Commission in 1929. The Santa Monica Evening Outlook was sold off in exchange for full ownership of the Glendale News-Press in 1932.
Copley ran his newspaper chain until 1942, when he retired and was succeeded by Audus W. Shipton. That same year, Copley Press leased the Illinois State Register. In 1944, the company opened a news bureau in Washington, D.C. for its 17 newspapers across Illinois and California. In 1947, company founder Ira Clifton Copley died at age 83. In 1950, the Burbank Daily Review was acquired. In 1953, the company expanded into television by acquiring KLAC-TV in Los Angeles. In July 1955, William C. Copley sued his adoptive brother James S. Copley for control of the company and to liquidate it.
In September 1955, the Copley News Service, a wire service that distributed news, political cartoons, and opinion columns, was formed. In July 1957, James S. Copley reached a settlement with his brother and bought him out, thus gaining full control of Copley Press. At that time the company owned 16 newspapers with a total circulation of 426,404. In December 1957, KLAC-TV was sold off for $4 million to a group head by singer Bing Crosby. In 1961, Shipton retired as president after spending 45 years working at the company. James S. Copley was then elected as his replacement, and Shipton died three years later.
In 1966, Copley acquired The Sacramento Union for $2.64 million. In 1969, Copley sold the Venice Vanguard and two other papers to Edwin W. Dean Jr., publisher of the Inglewood Daily News. In 1971 the Daily Journal (Wheaton, Illinois) was acquired. In October 1973, James S. Copley died at age 57of cancer, and then his widow Helen K. Copley succeeded him as company chairman. In May 1974, the Illinois State Journal and Illinois State Register were merged for form The State Journal-Register. That same month, the Glendale News-Press, Burbank Review and 11 other Los Angeles area papers (four dallies, nine weeklies) were sold to Morris Communications. Two dallies and two weeklies from the group closed over several months following the sale. In December 1974, The Sacramento Union was sold off.
In 1982, James S. Copley was posthumously inducted into the California Newspaper Hall of Fame. In 1983, the Lake County News-Sun was acquired. In 1985, the Lincoln Courier was acquired. In 1991, Copley acquired The Naperville Sun, and four other newspapers from Harold White. In 1992, Copley's two San Diego papers were merged to form The San Diego Union-Tribune. In 1996, the Peoria Journal-Star and Galesburg Register-Mail were acquired for $174.4 million. In 2000, Copley expanded into Ohio after buying the Canton Repository from Thomson Corp. Later that year The Times-Reporter of Dover, Ohio and the Massillon Independent were acquired.
In June 2000, Copley expanded into Ohio after buying the Canton Repository from Thomson Corp. In October 2000, Copley sold its four Chicago-area dallies (The Herald News, The Beacon News, Elgin Courier-News and The News Sun) to Hollinger International. In December 2000, The Times-Reporter of Dover, Ohio and the Massillon Independent were acquired. In April 2001, Helen K. Copley stepped down as chairman and was replaced by her son, David C. Copley. In August 2004, she died at age 81.
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Copley Press
Copley Press was a privately held newspaper business, founded in Illinois but later based in La Jolla, California. The company operated in California, Illinois and Ohio. Its flagship paper was The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Col. Ira Clifton Copley was a successful politician and industrialist who operated an electric and gas company in Illinois in the early 1900s. He used his accumulated wealth to purchase local papers. Copley bought the Aurora Beacon in December 1905, then sued its rival, the Aurora News, for libel in April 1909, seeking $250,000 in damages. Copley acquired the Elgin Courier in August 1911, the News in December 1911, and then a month later merged it with the Beacon to form the Aurora Beacon-News. In August 1913, Copley acquired a stake in the Joliet Daily Herald and Joliet Daily News, and in April 1915, merged the two to form The Herald-News.
In December 1925, Copley purchased the Elgin Daily News, and then merged it with the Courier to form the Elgin Courier-News. In January 1926, Copley sold his holdings in the Western Electric Gas and Electric company and its affiliated businesses, the sale price $30 million, and soon went on a newspaper spending spree. He bought the Illinois State Journal in January 1928, the San Diego Union and its evening Tribune edition, also in January 1928, followed by 15 newspapers in Southern California from Kellogg Newspapers in February 1928. Later that year, Senator George W. Norris accused Copley Press of receiving money from public utility companies, but Copley successfully defended his position before the Federal Trade Commission in 1929. The Santa Monica Evening Outlook was sold off in exchange for full ownership of the Glendale News-Press in 1932.
Copley ran his newspaper chain until 1942, when he retired and was succeeded by Audus W. Shipton. That same year, Copley Press leased the Illinois State Register. In 1944, the company opened a news bureau in Washington, D.C. for its 17 newspapers across Illinois and California. In 1947, company founder Ira Clifton Copley died at age 83. In 1950, the Burbank Daily Review was acquired. In 1953, the company expanded into television by acquiring KLAC-TV in Los Angeles. In July 1955, William C. Copley sued his adoptive brother James S. Copley for control of the company and to liquidate it.
In September 1955, the Copley News Service, a wire service that distributed news, political cartoons, and opinion columns, was formed. In July 1957, James S. Copley reached a settlement with his brother and bought him out, thus gaining full control of Copley Press. At that time the company owned 16 newspapers with a total circulation of 426,404. In December 1957, KLAC-TV was sold off for $4 million to a group head by singer Bing Crosby. In 1961, Shipton retired as president after spending 45 years working at the company. James S. Copley was then elected as his replacement, and Shipton died three years later.
In 1966, Copley acquired The Sacramento Union for $2.64 million. In 1969, Copley sold the Venice Vanguard and two other papers to Edwin W. Dean Jr., publisher of the Inglewood Daily News. In 1971 the Daily Journal (Wheaton, Illinois) was acquired. In October 1973, James S. Copley died at age 57of cancer, and then his widow Helen K. Copley succeeded him as company chairman. In May 1974, the Illinois State Journal and Illinois State Register were merged for form The State Journal-Register. That same month, the Glendale News-Press, Burbank Review and 11 other Los Angeles area papers (four dallies, nine weeklies) were sold to Morris Communications. Two dallies and two weeklies from the group closed over several months following the sale. In December 1974, The Sacramento Union was sold off.
In 1982, James S. Copley was posthumously inducted into the California Newspaper Hall of Fame. In 1983, the Lake County News-Sun was acquired. In 1985, the Lincoln Courier was acquired. In 1991, Copley acquired The Naperville Sun, and four other newspapers from Harold White. In 1992, Copley's two San Diego papers were merged to form The San Diego Union-Tribune. In 1996, the Peoria Journal-Star and Galesburg Register-Mail were acquired for $174.4 million. In 2000, Copley expanded into Ohio after buying the Canton Repository from Thomson Corp. Later that year The Times-Reporter of Dover, Ohio and the Massillon Independent were acquired.
In June 2000, Copley expanded into Ohio after buying the Canton Repository from Thomson Corp. In October 2000, Copley sold its four Chicago-area dallies (The Herald News, The Beacon News, Elgin Courier-News and The News Sun) to Hollinger International. In December 2000, The Times-Reporter of Dover, Ohio and the Massillon Independent were acquired. In April 2001, Helen K. Copley stepped down as chairman and was replaced by her son, David C. Copley. In August 2004, she died at age 81.