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The Oregonian is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. West Coast,[7] founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850, and published daily since 1861. It is the largest newspaper in Oregon and the second largest in the Pacific Northwest by circulation. It is one of the few newspapers with a statewide focus in the United States.[7][8] The Sunday edition is published under the title The Sunday Oregonian. The regular edition was published under the title The Morning Oregonian from 1861 until 1937.[9]

Key Information

The Oregonian received the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, the only gold medal annually awarded by the organization.[10] The paper's staff or individual writers have received seven other Pulitzer Prizes, most recently the award for Editorial Writing in 2014.[11]

In late 2013, home delivery has been reduced to Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday while retaining print copies daily through news stands/newsracks. In January 2024, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday print edition were discontinued.

History

[edit]
Ramage press used to print the first Oregonian
First steam press used by the Oregonian, installed in 1862 (more than a year after the advent of a daily edition), and used until 1871. Subsequently, used by the Hillsboro Argus until at least 1911.[12]

Establishment

[edit]

One year prior to the incorporation of the tiny town of Portland, Oregon, in 1851, prospective leaders of the new community determined to establish a local newspaper—an institution which was seen as a prerequisite for urban growth.[13] Chief among these pioneer community organizers seeking establishment of a Portland press were Col. W.W. Chapman and prominent local businessman Henry W. Corbett.[13] In the fall of 1850, Chapman and Corbett traveled to San Francisco, at the time far and away the largest city on the west coast of the United States, in search of an editor interested in and capable of producing a weekly newspaper in Portland.[13] There the pair met Thomas J. Dryer, a transplanted New Yorker who was an energetic writer with both printing equipment and previous experience in the production of a small circulation community newspaper in his native Ulster County, New York.[13]

First weekly issues

[edit]
The Weekly Oregonian front page on March 19, 1859
The Weekly Oregonian front page on March 19, 1859

Dryer's press was transported to Portland and it was there on December 4, 1850, that the first issue of The Weekly Oregonian found its readers.[14] Each weekly issue consisted of four pages, printed six columns wide.[14] Little attention was paid to current news events, with the bulk of the paper's content devoted to political themes and biographical commentary.[14] The paper took a staunch political line supportive of the Whig Party—an orientation which soon brought it into conflict with The Statesman, a Democratic paper launched at Oregon City not long after The Weekly Oregonian's debut.[14] A loud and bitter rivalry between the competing news organs ensued.[14]

1860s–1870s

[edit]

Pittock era

[edit]

Henry Pittock became the owner in 1861 as compensation for unpaid wages, and he began publishing the paper daily, except Sundays.[15] Pittock's goal was to focus more on news than the bully pulpit established by Dryer.[16] He ordered a new press in December 1860 and also arranged for the news to be sent by telegraph to Redding, California, then by stagecoach to Jacksonville, Oregon, and then by pony express to Portland.[16]

Scott era

[edit]
Harvey W. Scott as he appeared in the 1870s

From 1866 to 1872 Harvey W. Scott was the editor.[17] Henry W. Corbett bought the paper from a cash-poor Pittock in October 1872 and placed William Lair Hill as editor.[16] Scott, fired by Corbett for supporting Ben Holladay's candidates, became editor of Holladay's rival Portland Daily Bulletin.[16] The paper went out of print in 1876, Holladay having lost $200,000 in the process.[16] Corbett sold The Oregonian back to Pittock in 1877, marking a return of Scott to the paper's editorial helm.[16] A part-owner of the paper, Scott would remain as editor-in-chief until shortly before his death in 1910.[18]

1880s–1890s

[edit]

One of the journalists who began his career on The Oregonian during this time period was James J. Montague who took over and wrote the column "Slings & Arrows" until he was hired away by William Randolph Hearst in 1902.[19] In this time period Governor Sylvester Pennoyer prominently criticized the Oregonian for calling for vigilante "justice" against Chinese Americans (Pennoyer favored running people of Chinese descent out of the state by "legal" means).[20] The West Shore criticized the Oregonian for its sensationalized coverage of the English monarchy.[21]

Sunday Oregonian

[edit]

In 1881, the first Sunday Oregonian was published.[22] The paper became known as the voice of business-oriented Republicans, as evidenced by consistent endorsement of Republican candidates for president in every federal election before 1992.

New location

[edit]
The Oregonian Building of 1892 was the paper's home until 1948. It was demolished in 1950.

The paper's offices and presses were originally housed in a two-story building at the intersection of First Street (now First Avenue) and Morrison Street, but in 1892 the paper moved into a new nine-story building at 6th and Alder streets.[22] The new building was, the same as its predecessor (and successor), called the Oregonian Building. It included a clock tower at one corner, and the building's overall height of 194[23] to 196[24] feet (around 59 m) made it the tallest structure in Portland, a distinction it retained until the completion of the Yeon Building in 1911.[24] It contained about 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2) of floor space, including the basement but not the tower.[23] The newspaper did not move again until 1948. The 1892 building was demolished in 1950.[25]

1900s–1940s

[edit]
The Morning Oregonian, January 22, 1912

Following the death of Harvey Scott in 1910, the paper's editor-in-chief was Edgar B. Piper, who had previously been managing editor.[26] Piper remained editor until his death in 1928.

The Oregonian's first female journalist, Louise Bryant, joined the paper around 1909.[27]

The Morning Oregonian and KGW

[edit]

In 1922, the Oregonian discontinued its weekly edition,[28] and launched KGW, Oregon's first commercial radio station. Five years later, KGW affiliated with NBC (1927). The newspaper purchased a second station, KEX, in 1933,[29] from NBC subsidiary Northwest Broadcasting Co. In 1944, KEX was sold to Westinghouse Radio Stations, Inc. The Oregonian launched KGW-FM, the Northwest's first FM station,[30] in 1946 (acclaimed by "The Oregonian" May 8, 1946), known today as KKRZ. KGW and KGW-FM were sold to King Broadcasting Co in 1953.

In 1937, The Morning Oregonian shortened its name to The Oregonian. Two years later, associate editor Ronald G. Callvert received a Pulitzer Prize for editorial reporting for "distinguished editorial writing...as exemplified by the editorial entitled "My Country 'Tis of Thee".[31]

A 20-year trust under which the Oregonian was conducted expired in 1939. O. L. Price, who managed the newspaper under the trust, retired at age 61 upon its expiration. Ownership reverted to the heirs of Pittock and H. W. Scott.[32]

Move in 1948

[edit]
Postcard of the new home of The Oregonian, corner of 6th & Jefferson

In 1948, the paper moved to a new location within downtown, where its headquarters ultimately would remain for the next 66 years, on SW Broadway between Jefferson Street and Columbia Street. The new building was designed by Pietro Belluschi and again was named the Oregonian Building.[22] The block was previously home to the William S. Ladd mansion, which had been demolished around 1925.[16] Circa 1946, The Oregonian purchased the block for $100,000, which led to complaints from paper editor Leslie M. Scott because of the outrageous price.[16] Three years later, Scott purchased a nearby block for the state at $300,000 while holding the office of Oregon State Treasurer.[16]

The new Oregonian building was to contain the KGW radio station and a television studio, as well as a large and opulent dining room.[16] The contractor was L. H. Hoffman, who was under a very profitable cost-plus contract.[16] Aside from the "extravagance of design", construction materials were in short supply, the nation was under heavy inflation, and Belluschi's plans were never ready, leading to massive costs.[16] The Oregonian had to borrow from banks, the first time in over 50 years.[16] New company president E. B. MacNaughton was forced to exhaust the company's loan limits at First National Bank, then turn to the Bank of America.[16] MacNaughton then eliminated an extra elevator, the dining room, and KGW's radio and television studios.[16] The building still cost $4 million, twice the original estimate.[16]

The building opened in 1948, but The Oregonian had to sell it to Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company for $3.6 million in a leaseback arrangement.[16] Further financial issues led to the 1950 sale to Samuel Newhouse.[16]

1950s–1960s

[edit]

In 1950, Advance Publications founder S. I. "Si" Newhouse purchased the paper.[33] At that time, the sale price of $5.6 million was the largest for a single newspaper.[34] The sale was announced on December 11, 1950.[16] In 1954, Newhouse bought 50% of Mount Hood Radio & Television Broadcasting Corp, which broadcasts KOIN-TV, Portland's first VHF television station, KOIN AM (now KUFO), and KOIN-FM (now KXL-FM). The Oregonian's circulation in 1950 was 214,916; that of the rival Oregon Journal was 190,844.[35]

In 1957, staff writers William Lambert and Wallace Turner were awarded that year's Pulitzer Prize for Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting - No Edition time.[36] Their prize cited "their expose of vice and corruption in Portland involving some municipal officials and officers of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen and Helpers of America, Western Conference" and noted that "they fulfilled their assignments despite great handicaps and the risk of reprisal from lawless elements."[36]

The Oregon Journal

[edit]

What was to become a long and heated strike began against both The Oregonian and The Oregon Journal began in November 1959.[37] The strike was called by Stereotypers Local 49 over various contract issues, particularly the introduction of more automated plate-casting machinery;[38] the new-to-American-publishing German-made equipment required one operator instead of the four that operated the existing equipment.[37] Wallace Turner and many other writers and photographers refused to cross the picket lines and never returned.[39] The two newspapers published a "joint, typo-marred paper" for six months until they had hired enough nonunion help to resume separate operations.[38] Starting in February 1960, striking union workers published a daily newspaper, The (Portland) Reporter;[7] its circulation peaked at 78,000, but was shut down in October 1964.[40]

In 1961, Newhouse bought The Oregon Journal, Portland's afternoon daily newspaper.[41] Production and business operations of the two newspapers were consolidated in The Oregonian's building, while their editorial staffs remained separate.[42] The National Labor Relations Board ruled the strike illegal in November 1963.[7] Strikers continued to picket until April 4, 1965,[39] at which point the two newspapers became open shops.

Late 1960s–early 1980s

[edit]

In 1967, Fred Stickel came to The Oregonian from New Jersey to become general manager of the paper; he became president in 1972 and publisher in 1975.[43]

As part of a larger corporate plan to exit broadcasting, The Oregonian sold KOIN-TV to newspaper owner Lee Enterprises in 1977.[44] At the same time, KOIN-AM and -FM were sold to Gaylord Broadcasting Co. Since S. I. Newhouse died in 1979, S.I. Jr. has managed the magazines, and Donald oversees the newspapers.

The Oregonian lost its primary "competitor" and Portland became a one-daily-newspaper city in 1982, when Advance/Newhouse shut down the Journal, citing declining advertising revenues.[45]

1985

[edit]

The Oregonian published a twenty-part series on the Rajneeshpuram, a religious community that established itself in Antelope, Oregon.[46]

Late 1980s

[edit]

Hilliard era

[edit]

William A. Hilliard was named editor in 1987, and was the paper's first African-American editor.[47] A resident of Oregon since the age of 8, Hilliard had already worked at The Oregonian for 35 years; he had been city editor starting in 1971 and executive editor since 1982.[48]

1989

[edit]

The Oregonian established an Asia bureau in Tokyo, Japan in 1989.[49]

Also in 1989, The Oregonian endorsed a Democratic candidate for president for the first time in its history when it supported Bill Clinton in 1992.[50]

1990s

[edit]

The year 1993 was an eventful year for The Oregonian. Robert M. Landauer, then editorial page editor, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Writing for "a bold campaign to defuse myths and prejudice promoted by an anti-homosexual constitutional amendment, which was subsequently defeated", according to the Pulitzer judges. The integrity of The Oregonian became the subject of national coverage when The Washington Post broke the story of inappropriate sexual advances which led to the resignation of Oregon senator Bob Packwood four years later. This prompted some to joke, "If it matters to Oregonians, it's in the Washington Post" (a twist on the Oregonian's slogan "If it matters to Oregonians, it's in The Oregonian).[51] Finally, Newhouse appointed a new editor for the paper, Sandra Rowe, who relocated from The Virginian-Pilot.[52]

Business has everything—power, influence, sex, drama—and our job is to pull back the curtain: That bank merger last week? Who got screwed? Who came out on top? This is what really happened. Business news should be handled as finely crafted drama; it's got substance and great meaning. Business should be the backbone of the newspaper.

— Sandy Rowe, from AJR in 1999[53]

Rowe era

[edit]

Sandra Rowe joined the paper as executive editor in June 1993.[54] She formally became editor in 1994 with the retirement of William Hilliard, but Hilliard had effectively already given her control of the editor's reins in 1993 as he focused his attention on his duties as the newly elected president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors for 1993–94, in his final year before retirement.[48]

According to Editor & Publisher, soon after Rowe's arrival, she introduced organizational changes to the newsroom. Instead of having a large number of general assignment reporters, she organized them around teams, many of which often develop "subject expertise" that "reflect[s] the interests of readers, not traditional newsroom boundaries."[5] Examples (over the years) include "Northwest Issues and Environment", "Living In the '90s"/"How We Live", "Politics and Accountability", "Health, Science, and Medicine", "Sustainability and Growth", and "Higher Education".[5][55] Accompanying the reorganization was a more bottom-up approach to identifying stories: "instead of having an assignment-driven newspaper, you have the beat reporters coming to editors with what is going on", with the team editors responsible for deciding what stories were covered by their teams.[5]

The position of public editor was established at The Oregonian in 1993, and Robert Caldwell was appointed.[56] Michele McLellan assumed the role three years later, and was delegated the authority to decide whether or not a newspaper error should result in the publication of a correction.[57]

Pulitzer Prize

[edit]

Staff writer Richard Read won the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting, for a series, "The French Fry Connection".[58] The articles illustrated the impact of the 1997 Asian financial crisis by following a case of french fries from a Washington-state farm to a McDonald's in Singapore, ending in Indonesia during riots that led to the Fall of Suharto. The newsroom celebrated The Oregonian's first Pulitzer in 42 years with champagne, McDonald's french fries and a brass band. The series also received the Overseas Press Club award for best business reporting from abroad, the Scripps Howard Foundation award for business reporting and the Blethen award for enterprise reporting.[59][60]

Co-worker Tom Hallman Jr. was a finalist for the 1999 Pulitzer Prize in Feature Writing, for his "unique profile of a man struggling to recover from a brain injury". Reporter Mark O'Keefe won an Overseas Press Club award for human rights reporting. The editors of Columbia Journalism Review recognized The Oregonian as number twelve on its list of "America's Best Newspapers", and the best newspaper owned by the Newhouse family.

2000s

[edit]

In 2000, The Oregonian was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting for its coverage of an environmental disaster created when the New Carissa, a freighter that carried nearly 400,000 gallons of heavy fuel, ran aground February 4, 1999, north of Coos Bay, Oregon. The articles detailed "how fumbling efforts of official agencies failed to contain the far-reaching damage", according to the Pulitzer jury. That same year reporters Brent Walth[61] and Alex Pulaski[62] were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in Explanatory Writing for their series on political influences in pesticide regulation.

Pulitzer Prize for Public Service

[edit]

The Oregonian and news staff were acknowledged with two Pulitzer Prizes in 2001. The paper was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service,[63] for its "detailed and unflinching examination of systematic problems within the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, including harsh treatment of foreign nationals and other widespread abuses, which prompted various reforms." The series was reported and written by Kim Christensen,[64] Richard Read, Julie Sullivan-Springhetti[65] and Brent Walth,[61] with editorials by the editorial board.

Staff writer Tom Hallman Jr. received the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing[66] for his series, "The Boy Behind the Mask", on a teen with a facial deformity.

In 2003, music critic David Stabler was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Feature Writing for "his sensitive, sometimes surprising chronicle of a teenage prodigy's struggle with a musical talent that proved to be both a gift and a problem". Michael Arrieta-Walden became public editor in 2003; when he ended his three-year term in the position, no successor was named.[67]

The Oregonian Building of 1948, which occupies a full city block in downtown Portland, housed the paper's headquarters from 1948 to 2014.

2004 criticism

[edit]

In 2004 the paper faced criticism after a headline characterized a 1970s sexual relationship between then-mayor Neil Goldschmidt and a 14-year-old girl as an "affair", rather than statutory rape.[68][69][70]

The paper endorsed a Democrat for president for the second time in its 150-year history when it backed John Kerry for president in 2004.[50]

2005–2006

[edit]

In 2005, staff reporters Steve Suo and Erin Hoover Barnett were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for "their groundbreaking reports on the failure to curtail the growing illicit use of methamphetamines". That same year, Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights published two reports on The Oregonian, claiming the paper under-reported Palestinian deaths in its news stories of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and excluded the Palestinian narrative in its Opinion Pages.[71][72]

Editorial writers Doug Bates and Rick Attig were awarded the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing for their editorials on the conditions at the Oregon State Hospital.[73] As of late 2006 and early 2007, the paper's circulation averaged 319,625 for the daily edition and 375,913 for the Sunday edition, giving The Oregonian the 22nd-largest circulation among all major newspapers in the U.S.[74]

2007

[edit]

In 2007, The Oregonian and its journalists were recognized with several awards. Sports columnist John Canzano was selected as the nation's No. 2 sports columnist in the annual Associated Press Sports Editors Awards. Three Oregonian reporters—Jeff Kosseff, Bryan Denson, and Les Zaitz—were awarded the George Polk Award for national reporting, for their series about the failure of a decades-old, multibillion-dollar, federal program established by the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act intended to help people with severe disabilities find employment. Instead it "awarded executives handsomely but left disabled workers in segregated jobs often paying less than minimum wage."[75][76]

On April 16, 2007, it was announced that the staff of The Oregonian was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting for their "skillful and tenacious coverage of a family missing in the Oregon mountains, telling the tragic story both in print and online."[77] In addition, the paper's reporters were finalists in two other categories. Les Zaitz, Jeff Kosseff and Bryan Denson were finalists for the Pulitzer for National Reporting for the same series that also won the George Polk Award noted above. Inara Verzemnieks was nominated for the Pulitzer for Feature Writing for "her witty and perceptive portfolio of features on an array of everyday topics", according to the Pulitzer judges.

2008

[edit]
Go-bins in The Oregonian newsroom are filled with boots, hardhats, gear, and jackets for reporters covering wildfires at a moment's notice.

In February 2008, Editor & Publisher named editor Sandra Mims Rowe and executive editor Peter Bhatia as "Editors of the Year". The trade journal noted that since Rowe and Bhatia arrived in 1993, the paper and its journalists had won five Pulitzer Prizes and had been finalists a further nine times.[5] E&P also cited "an increased focus on specialized reporting; a reorganized newsroom that promotes "team reporting" concepts over traditional beats; and regular training sessions and seminars that most staffers credit for encouraging fresh ideas and competitive approaches."[5] Pulitzer Board member Richard Oppel, the editor of the Austin American-Statesman, called the paper "one of the finest newspapers in the country, easily in the top 10."[5]

On September 28, 2008, the paper distributed a DVD of Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West as an advertising supplement for that day's edition,[78] two weeks after The New York Times, The Charlotte Observer and The Miami Herald had done the same thing.[79] The Oregonian did so despite Portland mayor Tom Potter's personal request that publisher Fred Stickel not distribute it because the "tenor of the video contributes towards a climate of distrust towards Muslims", and because the paper's willingness to distribute the DVD bestows upon it "an impression of objectivity and legitimacy it does not deserve."[78] Stickel cited "freedom of speech", and an "obligation to keep our advertising columns as open as possible" as reasons for not rejecting the DVD.[78]

Newsroom staff in 2008 was about the same size as it was in 1993, though there were fifty fewer full-time staff members than there were in 2002; about half of those positions were eliminated after a buyout in late 2007.[5] The paper's outside news bureaus grew from four to six during her tenure.[5]

2009

[edit]

In 2009, The Oregonian was scooped for a third time on a story of an Oregon politician's sex scandal, this time involving Mayor Sam Adams about what Newsweek called his "public deception and private bad judgment" about his past relationship with a teenage legislative intern.[80] Nigel Jaquiss of Willamette Week broke the story after 18 months of investigations; Jaquiss's reporting on another sex scandal involving Neil Goldschmidt earned Jaquiss a 2005 Pulitzer Prize. Jaquiss thinks The Oregonian's failure to follow up on leads that both he and Oregonian reporters had received was a case of "one-newspaper towns being a little too cozy with local power brokers."[80] A media ethics teacher and consultant for The Poynter Institute for Media Studies suggests that the pattern of failure to cover such stories "may have more to do with the culture at The Oregonian, which has recently "built its reputation on thoughtful, narrative coverage ...[that] doesn't lend itself well to digging up sex scandals."[80]

In August 2009, the paper's owners announced the end of a policy that protected full-time employees from layoffs for economic or technological reasons;[43] the change took effect the following February.[81] In September 2009, publisher Fred Stickel announced his retirement, effective September 18, ending 34 years in the position; his son Patrick, president of the paper, was appointed interim publisher but was not a candidate to succeed his father,[43] and Patrick Stickel retired on December 30, 2009.[82] N. Christian Anderson III was named as the new publisher in October,[83] and began work in the position at the beginning of November 2009.[84] After more than 16 years as editor, Sandra Rowe retired at the end of 2009.[85][86] Peter Bhatia, then executive editor, succeeded her as editor.[85]

2010s

[edit]

Layoffs of 37 in February 2010 left the paper with a total of about 750 employees, including more than 200 in the news department.[81] In September, the newspaper announced that its "TV Click" was to be replaced by TV Weekly, a publication from the Troy, Michigan-based NTVB Media.[87] Unlike "TV Click", TV Weekly requires a separate subscription fee; The Oregonian is following the example of the Houston Chronicle[88] and other major newspapers and switching to "some form of 'opt in and pay' TV sections (rather than dropping the sections) and have found only about 10 percent to 20 percent of subscribers use the sections."[87]

2013

[edit]

In 2013, publisher N. Christian Anderson announced the paper was restructuring and that beginning October 1, the Oregonian Publishing Company would be dissolved.[1] Two new companies would be formed: the Oregonian Media Group, which will focus on providing content on its online news site, OregonLive.com though it would continue to publish a daily print edition of the paper; and Advance Central Services Oregon, which would provide production, packaging, and distribution support for the new company. Ownership remained with Advance Publications. Though printed seven days a week, home delivery has been reduced to Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.[1][89] These changes were put into effect, as scheduled, on October 1.[90] The paper also announced that "significant" layoffs were expected.[1] In addition, Anderson announced that the new company would likely move from its downtown Portland building.[91]

2014–2015

[edit]
A newly redesigned and installed street vending box for The Oregonian (black) after the paper became a tabloid on April 2, 2014, along with a Portland Tribune box (green)
The paper's longtime printing plant, in the Goose Hollow neighborhood west of downtown, closed in 2015 after the paper's printing was outsourced. The smaller of the complex's two buildings (pictured) was demolished in late 2018.

On April 2, 2014, the paper switched from broadsheet format to the smaller tabloid format.[92]

On April 14, 2014, it was announced that the paper's editorial staff—consisting of Mark Hester, Erik Lukens, Susan Nielsen, and Len Reed[93]—had won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing, for their coverage of the state of Oregon's public employee retirement system. Reporter Les Zaitz was named as a finalist for Explanatory Reporting for his work on Mexican drug cartels.[11]

Editor Peter Bhatia left the paper in May 2014 to take a teaching position at Arizona State University. In July 2014, it was announced that Mark Katches had been hired as the paper's editor, and would also be the Oregonian Media Group's vice president of content.[94] Also in July 2014, the newspaper moved its headquarters from the building at 1320 SW Broadway that it had occupied since 1948 to a smaller space elsewhere in downtown Portland.[95] The new headquarters takes up around 40,000 sq ft (3,700 m2) of space in the Crown Plaza office building, at 1500 SW First Avenue.[6]

N. Christian Anderson left the Oregonian Media Group in May 2015, to become editor and publisher of The Register-Guard, in Eugene, Oregon.[96] Anderson became publisher of The Oregonian in 2009, subsequently being named president of the Oregonian Media Group when that new company replaced the Oregonian Publishing Company in October 2013, with the title of publisher thereafter no longer being used, and in turn was appointed to the new position of chairman of the group in September 2014.[96] Steve Moss succeeded Anderson as Oregonian Media Group president,[97] and the chairman position was to go unfilled.[96]

In June 2015, Advance signed a contract with Signature Graphics to take over printing and distribution of the paper from Advance Central Services Oregon, and announced that it was considering selling its longtime printing plant located near Providence Park.[98][99] Layoffs of printing-press workers were due to be implemented in August.[99] In February 2017, the Oregonian Publishing Company sold the 41,000-square-foot (3,800 m2) building for $20 million (~$25.1 million in 2024) to a development partnership which said it planned to tear it down and build a 23-story apartment building on the site,[100] now known as the Press Blocks.[101] Demolition of the former printing complex began in fall 2018.[102][103]

2016

[edit]

Moss announced in July 2016 that he would depart at the end of August.[104] In the article about Moss's impending departure, it was disclosed that the newspaper's Sunday circulation was at that time approximately 170,000.[104]

On October 24, 2016, the paper's editorial board announced that it would once again decline to endorse a candidate for President of the United States, a practice it first abandoned in 2012. This decision was criticized by some readers, who wondered why the board would offer endorsements in state elections without also taking a position on the presidential race. The board justified its decision by citing the paper's general focus on local issues, writing "Our goal as an editorial board is to have an impact in our community. And we don't think an endorsement for president would move the needle. So that's why we focus our endorsement energy where voters may not have made up their minds and need help with the decision."[105]

2018

[edit]

Editor Mark Katches left the company in August 2018, to become editor of the Tampa Bay Times, owned by the non-profit Poynter Institute for Media Studies. Therese Bottomly, who had worked The Oregonian since 1983, was named editor and vice president of content in September 2018.[106][107]

2020s

[edit]

Comments section elimination

[edit]

On January 2, 2020, The Oregonian eliminated the comments section of Oregonlive.com. The paper said it was following the trend of other papers in the past decade and said most readers don't utilize the comments feature. The paper also said uncivil comments were taking up too many resources to moderate.[108]

Paywall

[edit]

In mid-June 2020, the paper started rolling out stories tagged "Exclusive", marking the announcement of upcoming paywall.[109] These "exclusive" contents, usually front-page stories, were made subscribers-only partway through July and starting on July 27, 2020, it has been switched over to paywall and restricted to paid subscribers only.[110]

[edit]

In August 2023, The Oregonian announced that the printed version of the paper will be offered only on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, effective January 1, 2024. It will continue publishing daily news online.[111][89]

In late October 2024, the paper announced it will switch its print edition page format from a tabloid style to broadsheet. The change will go into effect in mid-January 2025.[112]

Targeted publications

[edit]

The staff of The Oregonian also produces three "targeted publications"—glossy magazines distributed free of charge to 40,000–45,000 wealthy residents of the Portland metropolitan area, and sold on newsstands to 5,000 others. A fourth glossy magazine, Explore the Pearl, is produced in conjunction with the Pearl District Business Association, and mailed to "high-income Portland Metro households" within Lake Oswego, West Linn, Mountain Park, Lakeridge, Forest Heights, Raleigh Hills, Oak Hills, West Hills, Dunthorpe, and Clark County.[113]

Magazine Description Copies
delivered
Target
household income
Website
Explore the Pearl A look at "all of the hot spots—retailers, restaurants and galleries—the Pearl has to offer."[113] 61,000[113] www.explorethepearl.com
Homes+Gardens Northwest "Take[s] you inside real Northwest homes and gardens, where residents and professionals have created spaces perfect for the finest Northwest living"[114] 40,000[114] $120,000 (median)[114] hgnorthwest.com
Mix "Celebrates our fascination with fine food and the casual entertaining that marks the Northwest lifestyle"[115] 40,000[115] $95,000 (median)[115] mixpdx.com
Ultimate
Northwest
Captures the "experience of living the good life here in Oregon and the Northwest"[116] 45,000[116] $164,000 (average)[116]

Website

[edit]
OregonLive.com
TypeWebsite
FormatWeb portal
OwnerAdvance Publications[117]
PublisherOregonian Media Group[118][119]
EditorTherese Bottomly (Editor and vice president of content)[106]
Staff writers9/26 (editorial/marketing)[citation needed]
Founded1997
Headquarters921 SW Washington
Portland, Oregon 97205
United States
WebsiteOregonLive.com

OregonLive.com is a website covering local news in Oregon and Southwest Washington.[120] The website serves as the online home of The Oregonian.[5] Started in 1997, it is owned by Advance Publications, which also owns The Oregonian.[121] Betsy Richter was the original editor of the website, and served through 1998 when Kevin Cosgrove took over as editor-in-chief.[121]

Oregonian Media Group also publishes the website Here is Oregon.[122]

In addition to content from the affiliated newspapers, OregonLive also uses content from the Associated Press.[121]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia

The Oregonian is the oldest continuously published newspaper in the , serving , and the surrounding region as its primary daily print and digital news outlet.
Founded on December 4, 1850, by Thomas J. Dryer as the Weekly Oregonian, it began as a partisan publication promoting Whig interests and Portland's development amid competition from other early Oregon settlements.
Under long-time editor Harvey W. Scott from 1861 to 1910, the paper solidified its influence through conservative editorial stances that shaped state politics and policy.
Owned by , part of the Newhouse family holdings, since the mid-20th century, it remains Oregon's largest newspaper by reach despite industry-wide shifts to digital formats and reduced print editions.
The publication has earned eight Pulitzer Prizes, including the 2001 award for exposing abuses in the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and the 2014 Editorial Writing prize for analysis of public pension reforms.
Historically, it exhibited editorial patterns reinforcing racial exclusions in Oregon's early society, a legacy acknowledged in later self-examinations of its archives.

History

Founding and Early Years (1850–1880)

The Weekly Oregonian was founded on December 4, 1850, by Thomas J. Dryer in Territory, a settlement of approximately 700 residents, to advance the city's commercial prospects against rivals such as Oregon City. Backed financially by local entrepreneurs William W. Chapman and Stephen Coffin, the inaugural issue was produced on a Ramage hand press in a rudimentary riverside facility at the corner of Front and Morrison Streets. Dryer, an energetic journalist aligned with the Whig Party, edited the paper with a focus on territorial development, infrastructure promotion, and criticism of the prevailing Democratic , establishing it as a voice for minority partisan views in a Democrat-dominated region. Throughout the , the newspaper maintained a weekly schedule amid the logistical challenges of frontier printing, including slow overland supply lines for ink and paper, yet it contributed to public discourse on Oregon's path to statehood achieved in 1859. Dryer's editorial tenure, marked by bold advocacy but hampered by fiscal mismanagement, saw the hiring of Henry L. Pittock in 1853 as a teenage printer and , whose operational efficiencies helped sustain operations. By 1860, accumulating debts prompted Dryer to transfer ownership to Pittock in settlement of back wages, facilitated by Dryer's appointment as U.S. commissioner to the Sandwich Islands () for his support of . Pittock's leadership initiated the shift to daily publication with the debut of the Morning Oregonian on February 4, 1861, six days a week, capitalizing on Portland's post-statehood expansion and telegraph improvements for timely news. A succession of editors followed until Harvey W. Scott assumed the role in May 1865, imprinting a consistent Republican orientation that prioritized economic realism, stances, and alignment with entrepreneurial interests, solidifying the paper's influence through the 1870s and into the 1880s.

Expansion and Institutional Growth (1880s–1940s)

Under editor Harvey W. Scott's leadership from 1865 to 1910, The Oregonian expanded its influence through authoritative editorials that championed Republican principles and economic development, contributing to Oregon's political realignment from Democratic to predominantly Republican dominance during the late 19th century. Scott, who became a part-owner, elevated the paper's reputation for editorial excellence, fostering institutional stability amid Portland's growth as a regional hub. To accommodate rising production needs, the constructed a new headquarters in 1892 at Southwest Sixth Avenue and Street, featuring a nine-story topped by a , marking it as the first steel-framed building west of the and Portland's tallest structure until 1911. This expansion reflected the paper's adaptation to and commerce booms, with the facility housing advanced printing operations that supported daily and emerging Sunday editions launched in the 1880s. From the 1880s to 1910, The Oregonian cautiously integrated proven technologies such as improved cylinder presses and linotype composition, shifting toward mass-market content including serialized stories and local features to broaden readership while maintaining core news focus. These changes drove circulation gains, positioning the paper as the Pacific Northwest's preeminent daily by the early , though they occasionally alienated traditional subscribers favoring partisan depth over popular appeals. Through the interwar and eras into the 1940s, the newspaper sustained growth under family stewardship following Scott's death in 1910, leveraging its established infrastructure for comprehensive regional coverage amid economic fluctuations and wartime demands, solidifying its role as an institutional pillar of .

Post-War Transformations (1950s–1980s)

In 1950, descendants of the founding Pittock family sold The Oregonian to S.I. Newhouse of for $5.6 million, marking a pivotal shift from local family control to corporate ownership while retaining significant editorial autonomy. Newhouse invested in modern equipment to enhance production capacity, enabling the paper to address demand amid Portland's population boom from wartime and returning veterans. At the time of purchase, daily circulation stood at 214,916, reflecting steady growth from pre-war levels but facing emerging competition from television and suburban migration. The and brought labor tensions, culminating in a contentious four-year strike from to involving pressmen and other unions, which ultimately eliminated union presence in the and production. In 1961, Newhouse acquired the rival afternoon Oregon Journal, preserving editorial separation until its closure in 1982 due to declining circulation and overlapping markets; this consolidation strengthened The Oregonian's dominance in Portland's print media landscape. Editorial stance remained rooted in independent Republican traditions, with investigative reporting by staff like William Lambert and Wallace Turner earning a 1957 for exposing vice and corruption in local government, though the paper's influence as a political arbiter waned by the early 1970s amid broader societal shifts. By the mid-1970s, The Oregonian confronted stagnating ad revenue and circulation pressures from suburban sprawl and demographic diversification, prompting adaptations like zoned editions tailored to regional readers and investments in "cold type" composition, which replaced hot-metal linotype machines with computerized to streamline production and reduce costs. These technological shifts, part of a broader industry move toward electronics and , altered workflows by emphasizing digital pre-press processes over traditional , though they initially disrupted skilled labor roles. Circulation peaked in the late before modest declines, as the paper expanded content diversity and staff to cover evolving urban-rural divides, setting the stage for further modernization.

Shift to Modern Journalism (1990s–2000s)

During the 1990s and 2000s, The Oregonian emphasized investigative and explanatory reporting, marking a shift toward enterprise journalism that prioritized in-depth analysis and public accountability over routine news coverage. This era saw the newspaper win multiple Pulitzer Prizes, reflecting its investment in specialized reporting teams and rigorous fact-finding. Circulation remained strong, with Sunday editions reaching approximately 431,000 copies around 2000, supporting expanded newsroom operations under stable ownership by Advance Publications. In 1999, Richard Read earned the for a series that illustrated the domestic effects of the by following an potato shipment's global journey, exposing vulnerabilities in export-dependent industries. The following year, the staff was a finalist for Breaking News Reporting for coverage of the cargo ship grounding, which caused a major off 's coast in February 1999. The newspaper secured two Pulitzer Prizes in 2001: for a series detailing systemic failures in the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, including inspector misconduct and inadequate oversight that compromised ; and another for investigative work tied to the INS probe. These awards, part of six Pulitzers won since 1999, underscored The Oregonian's focus on impactful stories that influenced policy and public discourse. By the mid-2000s, additional recognitions, such as the 2007 Pulitzer for Local Reporting on prosecutorial accountability, further highlighted this commitment to accountability amid emerging digital influences.

Digital Era Challenges (2010s)

In the 2010s, The Oregonian confronted profound disruptions from the digital revolution, mirroring industry-wide trends where advertising revenue migrated to online platforms like Google and Facebook, eroding traditional print models. Daily circulation plummeted from approximately 319,000 in the mid-2000s to 228,599 by 2012, driven by readers' shift to free digital alternatives and the recession's lingering effects on discretionary spending. This revenue contraction, compounded by the internet's displacement of classified and local display ads, necessitated aggressive cost-cutting, including at least six rounds of newsroom layoffs starting in 2010. A pivotal response came in June 2013, when , The Oregonian's parent company, announced a to prioritize digital growth over print distribution. Effective October 1, 2013, home delivery was curtailed from seven days to four (, , , and ), while maintaining daily print availability through newsstands and vending boxes to reduce production and delivery expenses. This shift aimed to bolster OregonLive.com, the paper's digital platform, by reallocating resources toward online content and subscriptions, though it reflected the broader failure of many legacy outlets to monetize digital audiences effectively amid competition from aggregated free news. Staff reductions intensified as these changes unfolded; in February 2010 alone, 37 employees were laid off, primarily from and departments, signaling early adaptations to shrinking ad dollars. By 2018, further cuts eliminated 11 positions, underscoring persistent financial pressures from the decade's digital ad exodus, which local papers like The Oregonian struggled to offset through paywalls or native online revenue. Despite digital investments yielding some audience gains on OregonLive, the era marked a contraction in investigative and local reporting capacity, as Oregon's newspapers collectively shed about three-quarters of jobs since 2001 due to these structural shifts.

Recent Operational Changes (2020s–present)

In August 2023, The Oregonian/OregonLive reduced its print editions to four days per week—Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays—effective early the following year, discontinuing Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday publications after 142 years of daily printing. This adjustment reflected broader industry trends of reallocating resources from print to digital platforms amid falling circulation and . On October 31, 2024, the publisher announced a return to the traditional format for print editions starting January 2025, reversing a prior shift to compact tabloid style. The larger format enabled expanded sections, including additional puzzles, comics, and local features, while maintaining the reduced print schedule. In August 2025, The Oregonian launched a digital replica of its print edition, allowing subscribers to interactively flip through pages, sections, and advertisements online. This complemented the oregonlive.com website, emphasizing a hybrid model to retain print loyalists while prioritizing digital accessibility. Leadership changes included the June 2025 appointment of Laura Gunderson as editor and vice president of content, a longtime newsroom manager tasked with overseeing journalistic operations under Advance Local ownership. The privately held structure, unchanged since the Newhouse family's acquisition in the mid-20th century, supported these adaptations without shifts in corporate control.

Operations and Publishing

The Oregonian was published in format from its founding in 1850 until April 2, 2014, when it transitioned to a compact tabloid size across all print editions, featuring color on every page. This change aimed to modernize the presentation and reduce production costs amid declining . In January 2025, the newspaper announced a reversion to traditional format for print editions, citing reader preferences and advertising opportunities, while maintaining the current four-day print schedule. Print frequency shifted from daily to four days per week—Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays—effective early , ending 142 years of daily publication and reflecting broader industry trends toward reduced physical distribution. The tabloid-era street vending boxes accommodated the smaller format, but reversion will require adjustments to distribution infrastructure and ad specifications. Production historically occurred at facilities including a plant near at Southwest 17th Avenue and Yamhill Street, but in June 2015, Advance Central Services Oregon, a , began operations and explored selling the site. The former press site was sold for $20 million in February 2017 to Seattle-based developers for , marking the end of in-house at that location. Current is handled externally, supporting the scaled-back edition schedule without specified details on partner facilities or press technology.

Digital Platforms and Website

The Oregonian/OregonLive maintains its core digital presence via OregonLive.com, which launched in 1997 as an online extension of the newspaper's content. The site delivers , investigative reporting, sports coverage, updates, and features, drawing approximately 7 million monthly users and achieving a 77% reach among adults in and southwestern Washington. OregonLive ranks as the fifth-most visited website in the Portland metro area, trailing only major tech and social platforms like and . A subscription model supports premium access, with a metered restricting non-subscribers to a limited number of articles per month before requiring payment for unlimited , including exclusive investigative pieces and archives. Subscriptions bundle digital perks such as ad-light reading, newsletters, and app access, reflecting a broader industry shift toward diversification amid declining ; by 2024, the organization had expanded paywalled content to sustain operations. Mobile engagement occurs through dedicated apps, including the OregonLive.com app for and Android devices, which aggregates news, weather, sports, and entertainment; the Oregonian Digital Newspaper app, replicating print editions; and specialized apps for teams like the , , and , offering tailored videos, photos, and updates. These apps enable push notifications and offline reading, enhancing accessibility for users on smartphones and tablets. Social media integration amplifies reach, with nearly 2 million followers across platforms where the organization shares articles, live updates, and custom campaigns; guidelines emphasize while moderating for community standards. Additional digital offerings include over two dozen newsletters for niche topics like and local events, plus podcasts produced in-house to extend audio storytelling. This multichannel approach positions Oregonian Media Group as the Pacific Northwest's leading local news digital provider.

Supplements and Targeted Content

The Oregonian incorporates supplements into its print editions to expand content beyond core news, with a focus on the Sunday edition, which includes inserts like the Washington Post National Weekly Edition delivered weekly to subscribers. Until November 13, 2022, the print version of Parade magazine was also bundled in Sunday papers, after which it shifted to digital access via the eNewspaper for eligible subscribers. These additions aim to provide national perspectives and features, though their inclusion reflects partnerships rather than original production by the newspaper. Bonus sections, such as color comics and thematic inserts, appear primarily in the Sunday Oregonian, with operational changes announced in October 2024 to adopt a traditional format starting in 2025 for better print-to-digital integration of these elements. Weekday editions feature targeted inserts like opinion pages and recipe collections on Wednesdays, alongside occasional special sections for holidays or events. Annually, The Oregonian produces promotional special sections, including fall Medicare Guides that compile staff reporting on healthcare options, eligibility, and costs to inform readers during open enrollment periods. These targeted publications prioritize practical guidance over general news, distributed via print and online to align with seasonal reader needs. In digital formats, supplements extend to OregonLive's newsletters, which deliver curated content on niche topics such as Oregon Insight (policy analysis), Public Safety updates, Education trends, Health advisories, and data-driven Oregon Data Points, sent irregularly or on set schedules to subscribers. The mobile app further includes bonus magazines, interactive puzzles, and games as subscriber perks, emphasizing engagement over traditional print volume. This mix reflects adaptations to declining print circulation, prioritizing digital personalization while retaining select physical inserts for loyal readers.

Editorial Stance and Policy

Historical Conservatism and Evolution

The Oregonian was established on December 4, 1850, by Thomas J. Dryer as a conservative Republican newspaper, reflecting the partisan alignments of early Oregon journalism. Under publisher Henry L. Pittock, who assumed control in 1861 and launched a daily edition on February 4 of that year, the paper aligned with Portland's business interests and Republican Party factions, maintaining a partisan conservative tone in its editorials and news columns. This stance emphasized support for established economic order, infrastructure development, and private enterprise, often backing Republican candidates and policies that promoted growth in the Pacific Northwest. Harvey W. Scott's tenure as editor from 1865 to 1910—interrupted only from 1872 to 1877—solidified the newspaper's conservative editorial voice, making it the dominant influence on regional opinion. Drawing on principles akin to those of , Scott opposed , , organized labor, , and expansions of government authority, including woman suffrage and tax-supported high schools until 1901. His editorials championed conservative in the 1896 presidential election, helping secure Oregon's electoral votes against populist , and critiqued reforms associated with the Oregon System's initiatives. Scott's influence extended the paper's reputation as a "paper of record," with ties to lumber industry leaders and the Southern Pacific Railroad in the early 1900s, reinforcing its advocacy for business-friendly policies. Post-Scott, the Oregonian retained much of its conservative orientation through the mid-20th century, endorsing Republican presidential candidates consistently and aligning with Independent Republican positions during the under editor E. Palmer Hoyt. The 1950 acquisition by S.I. Newhouse on December 11 granted greater editorial autonomy, reducing overt partisanship while preserving a focus on investigative reporting and regional issues. By the 1970s, the paper evolved toward broader content diversification, incorporating lifestyle and arts sections alongside a shift to , though it maintained conservative leanings on economic matters. This period marked a gradual moderation, with the editorial board occasionally diverging from strict Republican loyalty; for instance, it endorsed Democratic presidential candidate in 2008, followed by in 2020, reflecting adaptations to changing readership and political landscapes without a wholesale abandonment of historical priorities. Despite these endorsements, assessments through the described the editorial page as remaining at odds with Portland's prevailing liberal views on certain social and local issues.

Contemporary Assessments of Bias

Media bias rating organizations have assessed The Oregonian as centrist in its contemporary reporting. AllSides rates it as Center, based on an independent review concluding that its coverage does not exhibit a clear directional bias, with low confidence in the rating due to limited data volume. Ad Fontes Media places it in the Middle category for bias, scoring articles near neutral on a -42 to +42 scale, while deeming it Reliable for analysis and fact reporting. Media Bias/Fact Check classifies it as Least Biased, citing balanced editorial and endorsement positions alongside high factual reporting supported by proper sourcing and minimal failed fact checks. In a 2024 letter, The Oregonian's editor addressed reader questions on , distinguishing content—which intentionally expresses viewpoints, such as in political cartoons—from news coverage, which the paper commits to fairness and balance. Biasly similarly scores its lean at 2% , derived from policy stances, article ratings, and analysis. These evaluations contrast with Portland's left-leaning media environment, where local perceptions sometimes view the paper's pages as relatively conservative compared to the city's average, though its straight news is not flagged for systemic slant. Critics from progressive outlets have occasionally alleged a rightward tilt in editorial choices, as in a 2011 analysis claiming subtle conservative influence in newsroom decisions, but such claims predate recent shifts and lack empirical backing from fact-checkers. No major contemporary scandals involving fabricated stories or partisan suppression have undermined its factual standing, with ratings prioritizing sourcing over ideological alignment. Overall, empirical bias metrics indicate restraint from overt partisanship, reflecting a departure from its historical toward broader equilibrium amid Oregon's polarized .

Awards and Recognition

Pulitzer Prize Wins

The Oregonian has received eight s, with the first awarded in 1939 and six since 1999, recognizing excellence in various categories including editorial writing, investigative reporting, and . These awards highlight the newspaper's contributions to through in-depth investigations, explanatory series, and timely coverage that prompted reforms or public awareness. In 1939, Ronald G. Callvert won for Editorial Writing for the editorial "," praised for its distinguished commentary. The 1957 Local Reporting Prize went to Wallace Turner and William Lambert for their series exposing vice and corruption in Portland, implicating municipal officials and Teamsters union leader , conducted despite personal risks including threats. The newspaper earned the 1999 Explanatory Reporting award through Richard Read's work illustrating the domestic effects of the Asian financial crisis on Oregon's frozen french fries industry. In 2001, it secured two prizes: for a staff investigation into systemic abuses and harsh treatment of detainees by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, which spurred congressional hearings and policy changes; and Feature Writing for Tom Hallman Jr.'s profile of a disfigured teenager undergoing high-risk surgery to improve his . Subsequent wins included the 2006 Editorial Writing Prize for Rick Attig and Doug Bates's editorials critiquing abuses at an state mental hospital. In 2007, the staff received the Breaking News Reporting award for comprehensive print and online coverage of the search for a missing family lost in Oregon's mountains, combining investigative efforts with multimedia elements. The most recent, in 2014, was for Editorial Writing by the , focusing on the escalating costs of Oregon's Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) and its fiscal implications for taxpayers and services.

Other Journalistic Achievements

The Oregonian has garnered recognition from regional journalism organizations for excellence in reporting, , and . In the 2025 Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association's Pacific Northwest News Contest, it secured 30 awards across categories such as investigative reporting, features, and , judged against newspapers of varying circulation sizes. Similarly, in the ' Northwest Excellence in Journalism competition for 2024 work, the publication won 22 awards, including first-place honors in and public service reporting. On the national level, The Oregonian staff have received accolades for specialized . A collaborative investigation into Oregon's behavioral health system, conducted with and , earned a bronze medal in the 2021 Donald W. Bartlett and James B. Steele Awards for , recognizing sustained enterprise reporting on policy failures and their societal impacts. In 2025, reporters won eight National Headliner Awards for categories including spot news and environmental reporting, highlighting coverage of local crises such as wildfires and housing shortages. Individual achievements include reporter Bethany Barnes being named a finalist for the Livingston Awards for Young Journalists in the local reporting category, for her series on lead exposure in Portland's . The publication's editors have also been honored for leadership in public-interest . In 2009, editor Peter Bhatia received the Amos E. Voorhies Award from the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association, the state's highest honor for advancing journalistic standards and ethical reporting amid industry challenges. These recognitions underscore The Oregonian's contributions to accountability , often focusing on state-level issues like oversight and welfare, though such awards reflect subjective judging criteria rather than universal consensus on impact.

Controversies and Criticisms

Early Racial and Social Coverage Issues

In its early decades as a daily publication from 1861 onward, The Oregonian frequently advanced racial hierarchies through editorials and reporting that aligned with Oregon's foundational exclusion laws, which barred Black residency and limited non-white rights. These pieces often portrayed non-white groups as inferior, justifying discriminatory policies amid the state's sparse non-white population—Blacks numbered fewer than 100 in 1860, Chinese laborers arrived en masse post-1860s railroads, and Native tribes faced displacement from Indian wars. Under publisher and editor Harvey W. Scott, who led from 1872 to 1910, the newspaper printed explicitly derogatory content, including slurs against Blacks and endorsements of segregation. Coverage of Black Oregonians emphasized subjugation, as in a March 1865 editorial opposing post-Civil War and , claiming Blacks "lack self-government capacity" and urging the race to "ponder" dominance. A May 1866 piece mocked Black equality and as degrading to whites, bolstering Oregon's miscegenation ban enacted that year and upheld until 1951. In 1868, the paper labeled a Black voting advocate "demented," while a 1905 editorial urged Blacks to "accept inferior conditions" via segregation. Reporting on violence downplayed racial attacks; following the 1902 lynching of Black man Alonzo Tucker in —after he allegedly assaulted a —a September 18 article excused the mob, dubbing Tucker a "brute" and declaring, "We who have women folks will say to the Coos Bay people: 'Well done!'" The newspaper championed anti-Asian exclusion, hailing the 1882 federal as "a great victory" in a lead editorial, amid local expulsions like the 1886 Oregon City incident where Chinese workers were driven out and their homes burned. This reflected broader toward Chinese immigrants, who comprised Oregon's largest non-white group by 1880 (over 3,000 statewide), often depicted as economic threats unfit for assimilation. Native American coverage invoked eliminationism; a 1867 editorial posited their "extermination might be needed" amid conflicts like the Yakima War, while an 1885 piece deemed tribes "barbarians" ineligible for citizenship or voting, aligning with federal policies reducing reservations. Such rhetoric echoed the era's but amplified local hostilities in a state where treaties had confined tribes to diminished lands by the 1870s. On social fronts, The Oregonian opposed through 1912 via editorials like one in 1887, framing it as disruptive to norms, though Oregon ratified the 19th in 1919 after state-level delays. These stances, common in 19th-century U.S. , contributed to Oregon's enduring demographic whiteness—Portland remained over 70% white into the —by normalizing exclusion over empirical integration data from elsewhere.

Modern Editorial and Business Disputes

In the 2010s, implemented cost-cutting measures at The Oregonian amid falling print ad and digital shifts, including voluntary buyouts and involuntary layoffs that reduced the from approximately 200 staff in 2008 to 90 by October 2013. These changes coincided with operational restructuring, such as ending seven-day in favor of three print delivery days per week starting in 2013, while maintaining daily newsstand editions; critics among staff and subscribers argued the moves prioritized short-term savings over sustained local reporting depth. Further reductions followed, with a November 2015 round of buyouts and layoffs targeting up to 20% of the to align with Advance's digital focus across its holdings. In January 2018, editor Mark Katches announced the layoff of 11 positions, including reporters and editors like Samantha Bakall and Jessica Garrison, part of at least six staff cut cycles since 2010 driven by industry revenue declines but decried by journalists for straining coverage of issues. By 2023, print editions were further limited to four days weekly, reflecting ongoing subscriber erosion from 15,000 to 4,000 copies on non-delivery days, with management citing adaptation to reader habits yet facing pushback over perceived erosion of print's role in community accountability. On the editorial front, The Oregonian engaged in legal disputes over access to information, underscoring tensions between journalistic transparency and institutional secrecy. In 2017, Oregon Health & Science University sued to prevent disclosure of on executive pay requested under Oregon's public records law, with the ultimately ruling in the newspaper's favor and affirming exemptions must be narrowly construed. Similarly, in 2024, a federal judge overturned a prior order requiring The Oregonian/OregonLive to return or destroy documents inadvertently shared by Nike's attorneys in a sex discrimination lawsuit, following the paper's appeal; the ruling preserved the outlet's ability to report on corporate practices without undue . Public and internal critiques of editorial decisions have centered on perceived imbalances, particularly in politically charged coverage. Letters from editors in 2020 and 2024 responded to reader accusations of bias in news framing and political cartoons, defending opinion sections as viewpoint-driven while asserting news adheres to fairness standards, though skeptics from conservative perspectives question neutrality given Portland's left-leaning media ecosystem. In February 2023, the paper dropped the "Dilbert" strip after creator Scott Adams' public remarks on race, citing misalignment with values, a move praised by some for accountability but criticized by others as reactive censorship amid broader debates on free expression in media.

References

  1. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:History_of_Oregon_Newspapers.pdf/487
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