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{{Short description|Daily newspaper in Pennsylvania}}
{{refimprove|date=December 2013}}
{{Infobox Newspaper
{{Infobox newspaper
| name = Observer–Reporter
| name = Observer–Reporter
| logo =
| logo =
| image = [[File:Observer Reporter Washington Pa.jpg|225px]]
| image = Observer Reporter Washington Pa.jpg
| caption = Observer–Reporter Building
| caption = Observer–Reporter Building
| type =
| type = [[Daily newspaper]]
| format =
| format =
| foundation =
| foundation = July 24, 1902,
| ceased publication =
| ceased publication =
| owners = [[Ogden Newspapers]]
| price =
⚫
| political position =
| owners =
| founder = John L. Stewart and E.F. Acheson
⚫
| political position =
| publisher = Thomas Northrop
| publisher = Robert Pinarski
| editor = Liz Rogers
| editor = Liz Rogers
| staff =
| staff =
⚫
| circulation = {{plainlist|
| politics =
* 31,035 weekly<ref name= POSTGZ1>{{cite news|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/business/businessnews/2009/10/27/U-S-newspapers-continue-to-see-circulation-plummet/stories/200910270223/ |work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |title=U.S. newspapers continue to see circulation plummet |date=October 27, 2009 |access-date=May 8, 2017 }}</ref>
⚫
| circulation =
* 33,911 Weekend<ref name= POSTGZ1/> }}
| headquarters = [[Washington, Pennsylvania|Washington]], [[Pennsylvania]]
| headquarters = [[Washington, Pennsylvania]]
| ISSN =
| ISSN = 0891-0693
| website = http://www.observer-reporter.com/
| website = {{URL|observer-reporter.com}}
}}
}}

The '''''Observer–Reporter''''' is a daily newspaper covering [[Washington County, Pennsylvania|Washington]] and [[Greene County, Pennsylvania|Greene]] counties in [[Pennsylvania]], with some overlap into the South Hills of [[Pittsburgh]] in [[Allegheny County, Pennsylvania|Allegheny County]]. The newspaper is published by the Observer Publishing Company in [[Washington, Pennsylvania]].
The '''''Observer–Reporter''''' is a daily newspaper covering [[Washington County, Pennsylvania|Washington County]], [[Greene County, Pennsylvania|Greene County]], and the [[Mon Valley]] in [[Pennsylvania]], with some overlap into the [[South Hills (Pittsburgh)|South Hills]] of [[Pittsburgh]] in. The newspaper was published by the Observer Publishing Company in the city of [[Washington, Pennsylvania]].<ref name= STANF1>{{cite book
|url=https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/8213956
|title=''Observer-Reporter''
|author=<!--Not stated-->
|date=1967
|publisher= Stanford Libraries
|access-date= May 8, 2017
}}</ref>


== History ==
== History ==
The Observer Publishing Co. was formed on July 24, 1902, by John L. Stewart and E.F. Acheson. Stewart's grandsons, John L.S. Northrop and William B. Northrop, owned and ran the company until their retirements in June 2002, when ownership was transferred to the fourth generation, which included the children of John and William. Thomas Northrop served as publisher and president from 2002 until 2018. The paper has had a long involvement and investment in the local community.
===19th century===
The ''Observer–Reporter'' has been part of Washington and Greene counties since the early 1800s. In 1808, printers William Sample and William B. Brown stopped at The Sign of the Swan tavern in the village of Washington on their way to Kentucky. They had with them a hand-printing press, type, ink and paper. Tavern owner John Rettig convinced the two men to set up their shop in the basement of his business (currently [[The Union Grill]]). On August 15, 1808, ''The Reporter'' debuted as a weekly newspaper.<ref>{{cite web | title =History | work = | publisher =The Union Grill | date = | url =http://theuniongrill.com/history/ | accessdate =2013-11-23 }}</ref>


Ownership was transferred to [[Ogden Newspapers]] in 2018.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.observer-reporter.com/news/2018/sep/12/observer-publishing-co-selling-to-ogden-newspapers/#:~:text=Sep%2012%2C%202018%204%20min,monthly%20and%20special%20interest%20magazines. | title=Observer Publishing Co. Selling to Ogden Newspapers }}</ref>
Two years later, Sample bought out Brown. In July 1833, Sample sold the weekly paper to B.S. Stewart and George E. Acheson. In 1873, the paper was sold to Maj. Enos L. Christman who, on August 4, 1876, renamed the publication ''The Daily Reporter'' and began publishing it every afternoon.

''The Monthly Advance'', founded by Horace B. Durant, was published in 1871. Within four months, it was renamed the ''Weekly Advance''. In 1876, that publication was renamed ''The Washington Observer''. It became a daily newspaper in 1889, owned by E.F. Acheson and Winfield McIlvaine. Acheson became sole owner in 1890.

=== 20th century ===
The newspaper was bought by John L. (Jack) Stewart on July 24, 1902, and Acheson and Stewart formed the Observer Publishing Co. On January 1, 1903, the Observer Publishing Co. purchased ''The Reporter''. ''The Washington Observer'' was published in the morning, and ''The Washington Reporter'' in the afternoon. Acheson retired in 1912, turning over ownership and the presidency to Stewart. When Stewart died in 1940, the company was turned over to his wife, Margaretta. Her grandsons John L.S. and William B. Northrop became co-owners and president and vice president, respectively, upon her death in May 1966.

In 1963, the company purchased ''The Waynesburg Republican''. In 1967, the newspapers merged into the ''Observer–Reporter''.

The 1980s brought much change and growth to the company. In 1981, the two newspapers merged into a morning-only paper, including a zoned edition for Greene County subscribers. Also in 1981, the company bought controlling interest in ''The Advertiser'' and ''The Almanac'' from Richard Barnes and formed Cornerstone Publishing Co.

In 1982, Eleanor Vosburg sold ''The Burgettstown Enterprise'' to the company. Two years later, ''The Record-Outlook'' in McDonald was bought from Andrew Eiler and William Burns. ''The Democrat Messenger'' in Waynesburg and the ''Monongahela Daily Herald'' were bought in 1986. ''The Sunday Observer–Reporter'' was launched in April 1986.

The 1990s meant diversity and further changes. ''The Advertiser'' and ''The Almanac'' were converted from [[tabloid (newspaper format)|tabloid]]-size to [[broadsheet]] in 1990. In 1998, the two newspapers merged into one, ''The Almanac'', with two zoned editions.

A new color press was installed in June 1993. In that decade, circulation of the ''Observer–Reporter'' grew by 7,000 customers, to nearly 40,000. In 1995, the ''Burgettstown Enterprise'' and ''The Record-Outlook'' merged to form ''The Record-Enterprise''.

In 1996, InfoSource, an audiotext service, and Ads by Phone, a telemarketing division, were launched. Cobweb, an [[internet service provider]], started in August 1996. In August 1998, the South Hills edition of the ''Observer–Reporter'' was begun.

The end of the 1990s brought consolidation. InfoSource closed in 1998, followed by Ads by Phone. In March 1999, ''The Record-Enterprise'' ceased publication. Cobweb was sold in 2003, and the South Hills edition also stopped.

In 1997, John and Bill Northrop named their sons, Thomas and William B. Jr., respectively, as co-publishers. On April 17, 2000, the Northrop brothers handed over the company to their children, and Tom and Bill Jr. became co-publishers. Tom became sole publisher and president when Bill Jr. left the company in 2004.

=== 21st century ===
In addition to its daily and weekly newspapers and their related websites, the company also publishes monthly magazines and other special-interest publications.{{cn|date= May 2014}}

The Observer Publishing Co. is one of the largest employers in Washington County. Its circulation reaches readers in Washington, Greene and southern Allegheny counties.

The company has always focused on the community, whether through the pages of its newspapers or through its employee and family charitable commitments. Those include service to the Washington, Waynesburg and McMurray Rotary clubs; Washington & Jefferson and Waynesburg colleges; the United Way of Washington and Greene counties; Washington Hospital Board of Directors and Foundation; and the Washington Community Foundation.

There is also a long commitment to the newspaper industry through its alliance with the [[Pennsylvania Newspaper Association]]. Jack Stewart was one of the founding members of the organization, which held its first meeting and was housed in its infancy in the ''Observer'' Washington office. Stewart served as president of the organization for the first two years, the only person to serve two terms as president until 2004. The state presidency has also been held by John and Bill Northrop, as well as the late Jim Lyon, former ''Observer'' general manager and executive vice president.

The Observer Publishing Co. is also committed to literacy and the promotion of a lifetime of reading through its highly successful Newspaper in Education program. Each week during the school year, educators in all the school districts within the newspaper's circulation area are offered the ''Observer–Reporter'' as an in-classroom tool, as well as other teaching resource materials.


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
* {{Cite news|url=https://observer-reporter.com/news/localnews/observer-publishing-co-selling-to-ogden-newspapers/article_5332cfe6-b6cd-11e8-88e6-63da9cde8f1c.html|title=Observer Publishing Co. selling to Ogden Newspapers|work=Observer-Reporter|access-date=2018-09-13|language=en}}
{{commonscat=inline}}

==External links==
* {{official|observer-reporter.com}} {{small|(Subscription required after clicking 5 articles)}}


{{Newspapers published in Pennsylvania}}
{{Newspapers published in Pennsylvania}}
{{Washington, Pennsylvania}}
{{Washington, Pennsylvania}}


{{commons category|Observer-Reporter}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Observer-Reporter}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Observer-Reporter}}
[[Category:Newspapers published in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Daily newspapers published in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Washington County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Washington County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Greene County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Greene County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Washington, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Washington, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Newspapers established in 1902]]
[[Category:1902 establishments in Pennsylvania]]

Latest revision as of 02:36, 24 August 2024

Observer–Reporter
Observer–Reporter Building
TypeDaily newspaper
Owner(s)Ogden Newspapers
Founder(s)John L. Stewart and E.F. Acheson
PublisherRobert Pinarski
EditorLiz Rogers
FoundedJuly 24, 1902,
HeadquartersWashington, Pennsylvania
Circulation
  • 31,035 weekly[1]
  • 33,911 Weekend[1]
ISSN0891-0693
Websiteobserver-reporter.com

The Observer–Reporter is a daily newspaper covering Washington County, Greene County, and the Mon Valley in Pennsylvania, with some overlap into the South Hills of Pittsburgh in. The newspaper was published by the Observer Publishing Company in the city of Washington, Pennsylvania.[2]

History

[edit]

The Observer Publishing Co. was formed on July 24, 1902, by John L. Stewart and E.F. Acheson. Stewart's grandsons, John L.S. Northrop and William B. Northrop, owned and ran the company until their retirements in June 2002, when ownership was transferred to the fourth generation, which included the children of John and William. Thomas Northrop served as publisher and president from 2002 until 2018. The paper has had a long involvement and investment in the local community.

Ownership was transferred to Ogden Newspapers in 2018.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "U.S. newspapers continue to see circulation plummet". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 27, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  2. ^ Observer-Reporter. Stanford Libraries. 1967. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  3. ^ "Observer Publishing Co. Selling to Ogden Newspapers".
[edit]
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