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The Star-Ledger

Coordinates:40°43′53″N74°10′42″W/ 40.731512°N 74.178410°W/40.731512; -74.178410(The Star-Ledger)
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The Star-Ledger
The May 24, 2012 front page ofThe Star-Ledger
TypeDaily newspaper
FormatBroadsheet
Owner(s)Advance Publications
PublisherRichard Vezza
EditorKevin Whitmer
Founded1832
LanguageAmerican English
Headquarters1Gateway CenterSuite 1100
Newark, New Jersey,U.S.[1]
CountryUnited States
Circulation114,000 daily[2](Sept 2015)
359,820 Sunday[3](Sept 2014)
OCLCnumber10944976
Websitewww.nj.com/starledger/
Former headquarters in Newark

The Star-Ledgeris the largest circulationnewspaperinNew Jersey.It is based inNewark, New Jersey.

In 2007,The Star-Ledger's daily circulation was reportedly more than the next two largest New Jersey newspapers combined, and its Sunday circulation was larger than the next three papers combined.[4]It has suffered great declines in print circulation in recent years, to 180,000 daily in 2013, then to 114,000 "individually paid print circulation," which is the number of copies being bought by subscription or at newsstands, in 2015.[2]

In July 2013, the paper announced that it would sell its headquarters building in Newark.[5]In the same year, Advance Publications announced it was exploring cost-saving changes among its New Jersey properties, but was not considering mergers or changes in publication frequency at any of the newspapers, nor the elimination of home delivery.[6]

The Star-Ledgeris a sister paper toThe Jersey JournalinSecaucus,The TimesinTrenton,and theStaten Island Advance,all of which are owned byAdvance Publications,headquartered inOne World Trade CenterinLower Manhattan.

History[edit]

19th century[edit]

TheNewark Daily Advertiser,founded in 1832, wasNewark's first daily newspaper. It subsequently evolved into theNewark Star-Eagle,owned by what eventually becameBlock Communications.

20th century[edit]

In 1939,S. I. Newhousebought theStar-Eaglefrom Block and merged it with theNewark Ledgerto become theNewark Star-Ledger.The paper dropped Newark from its masthead sometime in the 1970s, but is still popularly called theNewark Star-Ledgerby many residents ofNew Jersey.[7][8]

During the 1960sThe Star-Ledger's chief competitor was theNewark Evening News,once the most popular newspaper in New Jersey. In March 1971, theStar-Ledgersurpassed theEvening Newsin daily circulation, because the Newark News was on strike. TheEvening Newsshut down in 1972.[9]

After theNewark Evening Newsmoved to a high-traffic area (with the potential of trapping its delivery trucks in inner-city traffic) theStar-Ledgeropened a satellite plant inPiscataway.The Piscataway location offered quick access toUnion,Monmouth,Somerset,andMiddlesexcounties.[10]

TheStar-Ledgerwas the recipient of thePulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reportingin 2005 for its comprehensive coverage of the resignation ofNew Jersey GovernorJim McGreevey,after he confessed to adultery with a male lover.[11]

The paper awards the Star-Ledger Trophy each year to the number one high school teams in their respective sport in New Jersey.[12]

21st century[edit]

In 2005, George Arwady became the publisher ofThe Star-Ledger.A graduate ofColumbia University,Arwady was previously the publisher of theKalamazoo GazetteinKalamazoo, Michigan.Having worked closely with the Newhouse family for years, Arwady was asked to move toNewarkto oversee a financial revamping of the newspaper.[13]

Due to financial losses, the paper's parent companyAdvance Publicationsannounced on July 31, 2008 that it would sell theStar-Ledgerunless 200 non-union staff voluntarily left under abuyoutoffer, and its unionized truck drivers and mailers agreed to concessions.[14]On September 16, publisher George Arwady sent employees an email saying that management felt progress had been made on the buyout and concessions from the mailers, but that management is "far from an agreement with the Drivers' union."[15]The email continued:[15]

Since it is doubtful that the Drivers will ratify an agreement by October 8, 2008, we will be sending formal notices to all employees this week, as required by both federal and New Jersey law, advising you that the Company will be sold, or, failing that, that it will close operations on January 5, 2009.

On October 24, 2008, the newspaper announced that 168 newsroom employees had offered to take the company's buyout offer, and that the company had accepted 151 of them, which resulted in a 40% reduction in newsroom staff.[16]

On January 16, 2013, the newspaper announced the layoffs of 34 employees including 18 newsroom staff.[17]

In July, 2014, their Newark headquarters was sold to a New York developer, according to a news article released by the paper.[18]

The Star-Ledgercontinues to publish seven days a week, and retains a presence in Newark in leased office space located within the downtown Gateway Center complex, where the publisher, the newspaper's editorial board, its columnists, its magazine staff and a handful of other jobs will be based. Advance Publications, the owner of the newspaper, launched a new media company — NJ Advance Media — in 2014 to provide content, advertising and marketing services for its online presence at NJ.com, and many of its New Jersey newspapers out of the offices in Woodbridge.[19]The sales and marketing staffs moved to Woodbridge in June 2014.[citation needed]

On Sept. 14, 2023, the paper announced it will cease publication of its Saturday print edition, moving to an all-digital delivery of the Saturday edition beginning in 2024.[20]

Management[edit]

Presidents[edit]

Publishers[edit]

Executive editors[edit]

In October 2009, managing editor Kevin Whitmer took over as editor.[23]After Whitmer left in September 2015, Richard Vezza assumed the position as editor.[24][25]

Prior to Whitmer,James Willsemanned the helm from 1995. He was appointed following the retirement of 32-year veteran editor Mort Pye. Willse was the former editor and publisher of theNew York Daily News.Prior to accepting theLedger's editorship, Willse headed the review of electronic information options for all Newhouse newspapers. He also expanded theLedger'use of color and encouraged a more aggressive editorial team. TheNational Press Foundationnamed Willse its 1999 recipient of theGeorge BeveridgeEditor of the Year Award in recognition ofLedger's coverage ofracial profilingby theNew Jersey State Police.[26]

In popular culture[edit]

  • The Star-Ledgeris featured in the 2021ShowtimeseriesYellowjackets.
  • Between 1999 and 2007,The Star-Ledgerwas featured prominently various times in the hit television seriesThe Sopranos,anHBOdrama series set inNew Jersey.Tony Sopranoreceived home delivery ofThe Star-Ledger,and several episodes opened with him picking it up at the end of his driveway.
    • The Sopranoscreator David Chase credited a story byGuy SterlinginThe Star-Ledgerwith inspiring the theme for the series'fifth seasonin 2004.[27]
  • The Star-Ledgerserves as the inspiration for a fictional newspaper in an award-winning series of mystery novels byBrad Parks.
  • The newspaper was referenced by comedianGeorge Carlinin the 2004 comedy-dramaJersey Girl,which was written and directed byKevin Smith,aNew Jerseynative.
  • In 2004,The Star-Ledgerwas featured inRobert Kurson's 2004 novelShadow Divers.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"How to contact The Star-Ledger".The Star-Ledger.RetrievedApril 1,2016.
  2. ^abTofel, Richard (January 20, 2016)."The sky is falling on print newspapers faster than you think".Medium.RetrievedFebruary 5,2018.
  3. ^"State of the News Media".Pew Research Center.
  4. ^Member Newspapers - Dailies,New Jersey Press Association; Star-Ledger data from Editor & Publisher April 2007 article.
  5. ^"Star-Ledger HQ on block".New York Post.July 5, 2013.RetrievedJuly 5,2013.
  6. ^Sherman, Ted (December 5, 2013)."Owners of Star-Ledger, NJ.com and sister newspapers studying possible consolidations".The Star-Ledger.RetrievedDecember 7,2013.
  7. ^Nuzzi, Olivia (April 4, 2014)."Inside the Massacre at the Newark Star-Ledger, The Paper That Makes Chris Christie Squirm".The Daily Beast.RetrievedApril 1,2016.
  8. ^"About Star-ledger. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1964-current".Library of Congress.RetrievedMarch 23,2020.
  9. ^Mackin, Tom (August 30, 1981)."THE NEWARK NEWS: IN MEMORIAM".The New York Times.Retrieved1 April2016.
  10. ^Sachsman, David B.; Sloat, Warren (2014).The Press and the Suburbs.Transaction Publishers. p. 34.ISBN978-1-4128-5193-0.RetrievedFebruary 5,2018.
  11. ^"The 2005 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Breaking News Reporting: Staff of The Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ".The Pulitzer Prizes.RetrievedFebruary 5,2018.
  12. ^Kratch, James (February 11, 2013)."Wrestling: The history of The Star-Ledger Trophy".The Star-Ledger.RetrievedFebruary 5,2018.
  13. ^"Larry McDermott, publisher of The Republican, announces retirement; to be replaced by Newark Star-Ledger publisher George Arwady".The Republican.Springfield, Massachusetts. December 15, 2009.RetrievedFebruary 5,2018.
  14. ^Chambers, Steven (August 1, 2008)."The Star-Ledger announces large-scale buyout offer".The Star-Ledger.RetrievedFebruary 5,2018.
  15. ^abStrupp, Joe (September 2008)."'Star-Ledger' Publisher Threatens January 2009 Shutdown ".Editor & Publisher.Archived fromthe originalon September 18, 2008.
  16. ^"Official: 40% of 'Star-Ledger' Newsroom Exiting".Editor & Publisher.October 24, 2008. Archived fromthe originalon October 27, 2008.
  17. ^"Star-Ledger axing 34 employees".WCBS-TVNews.Associated Press.January 16, 2013.
  18. ^"Newark headquarters of Star-Ledger sold to New York real estate development firm".The Star-Ledger.Retrieved1 April2016.
  19. ^Mueller, Mark (March 28, 2014)."Advance Publications forms new unit".The Star-Ledger.Retrieved16 February2017.
  20. ^"Star-Ledger to end publication of Saturday print edition".nj.com.September 14, 2023.RetrievedSeptember 19,2023.
  21. ^"Advance Publications, Inc.: Private Company Information".Bloomberg L.P.RetrievedFebruary 5,2018.
  22. ^Yu, Roger (June 27, 2013)."Future of some major newspapers about to change".USA Today.RetrievedMarch 5,2014.
  23. ^"Star-Ledger Editor Jim Willse announces retirement, names successor".NJ.com.RetrievedApril 1,2016.
  24. ^"Kevin Whitmner".Linkedin.RetrievedFebruary 4,2018.
  25. ^"Administration".The Star-Ledger.RetrievedFebruary 5,2018.
  26. ^"Benjamin C. Bradlee Editor of the Year Award".National Press Foundation.RetrievedFebruary 5,2018.
  27. ^"Jersey cases inspire new 'Sopranos' season".The Star-Ledger.January 9, 2003. Archived fromthe originalon March 13, 2009.RetrievedAugust 10,2016.

40°43′53″N74°10′42″W/ 40.731512°N 74.178410°W/40.731512; -74.178410(The Star-Ledger)

External links[edit]

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