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{{short description|Newspaper based in St. Paul, Minnesota}}
{{short description|Newspaper based in St. Paul, Minnesota}}
{{Infobox newspaper
{{Infobox newspaper
|name = Pioneer Press
| name = Pioneer Press
|image = [[Image:St. Paul Pioneer Press front page.jpg|225px|border]]
| image = [[Image:St. Paul Pioneer Press front page.jpg|225px|border]]
|caption = The July 27, 2005, front page<br />of the ''Pioneer Press''
| caption = The July 27, 2005, front page<br />of the ''Pioneer Press''
|type = Daily [[newspaper]]
| type = [[Daily newspaper]]
|format = [[Broadsheet]]
| format = [[Broadsheet]]
|foundation = 1849
| foundation = 1849
|owner = [[Digital First Media]]
| owner = [[Digital First Media|Digital First Media (Alden Global Capital)]]
|publisher = [[Northwest Publications]]
| publisher = Greg Mazanec
| circulation = 90,615 Thursday<br/>137,068 Sunday
|circulation = {{unbulleted list|208,280 Daily|284,507 Sunday ({{as of|2013|3|alt=March 2013}})<ref>{{cite web|url= http://abcas3.auditedmedia.com/ecirc/newstitlesearchus.asp|title= Total Circ for US Newspapers|date= March 31, 2013|publisher= [[Alliance for Audited Media]]|accessdate= June 18, 2013|url-status= dead|archiveurl= https://archive.is/20130306175039/http://abcas3.auditedmedia.com/ecirc/newstitlesearchus.asp|archivedate= March 6, 2013}}</ref>}}
| circulation_date = 2024
⚫
|headquarters = 10 River Park Plaza, 7th Floor<br />[[Saint Paul, Minnesota|Saint Paul]], [[Minnesota]] 55101<br />USA
| circulation_ref = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Minnesota Newspaper Directory 2024 |url=https://mna.org/assets/2024/03/MNADirectoryMar2024.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240315022205/https://mna.org/assets/2024/03/MNADirectoryMar2024.pdf |archive-date=March 15, 2024 |access-date=March 28, 2024 |website=Minnesota Newspaper Association}}</ref>
⚫
|editor = Mike Burbach
⚫
| headquarters = 10 River Park Plaza, 7th Floor<br />[[Saint Paul, Minnesota|Saint Paul]], [[Minnesota]] 55101<br />USA
⚫
|website = {{URL|https://www.twincities.com/}}
⚫
| editor = Mike Burbach
⚫
|ISSN = 0892-1083
⚫
| website = {{URL|twincities.com}}
⚫
| oclc = 48259426
⚫
| ISSN = 0892-1083
⚫
| oclc = 48259426
}}
}}

{{Italic title}}
The '''''St. Paul Pioneer Press''''' is a [[newspaper]] based in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|Saint Paul]], [[Minnesota]], primarily serving the [[Minneapolis-St. Paul|Twin Cities]] metropolitan area. Circulation is heaviest in the eastern metro region, including [[Ramsey County, Minnesota|Ramsey]], [[Dakota County, Minnesota|Dakota]], and [[Washington County, Minnesota|Washington]] counties, along with western [[Wisconsin]], eastern Minnesota and [[Anoka County, Minnesota]]. The paper's main rival is the ''[[Star Tribune]]'', based in neighboring [[Minneapolis, Minnesota|Minneapolis]]. The ''Pioneer Press'' has been owned by [[MediaNews Group]] since April 2006. It no longer includes "St. Paul" as part of its name in either its print or online edition, but its owner still lists the paper's name as the ''St. Paul Pioneer Press''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.medianewsgroup.com/our-brands/|title=Our Brands|website=medianewsgroup|accessdate=January 24, 2020}}</ref> The paper also calls itself the ''St. Paul Pioneer Press'' on its Facebook page<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/pg/PioneerPress/about/|title=About Pioneer Press|website=Facebook|accessdate=January 24, 2020}}</ref> and its Twitter page.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/PioneerPress|title=PioneerPress|website=Twitter|accessdate=January 24, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn2003058061/|title=About the Pioneer Press|website=Chronicling America|publisher=Library of Congress|accessdate=January 24, 2020}}</ref>
The '''''St. Paul Pioneer Press''''' is a [[newspaper]] based in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|Saint Paul]], [[Minnesota]], United States. It serves the [[Minneapolis–Saint Paul]] metropolitan area. Circulation is heaviest in the east metro, including [[Ramsey County, Minnesota|Ramsey]], [[Dakota County, Minnesota|Dakota]], and [[Washington County, Minnesota|Washington]] counties, along with western [[Wisconsin]], eastern Minnesota and [[Anoka County, Minnesota]]. The paper's main rival is the ''[[Star Tribune]]'', based in neighboring [[Minneapolis, Minnesota|Minneapolis]]. The ''Pioneer Press'' is owned by [[MediaNews Group]], controlled by [[Alden Global Capital]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Uren |first=Adam |date=2020-02-05 |title=Notorious hedge fund buys Minnesota media group and its 11 newspapers |url=https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/notorious-hedge-fund-that-owns-the-pioneer-press-buys-minnesota-media-group-and-its-11-newspapers |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=Bring Me The News |language=en}}</ref> It no longer includes "St. Paul" as part of its name in either its print or online edition, but its owner still lists the paper's name as the ''St. Paul Pioneer Press''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.medianewsgroup.com/our-brands/|title=Our Brands|website=medianewsgroup|access-date=January 24, 2020}}</ref> and the paper also calls itself the ''St. Paul Pioneer Press'' on its Facebook<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/pg/PioneerPress/about/|title=About Pioneer Press|website=Facebook|access-date=January 24, 2020}}</ref> and Twitter pages. Its URL and digital presence is TwinCities.com.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/PioneerPress|title=PioneerPress|website=Twitter|access-date=January 24, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn2003058061/|title=About the Pioneer Press|website=Chronicling America|publisher=Library of Congress|access-date=January 24, 2020}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
[[File:St. Paul Sunday Pioneer Press 8-12-1945.jpg|thumb|left|A ''St. Paul Sunday Pioneer Press'' front page dated August 12, 1945 featuring the first publication of the mushroom cloud during the [[atomic bombing of Hiroshima]], [[Japan]].]]
[[File:St. Paul Sunday Pioneer Press 8-12-1945.jpg|thumb|left|A ''St. Paul Sunday Pioneer Press'' front page dated August 12, 1945 featuring the first publication of the mushroom cloud during the [[atomic bombing of Hiroshima]], [[Japan]].]]
The ''Pioneer Press'' traces its history to both the ''Minnesota Pioneer'', [[Minnesota]]'s first daily newspaper (founded in 1849 by [[James M. Goodhue]]), and the ''[[Saint Paul Dispatch]]'' (launched in 1868). Ridder Publications acquired the ''Pioneer'' and the ''Dispatch'' in 1927. Ridder merged with Knight Publications to form [[Knight Ridder]] in 1974. The two papers were operated for many years as separate morning and evening papers, but in 1985 were merged into the all-day publication the ''St. Paul Pioneer Press and Dispatch'', which later dropped the "and" from "and Dispatch" in 1986, simply becoming the ''St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch''. The publication eventually made the transition to a morning-only paper, and on March 26, 1990, the word "Dispatch" was dropped. The paper is sometimes called the "Pi Press", just as "Strib" is used for the ''Star Tribune''.
The ''Pioneer Press'' traces its history to both the ''Minnesota Pioneer'', [[Minnesota]]'s first daily newspaper (founded in 1849 by [[James M. Goodhue]]), and the ''[[Saint Paul Dispatch]]'' (launched in 1868). Ridder Publications acquired the ''Pioneer'' and the ''Dispatch'' in 1927. Ridder merged with Knight Publications to form [[Knight Ridder]] in 1974. The two papers were operated for many years as separate morning and evening papers, but in 1985 were merged into the all-day publication the ''St. Paul Pioneer Press and Dispatch'', which later dropped the "and" from "and Dispatch" in 1986, simply becoming the ''St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch''. The publication eventually made the transition to a morning-only paper, and on March 26, 1990, the word "Dispatch" was dropped. The paper is sometimes called the "Pi Press", just as "Strib" is used for the ''Star Tribune''.

During World War II the paper had [[war correspondent]]s in the field. There were 30 correspondents from various papers at [[Battle of Iwo Jima|Iwo Jima]], including A.J. Crocker of the Pioneer Press.<ref>Appendix 10, Annex Charlie, VACLF Special Action Report, Iwo Jima Campaign, Eight Marine Field Depot
April 1945, p.61 [https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4013coll8/id/822/rec/6]</ref>


From 1947 to 1949, the newspaper printed the comic strip ''[[Li'l Folks]]'', by Twin Cities native [[Charles M. Schulz]]. This comic introduced a number of characters who would later return in 1950 in the syndicated comic strip ''[[Peanuts]]'', including [[Charlie Brown]] and a dog strongly resembling [[Snoopy]].
From 1947 to 1949, the newspaper printed the comic strip ''[[Li'l Folks]]'', by Twin Cities native [[Charles M. Schulz]]. This comic introduced a number of characters who would later return in 1950 in the syndicated comic strip ''[[Peanuts]]'', including [[Charlie Brown]] and a dog strongly resembling [[Snoopy]].
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The paper has won three [[Pulitzer Prize]]s: in [[1986 Pulitzer Prize|1986]], [[1988 Pulitzer Prize|1988]], and [[2000 Pulitzer Prize|2000]].
The paper has won three [[Pulitzer Prize]]s: in [[1986 Pulitzer Prize|1986]], [[1988 Pulitzer Prize|1988]], and [[2000 Pulitzer Prize|2000]].


On March 10, 1999, the day before the [[Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball|University of Minnesota men's basketball team]] was to begin play in the [[1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|NCAA Tournament]], the ''Pioneer Press'' published a story written by [[George Dohrmann]] with allegations that a staffer wrote coursework for many Minnesota basketball players within the past five years.<ref name="accused of academic fraud">{{cite web | last = Dohrmann | first = George | title = U basketball program accused of academic fraud | work = St. Paul Pioneer Press | date = March 10, 1999 | url = http://www.pioneerplanet.com/uofm/docs/0310gophers.htm | accessdate = May 13, 2007 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20011230153823/http://www.pioneerplanet.com/uofm/docs/0310gophers.htm|archivedate=December 30, 2001}}</ref> Immediately, Minnesota suspended four players suspected of academic fraud, and in 2000, the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] vacated all postseason appearances by Minnesota from 1994 to 1998 and docked scholarships for four years, among other penalties.<ref name="NYT 2000-10-25">{{cite web|last1=Drape|first1=Joe|title=COLLEGE BASKETBALL; Minnesota Penalized by N.C.A.A.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/25/sports/college-basketball-minnesota-penalized-by-ncaa.html|website=New York Times|accessdate=June 25, 2014|date=October 25, 2000}}</ref> Dohrmann would win a [[2000 Pulitzer Prize|Pulitzer Prize]] for [[beat reporting]] in 2000 for his reports on the scandal.<ref>{{cite web|title=The 2000 Pulitzer Prize Winners, Beat Reporting Citation|url=http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2000-Beat-Reporting|publisher=Pulitzer Prizes|accessdate=June 25, 2014}}</ref> Dohrmann and his editor prepared for hostile reactions to the newspaper from the local community.<ref name="PEJ case study">{{cite web|author=Overholser, Geneva|title=Minnesota's basketball cheating scandal|url=http://journalism.org/resources/education/case_studies/minnesota.asp|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030124202859/http://journalism.org/resources/education/case_studies/minnesota.asp|archivedate=January 24, 2003|date=2003|publisher=Project for Excellence in Journalism}}</ref> Minnesota governor [[Jesse Ventura]] accused the ''Pioneer Press'' of timing the article to be published around NCAA Tournament time for the sake of "sensationalism journalism," and the ''Pioneer Press'' got many hostile calls and letters in response to the story.<ref name="AJR 1999">{{cite web|url=http://ajrarchive.org/article.asp?id=580|title=Body slam|author=Robertson, Lori|work=American Journalism Review|date=May 1999|accessdate=June 25, 2014}}</ref>
On March 10, 1999, the day before the [[Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball|University of Minnesota men's basketball team]] was to begin play in the [[1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|NCAA Tournament]], the ''Pioneer Press'' published a story written by [[George Dohrmann]] with allegations that a staffer wrote coursework for many Minnesota basketball players within the past five years.<ref name="accused of academic fraud">{{cite web | last = Dohrmann | first = George | title = U basketball program accused of academic fraud | work = St. Paul Pioneer Press | date = March 10, 1999 | url = http://www.pioneerplanet.com/uofm/docs/0310gophers.htm | access-date = May 13, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011230153823/http://www.pioneerplanet.com/uofm/docs/0310gophers.htm|archive-date=December 30, 2001}}</ref> Immediately, Minnesota suspended four players suspected of academic fraud, and in 2000, the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] vacated all postseason appearances by Minnesota from 1994 to 1998 and docked scholarships for four years, among other penalties.<ref name="NYT 2000-10-25">{{cite web|last1=Drape|first1=Joe|title=COLLEGE BASKETBALL; Minnesota Penalized by N.C.A.A.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/25/sports/college-basketball-minnesota-penalized-by-ncaa.html|website=New York Times|access-date=June 25, 2014|date=October 25, 2000}}</ref> Dohrmann would win a [[2000 Pulitzer Prize|Pulitzer Prize]] for [[beat reporting]] in 2000 for his reports on the scandal.<ref>{{cite web|title=The 2000 Pulitzer Prize Winners, Beat Reporting Citation|url=http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2000-Beat-Reporting|publisher=Pulitzer Prizes|access-date=June 25, 2014}}</ref> Dohrmann and his editor prepared for hostile reactions to the newspaper from the local community.<ref name="PEJ case study">{{cite web|author=Overholser, Geneva|title=Minnesota's basketball cheating scandal|url=http://journalism.org/resources/education/case_studies/minnesota.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030124202859/http://journalism.org/resources/education/case_studies/minnesota.asp|archive-date=January 24, 2003|date=2003|publisher=Project for Excellence in Journalism}}</ref> Minnesota governor [[Jesse Ventura]] accused the ''Pioneer Press'' of timing the article to be published around NCAA Tournament time for the sake of "sensationalism journalism," and the ''Pioneer Press'' got many hostile calls and letters in response to the story.<ref name="AJR 1999">{{cite web|url=http://ajrarchive.org/article.asp?id=580|title=Body slam|author=Robertson, Lori|work=American Journalism Review|date=May 1999|access-date=June 25, 2014}}</ref>

In 2004 the ''Pioneer Press'' made news itself. The great-great-grandson of George Thompson, a former owner/editor of the paper, took a 1914 pocket watch of his grandfather's to the [[Antiques Roadshow]] when it came to St. Paul.<ref name="Patek"/> There he learned it was not ordinary, with an estimated value of $250,000. Afterward, the grandson sent the watch to [[Sotheby's]], where it sold for $1.5 million.<ref name="Patek"/> The ''Pioneer Press'' [[Patek Philippe]] is on display at the Patek Philippe Museum in [[Geneva, Switzerland|Geneva]].<ref name="Patek">One Complicated Patek Philippe Pocket Watch from the US Antiques Roadshow in 2004, NICK GOULD, January 3, 2017, Depolyant website [https://deployant.com/one-complicated-patek-philippe-watch-from-the-us-antiques-roadshow-in-2004/]</ref> In 2020 the show updated its appraisal of the watch's value to $2–3 million.


[[The McClatchy Company]] acquired the paper in June 2006 when it bought [[Knight Ridder]]. As owner of the ''Star Tribune,'' McClatchy had to sell the ''Pioneer Press'' because of [[antitrust]] concerns.<ref>[http://www.medianewsgroup.com/companynews/2006/McClatch%20MNG%20Release.pdf] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060526083950/http://www.medianewsgroup.com/companynews/2006/McClatch%20MNG%20Release.pdf|date=May 26, 2006}}</ref> The ''Pioneer Press'' was subsequently sold by McClatchy to [[MediaNews Group]] later in the year.
[[The McClatchy Company]] acquired the paper in June 2006 when it bought [[Knight Ridder]]. As owner of the ''Star Tribune,'' McClatchy had to sell the ''Pioneer Press'' because of [[antitrust]] concerns.<ref>[http://www.medianewsgroup.com/companynews/2006/McClatch%20MNG%20Release.pdf] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060526083950/http://www.medianewsgroup.com/companynews/2006/McClatch%20MNG%20Release.pdf|date=May 26, 2006}}</ref> The ''Pioneer Press'' was subsequently sold by McClatchy to [[MediaNews Group]] later in the year.


The hedge fund [[Alden Global Capital]] now owns a controlling share of the ''Pioneer Press''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/lawsuit-calls-out-the-pioneer-press-owner-for-its-tactics/476890003/|title=Lawsuit calls out Pioneer Press owner for its tactics|work=Star Tribune|access-date=2018-05-02}}</ref> In its operating year of 2017, ''The Pioneer Press'' under Alden announced a profit of $10 million with a 13% operating margin after Alden cut the newspaper's workforce to around 60 people. Alden has faced notable criticism for this from editorial staff of ''[[The Denver Post#Ownership|The Denver Post]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://blogs.mprnews.org/newscut/2018/05/big-profits-at-pioneer-press-as-corporate-parent-destroys-it/|title=Big profits at Pioneer Press as corporate parent destroys it|last=Collins|first=Bob|work=NewsCut|access-date=2018-05-02|language=en-US}}</ref>
The hedge fund [[Alden Global Capital]] now owns a controlling share of the ''Pioneer Press''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/lawsuit-calls-out-the-pioneer-press-owner-for-its-tactics/476890003/|title=Lawsuit calls out Pioneer Press owner for its tactics|work=Star Tribune|access-date=2018-05-02}}</ref> In its operating year of 2017, ''The Pioneer Press'' under Alden announced a profit of $10 million with a 13% operating margin after Alden cut the newspaper's workforce to around 60 people. Alden has faced notable criticism for this from editorial staff of ''[[The Denver Post#Ownership|The Denver Post]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://blogs.mprnews.org/newscut/2018/05/big-profits-at-pioneer-press-as-corporate-parent-destroys-it/|title=Big profits at Pioneer Press as corporate parent destroys it|last=Collins|first=Bob|work=NewsCut|access-date=2018-05-02|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2006 the ''Pioneer Press'' had 206 reporters, copy-editors, and editors who were members of a union. By September 2023, that number had dropped to 29.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Boller |first1=Jay |title=A Vampiric Hedge Fund Is Eating the Pioneer Press Alive |url=https://racketmn.com/alden-capital-vampiric-hedge-fund-st-paul-pioneer-press |access-date=2 December 2023 |work=[[Racket (Minnesota)|Racket]] |date=15 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

{{Clear}}
{{Clear}}


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*[[Jim Caple]]
*[[Jim Caple]]
*[[Nick Coleman (columnist)|Nick Coleman]]
*[[Nick Coleman (columnist)|Nick Coleman]]
*Carole Nelson Douglas, author of a ''New York Times'' Notable Book of the Year and 62 other novels.
*[[George Dohrmann]], winner of the [[2000 Pulitzer Prize]] for beat reporting, for stories about the [[University of Minnesota basketball scandal]].
*[[George Dohrmann]], winner of the [[2000 Pulitzer Prize]] for beat reporting, for stories about the [[University of Minnesota basketball scandal]].
*[[Dick Gordon (sports writer)|Dick Gordon]]
*[[Dick Gordon (sports writer)|Dick Gordon]]
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*[[Katherine Lanpher]], columnist and later co-host of ''[[The Al Franken Show]]''
*[[Katherine Lanpher]], columnist and later co-host of ''[[The Al Franken Show]]''
*[[James Lileks]]
*[[James Lileks]]
*[[Bruce Orwall]], writer and current editor at ''The Wall Street Journal''.
*[[Robert Ridder]], former reporter, later a director for [[Knight Ridder]].<ref name="obituary">{{cite news|title=Media mogul was owner of hockey team|newspaper=Tribune Democrat|location=Johnstown, Pennsylvania|date=June 26, 2000|page=21|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/obituary-clipping-jun-26-2000-862370/}}{{free access}}</ref>
*[[Robert Ridder]], former reporter, later a director for [[Knight Ridder]].<ref name="obituary">{{cite news|title=Media mogul was owner of hockey team|newspaper=Tribune Democrat|location=Johnstown, Pennsylvania|date=June 26, 2000|page=21|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/obituary-clipping-jun-26-2000-862370/}}{{free access}}</ref>
*[[Jim Romenesko]], Internet reporter for the ''Pioneer Press'' from 1996 to 1999, now blogger at JimRomenesko.com
*[[Jim Romenesko]], Internet reporter for the ''Pioneer Press'' from 1996 to 1999, now blogger at JimRomenesko.com
*[[John Sandford (novelist)|John Sandford/John Camp]], author of the ''Prey'' series of crime novels and winner of the 1986 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing.
*[[John Sandford (novelist)|John Sandford/John Camp]], author of the ''Prey'' series of crime novels and winner of the 1986 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing.
*[[Bob Sansevere]], sports columnist and member of the [[KQRS-FM]] morning show with [[Tom Barnard]].
*[[Joe Soucheray]], general columnist and host of the [[KSTP (AM)|KSTP]] afternoon program, [[Garage Logic]].
*[[Joe Soucheray]], general columnist and host of the [[KSTP (AM)|KSTP]] afternoon program, [[Garage Logic]].
*[[Charley Walters]], sports columnist
*[[Charley Walters]], sports columnist
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<gallery>
<gallery>
File:JamesMGoodhue1850.jpg|James. M. Goodhue
File:JamesMGoodhue1850.jpg|James. M. Goodhue
File:Pioneer Building main entrance.jpg|The old Pioneer Press Building main entrance in downtown St. Paul
File:TR-Enviro.JPG|1908 US editorial cartoon on [[Theodore Roosevelt]] and conservation
File:TR-Enviro.JPG|1908 US editorial cartoon on [[Theodore Roosevelt]] and conservation
File:Pioneer & Endicott Buildings 2014.jpg|Pioneer Press & Endicott Buildings
</gallery>
</gallery>


==See also==
==See also==
{{Portal|United States|Journalism}}
{{Portal|United States|Journalism}}
*''[[City Pages]]''
*''[[Minnesota Daily]]''
*''[[Star Tribune]]''
*''[[Villager (Saint Paul, Minnesota)|Villager]]''
*[[List of newspapers in Minnesota]]
*[[List of newspapers in Minnesota]]
*[[Defunct newspapers of Minnesota]]
*[[Defunct newspapers of Minnesota]]
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{{commons category}}
{{commons category}}
* {{Official website|https://www.twincities.com/ }}
* {{Official website|https://www.twincities.com/ }}



{{MediaNews Group}}
{{MediaNews Group}}
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{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|44.942647|-93.083415|region:US-MN|display=title|name=D: St. Paul Pioneer Press}}
{{coord|44.942647|-93.083415|region:US-MN|display=title|name=D: St. Paul Pioneer Press}}

[[Category:Knight Ridder publications]]
[[Category:Knight Ridder publications]]
[[Category:Newspapers published in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Newspapers published in Minnesota]]
[[Category:MediaNews Group publications]]
[[Category:MediaNews Group publications]]
[[Category:Mass media in Minneapolis–Saint Paul]]
[[Category:Mass media in Minneapolis–Saint Paul]]
[[Category:Publications established in 1849]]
[[Category:Newspapers established in 1849]]
[[Category:1849 establishments in Minnesota Territory]]
[[Category:1849 establishments in Minnesota Territory]]
[[Category:Newspapers published in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Newspapers published in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota]]

Latest revision as of 00:20, 29 March 2024

Pioneer Press
The July 27, 2005, front page
of the Pioneer Press
TypeDaily newspaper
FormatBroadsheet
Owner(s)Digital First Media (Alden Global Capital)
PublisherGreg Mazanec
EditorMike Burbach
Founded1849
Headquarters10 River Park Plaza, 7th Floor
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55101
USA
Circulation90,615 Thursday
137,068 Sunday (as of 2024)[1]
ISSN0892-1083
OCLC number48259426
Websitetwincities.com

The St. Paul Pioneer Press is a newspaper based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. It serves the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. Circulation is heaviest in the east metro, including Ramsey, Dakota, and Washington counties, along with western Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota and Anoka County, Minnesota. The paper's main rival is the Star Tribune, based in neighboring Minneapolis. The Pioneer Press is owned by MediaNews Group, controlled by Alden Global Capital.[2] It no longer includes "St. Paul" as part of its name in either its print or online edition, but its owner still lists the paper's name as the St. Paul Pioneer Press[3] and the paper also calls itself the St. Paul Pioneer Press on its Facebook[4] and Twitter pages. Its URL and digital presence is TwinCities.com.[5][6]

History[edit]

A St. Paul Sunday Pioneer Press front page dated August 12, 1945 featuring the first publication of the mushroom cloud during the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan.

The Pioneer Press traces its history to both the Minnesota Pioneer, Minnesota's first daily newspaper (founded in 1849 by James M. Goodhue), and the Saint Paul Dispatch (launched in 1868). Ridder Publications acquired the Pioneer and the Dispatch in 1927. Ridder merged with Knight Publications to form Knight Ridder in 1974. The two papers were operated for many years as separate morning and evening papers, but in 1985 were merged into the all-day publication the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Dispatch, which later dropped the "and" from "and Dispatch" in 1986, simply becoming the St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch. The publication eventually made the transition to a morning-only paper, and on March 26, 1990, the word "Dispatch" was dropped. The paper is sometimes called the "Pi Press", just as "Strib" is used for the Star Tribune.

During World War II the paper had war correspondents in the field. There were 30 correspondents from various papers at Iwo Jima, including A.J. Crocker of the Pioneer Press.[7]

From 1947 to 1949, the newspaper printed the comic strip Li'l Folks, by Twin Cities native Charles M. Schulz. This comic introduced a number of characters who would later return in 1950 in the syndicated comic strip Peanuts, including Charlie Brown and a dog strongly resembling Snoopy.

In 1952, the Dispatch began sponsoring a treasure hunt as part of the Saint Paul Winter Carnival. Clues to finding a medallion are printed in the paper, and the first person to find and return it with the clues and a registered carnival button wins a sum of money. The prize started off at $1,000 and as of 2004 rose to $10,000.

The paper has won three Pulitzer Prizes: in 1986, 1988, and 2000.

On March 10, 1999, the day before the University of Minnesota men's basketball team was to begin play in the NCAA Tournament, the Pioneer Press published a story written by George Dohrmann with allegations that a staffer wrote coursework for many Minnesota basketball players within the past five years.[8] Immediately, Minnesota suspended four players suspected of academic fraud, and in 2000, the NCAA vacated all postseason appearances by Minnesota from 1994 to 1998 and docked scholarships for four years, among other penalties.[9] Dohrmann would win a Pulitzer Prize for beat reporting in 2000 for his reports on the scandal.[10] Dohrmann and his editor prepared for hostile reactions to the newspaper from the local community.[11] Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura accused the Pioneer Press of timing the article to be published around NCAA Tournament time for the sake of "sensationalism journalism," and the Pioneer Press got many hostile calls and letters in response to the story.[12]

In 2004 the Pioneer Press made news itself. The great-great-grandson of George Thompson, a former owner/editor of the paper, took a 1914 pocket watch of his grandfather's to the Antiques Roadshow when it came to St. Paul.[13] There he learned it was not ordinary, with an estimated value of $250,000. Afterward, the grandson sent the watch to Sotheby's, where it sold for $1.5 million.[13] The Pioneer Press Patek Philippe is on display at the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva.[13] In 2020 the show updated its appraisal of the watch's value to $2–3 million.

The McClatchy Company acquired the paper in June 2006 when it bought Knight Ridder. As owner of the Star Tribune, McClatchy had to sell the Pioneer Press because of antitrust concerns.[14] The Pioneer Press was subsequently sold by McClatchy to MediaNews Group later in the year.

The hedge fund Alden Global Capital now owns a controlling share of the Pioneer Press.[15] In its operating year of 2017, The Pioneer Press under Alden announced a profit of $10 million with a 13% operating margin after Alden cut the newspaper's workforce to around 60 people. Alden has faced notable criticism for this from editorial staff of The Denver Post.[16]

In 2006 the Pioneer Press had 206 reporters, copy-editors, and editors who were members of a union. By September 2023, that number had dropped to 29.[17]

Notable journalists[edit]

Gallery[edit]

  • James. M. Goodhue
    James. M. Goodhue
  • The old Pioneer Press Building main entrance in downtown St. Paul
    The old Pioneer Press Building main entrance in downtown St. Paul
  • 1908 US editorial cartoon on Theodore Roosevelt and conservation
    1908 US editorial cartoon on Theodore Roosevelt and conservation
  • Pioneer Press & Endicott Buildings
    Pioneer Press & Endicott Buildings

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Minnesota Newspaper Directory 2024" (PDF). Minnesota Newspaper Association. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 15, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  2. ^ Uren, Adam (2020-02-05). "Notorious hedge fund buys Minnesota media group and its 11 newspapers". Bring Me The News. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  3. ^ "Our Brands". medianewsgroup. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  4. ^ "About Pioneer Press". Facebook. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  5. ^ "PioneerPress". Twitter. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  6. ^ "About the Pioneer Press". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  7. ^ Appendix 10, Annex Charlie, VACLF Special Action Report, Iwo Jima Campaign, Eight Marine Field Depot April 1945, p.61 [1]
  8. ^ Dohrmann, George (March 10, 1999). "U basketball program accused of academic fraud". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Archived from the original on December 30, 2001. Retrieved May 13, 2007.
  9. ^ Drape, Joe (October 25, 2000). "COLLEGE BASKETBALL; Minnesota Penalized by N.C.A.A." New York Times. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  10. ^ "The 2000 Pulitzer Prize Winners, Beat Reporting Citation". Pulitzer Prizes. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  11. ^ Overholser, Geneva (2003). "Minnesota's basketball cheating scandal". Project for Excellence in Journalism. Archived from the original on January 24, 2003.
  12. ^ Robertson, Lori (May 1999). "Body slam". American Journalism Review. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  13. ^ a b c One Complicated Patek Philippe Pocket Watch from the US Antiques Roadshow in 2004, NICK GOULD, January 3, 2017, Depolyant website [2]
  14. ^ [3] Archived May 26, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ "Lawsuit calls out Pioneer Press owner for its tactics". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
  16. ^ Collins, Bob. "Big profits at Pioneer Press as corporate parent destroys it". NewsCut. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
  17. ^ Boller, Jay (15 November 2023). "A Vampiric Hedge Fund Is Eating the Pioneer Press Alive". Racket. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  18. ^ "Media mogul was owner of hockey team". Tribune Democrat. Johnstown, Pennsylvania. June 26, 2000. p. 21.Free access icon

External links[edit]

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