List of comic strip syndicates explained

This is a list of comic strip syndicates. Over the years, many syndicates have been acquired and otherwise absorbed by competitors; this list attempts to illustrate that.

Comic strip syndicates

• Andrews McMeel Syndication (est. 2009) — formed by merger of Universal Press Syndicate and Uclick;^[1] formerly called Universal Uclick; includes GoComics
  • Uclick (1996–2009; merged with Universal Press Syndicate to form Universal Uclick) — formerly named Universal New Media^[2]
  • Universal Press Syndicate (1970–2009; merged with Uclick to form Universal Uclick) — former names include Universal New Media
    • Washington Star Syndicate (1965–1979)^[3]
      • George Matthew Adams Service (c. 1916–1965; acquired by The Washington Star Syndicate) — formerly known as the Adams Newspaper Service
    • Chronicle Features (1962–1998; acquired by Universal Press Syndicate in 1997)
    • Editors Press Service (1933–2010; acquired by Universal Press Syndicate in 2004 and renamed Atlantic Syndication)
  • United Media (1978–2011; formed from the consolidation of United Feature and Newspaper Enterprise Association; eventually acquired by Universal Uclick)
    • Newspaper Enterprise Association (c. 1909–1978; merged into United Media Enterprises)^[4]
    • United Feature Syndicate (1919–1978; merged into United Media Enterprises)
      • Metropolitan Newspaper Service (1919–1932; owned by the Bell Syndicate from 1920–1930;^[5] acquired an eventually absorbed by United Features)^[6]
      • Press Publishing Co. (c.1910–1931; acquired by E. W. Scripps Company)^[7]
      • World Feature Service (c. 1905–1931; acquired by E. W. Scripps Company)
      • Bell Syndicate (1916–1972; acquired by United Features)^[8] — known as the Bell-McClure Syndicate from 1930 to 1972
        • Associated Newspapers (1912–c. 1966; acquired by Bell Syndicate in 1930)^[9]
        • McClure Newspaper Syndicate (1884–1952; absorbed into Bell-McClure Syndicate)^[10] — began syndicating comic strips c. 1903
          • Wheeler Syndicate (1913–1916; acquired by McClure Syndicate) — syndicated the work of Bud Fisher and Fontaine Fox

• Creators Syndicate (est. 1987) — formed in reaction to King Features' acquisition of the Register and Tribune Syndicate and News America Syndicate^[11]
• King Features Syndicate (est. 1914)^[12]
  • Central Press Association (1910–1971; acquired and eventually absorbed by King Features)^[13] until ceasing operations in 1971)^[14]
    • North American Press Syndicate (?–1912; acquired by and absorbed into Central Press Association)^[15]
    • Editors Feature Service (?–1927; acquired by and absorbed into Central Press Association)^[16]
  • Register and Tribune Syndicate (1922–1986; acquired by Hearst / King Features),^[17]
  • Field Newspaper Syndicate (1941–1984; acquired by News Corporation^[18] and then King Features)^[19] — former names include the Chicago Sun Syndicate, the Field Enterprises Syndicate, and the Chicago Sun-Times Syndicate; later renamed News America Syndicate and then North America Syndicate
    • Chicago Times Syndicate (c. 1935-1948; acquired by Field Enterprises with the merger of the Chicago Sun and the Chicago Daily Times)
    • Publishers Syndicate (1925–1967; acquired by Field Enterprises)^[20] — became Publishers-Hall
    • Publishers-Hall Syndicate (1944–1975; merged into Field Newspaper Syndicate)^[21] — former names include Hall Syndicate, New York Post Syndicate, Post-Hall Syndicate, Inc., Hall Syndicate
      • New York Herald Tribune Syndicate (c. 1920–1966) — remaining strips taken over by Publishers-Hall^[22]

• Royal Comics Syndicate (Finland) (est. 2004)
• Torstar Syndication Services (Canada) (est. 1930) — King Features Syndicate's distribution partner in Canada; former names include Toronto Star Syndicate
• Tribune Content Agency (est. 1918)^[23] — former names include Tribune-New York (Daily) News Syndicate, Chicago Tribune Syndicate, the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate, Tribune Company Syndicate, and Tribune Media Services
  • Los Angeles Times Syndicate (c. 1949–2000; acquired by Tribune Media Services)^[24] — former names include Mirror Enterprises Syndicate and Los Angeles Times Mirror Syndicate
    • General Features Corp. (1937–1974; acquired by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate in 1967^[25] and absorbed into its operations in 1974)
• The Washington Post Writers Group (est. 1973)^[26]

Defunct comic strip syndicates

• Al Smith Feature Service (1951–c. 1999) — mainly weekly strips
• AP Newsfeatures (1930–1961) — owned by the Associated Press^[27]
• Columbia Features (1953–1994)
• Comx Box Comics Syndicate (2014–2018) — distributed webcomics
• Frank Jay Markey Syndicate (c. 1936–c. 1950) — Markey was originally an executive at the McNaught Syndicate^[28]
• Lafave Newspaper Features (1931–1963)
• Ledger Syndicate (1915–c. 1950) — outlived its corporate owner, the Philadelphia Public Ledger
• Ledger Syndicate (1966–c. 1973) — second iteration of the syndicate

• McNaught Syndicate (1922–1989)^[29]
  • New York City Central Press Association (1920–1922; absorbed into McNaught Syndicate)
• National Newspaper Syndicate (1917–c. 1984) — formerly known as the John F. Dille Co.
  • Uncle Ray Syndicate (?–1922; acquired by National Newspaper Syndicate)^[30]

See also

• Comic strip syndication
• List of newspaper comic strips

Notes and References

1. http://dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2009/07/08/universal-press-syndicate-and-uclick-merge/ "Universal Press Syndicate and Uclick Merge". Gardner, Alan. The Daily Cartoonist, July 8, 2009.
2. http://syndication.andrewsmcmeel.com/about "About,"
3. https://nyti.ms/2yJDtzE "Washington Star Syndicate Sold To Kansas City's Universal Press,"
4. News: May 19, 1978 . News Features Services Merge As United Media . . 2015-02-23 .
5. https://books.google.com/books?id=zNpBAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22Metropolitan+Magazine%22+%22Metropolitan+NEwspaper+Service%22&pg=RA13-PA31 "Feature Services Merged: Bell Syndicate Takes Over Metropolitan Newspaper Service,"
6. "United Feature Syndicate Buys Metropolitan Service From Elser: Both Firms Will Retain Separate Identities, With Elser Remaining as Vice-President — Monte Bourjaily to Direct Both Organizations," Editor & Publisher (March 15, 1930). Archived at "News of Yore 1930: Another Syndicate Gobbled," Stripper's Guide (May 4, 2010).
7. Hudson, Frederic, Alfred McClung Lee, and Frank Luther Mott. American Journalism 1690-1940, Volume 4 (Psychology Press, 2000), p. 591.
8. Astor, Dave. "Goldberg To Retire From United Media," Editor & Publisher (December 17, 2001): "The executive joined United in 1972 when it bought Bell McClure Syndicate and North American Newspaper Alliance, where Goldberg was president."
9. Saunders, David. "SAMUEL S. McCLURE (1857-1949)," Field Guide to Wild American Pulp Artists. Accessed Nov. 1, 2018.
10. Knoll, Erwin. "McClure Syndicate Sold to Bell-NANA". Editor & Publisher (September 6, 1952).
11. News: 34 . . June 14, 1987 . A Superhero For Cartoonists?. Katina Alexander . August 18, 2012.
12. https://archive.org/details/artoffunniesaest0000harv/page/67 Harvey, Robert C. The Art of the Funnies: An Aesthetic History. University Press of Mississippi, 1994.
13. [Ron Goulart]
14. News: Walter Johns. The Nevada Daily Mail. August 27, 2002.
15. Book: Mark S. Monmonier. Maps With the News: The Development of American Journalistic Cartography. 83. University of Chicago Press. 1989. 0-226-53411-1.
16. Watson, Elmo Scott. "CHAPTER VIII: Recent Developments in Syndicate History 1921-1935," A History Of Newspaper Syndicates In The United States, 1865-1935 (Western Newspaper Union, 1936). Archived at Stripper's Guide.
17. Strentz, Herb. "John Cowles," Cowles Family Publishing Legacy: Drake University, Cowles Library. Accessed Jan. 3, 2018.
18. Friendly, Jonathan. "Murdoch Buys Chicago Sun-Times," The New York Times, 2 November 1983, page D1.
19. News: 2D . . October 21, 1986 . 2 New York Papers Deny Merger Rumor . United Press International . August 18, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130704105017/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1986-10-21/business/8603040097_1_daily-news-president-rupert-murdoch-magazine. dead. July 4, 2013.
20. Stetson, Damon. "Herald Tribune Is Closing Its News Service: But Meyer Says Columns That Appeared in Paper Will Be in Merged Publication," New York Times (June 24, 1966).
21. Riley, Sam G.Biographical Dictionary of American Newspaper Columnists (Greenwood Publishing Group, 1995), p. 191.
22. News: 0362-4331. Herald Tribune Is Closing Its News Service; But Meyer Says Columns That Appeared in Paper Will Be in Merged Publication. The New York Times. 2017-07-12. 1966-06-24.
23. Watson, Elmo Scott. "The Era of Consolidation, 1890-1920" (Chapter VII), in A History Of Newspaper Syndicates In The United States, 1865-1935 (Western Newspaper Union, 1936), archived at Stripper's Guide
24. News: MULTIMEDIA DEAL: THE DEAL; Tribune Company Agrees to Buy Times Mirror. The New York Times. 2000-03-14. 2016-02-21. 0362-4331. Felicity. Barringer. Laura M.. Holson.
25. https://nyti.ms/2JiYkOs "Times Mirror Company And General Features,"
26. News: About Us . Washington Post . https://web.archive.org/web/20130204220413/http://syndication.washingtonpost.com/About%20Us . February 4, 2013 . May 18, 2013.
27. http://strippersguide.blogspot.com Holtz, Allan. Stripper's Guide
28. Goulart, Ron. Comic Book Culture: An Illustrated History (Collectors Press, Inc., 2000), p. 85.
29. Web site: Family offers plenty of fodder to journalist's quick wit . 2008-09-05 . Ohio University Today . 1998 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060908192943/http://www.ohiou.edu/ohiotoday/fall_winter98/interest/stewart.htm . 2006-09-08 .
30. "Uncle Ray Syndicate is Absorbed by Chicago Newspaper Service," Fourth Estate (August 26, 1922).