The Buffalo News Explained

The Buffalo News
Type:Daily newspaper
Format:Broadsheet
Foundation: as the Buffalo Evening News
Owners:Lee Enterprises (2020–present)
Berkshire Hathaway (1977–2020)
Butler family (1873–1977)
Circulation:69,842 Daily
89,694 Sunday
Circulation Date:2023
Circulation Ref:[1]
Headquarters:Buffalo
Editor:Sheila Rayam[2]
Publisher:Tom Wiley
Issn:0745-2691
Oclc:8882862

The Buffalo News is the daily newspaper of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area, located in downtown Buffalo, New York.

It was for decades the only paper fully owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.[3] On January 29, 2020, the paper reported that it was being sold to Lee Enterprises.[4]

History

The Buffalo News was founded as a Sunday paper with the name The Buffalo Sunday Morning News in 1873 by Edward Hubert Butler, Sr..[5] [6] On October 11, 1880,[7] it began publishing daily editions as well, and in 1914, it became an inversion of its original existence by publishing Monday to Saturday, with no publication on Sunday. During most of its life, the News was known as The Buffalo Evening News. A gentleman's agreement between the Evening News and the Buffalo Courier-Express meant that the Evening News would be evening-only, and the Courier-Express would be morning-only. Until 1977, the News did not publish on Sundays because of the agreement, and its weekend edition appeared on Saturday evening.

The Butler family owned the Evening News until 1974, when longtime owner and publisher Katherine Butler, granddaughter of the founder, died and left no heirs.[8] The Evening News properties were placed in a blind trust, which sold the Evening News to Berkshire Hathaway in 1977.[3] The new owners began publishing on Saturday and Sunday mornings.[6] After a period of financial decline, the Courier-Express published its last issue on September 19, 1982. The Evening News then shortened its name to The Buffalo News and became an all-day newspaper, publishing two editions seven days a week.

On October 1, 2006, the News announced it would abandon its evening edition later that month.

The Buffalo News had published three morning editions (Western New York, Final and Niagara) that appeared online at BuffaloNews.com, reaching over 400,000 readers, across eight counties each day. These separate editions were eliminated in 2018 and consolidated into a single Final edition, in response to a newsprint shortage.[9]

The News Designated Market Area had the largest adult population in upstate New York. Counties in total circulation area: New York - Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Steuben, Wyoming; Pennsylvania - Cameron, Erie, McKean, Potter, Warren.

The newspaper founded and owned the WBEN television and radio stations, which are now WIVB (Channel 4), WBEN (930), WYRK (106.5) and WBKV (102.5), respectively. The radio stations are now owned by other companies, but in 2014, WIVB came back under partial co-ownership with the News when Buffett's Media General merged with the WIVB parent company, LIN Media.

The online version of The Buffalo News operates under a soft paywall allowing a limited number of page views per week. All Buffalo Bills-related content, branded as "BN Blitz", is behind a hard paywall.

On January 29, 2020, the News reported it was being sold alongwith the rest of Berkshire Hathaway's newspaper portfolioto Lee Enterprises, an Iowa-based owner of 50 newspapers that has had significant ties to Berkshire Hathaway since 2012 and had operated Berkshire Hathaway's newspapers since 2018.[4]

Pulitzer Prizes

See also: List of Pulitzer Prizes awarded to The Buffalo News. Journalists for The Buffalo News and The Buffalo Evening News have won four Pulitzer Prizes:

News journalists have been finalists for four other Pulitzer Prizes, but did not win:

Publishers and editors

Publishers
Editors

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Form 10-K. Lee Enterprises . investors.lee.net . February 29, 2024.
  2. News: Harris . Jon . Sheila Rayam named executive editor of The Buffalo News; first Black journalist to lead newsroom . 26 July 2022 . The Buffalo News . 26 July 2022.
  3. EXCLUSIVE: Warren Buffett — Newspaper Industry Got Too Complacent . . December 14, 2009 . 2009-12-14.
  4. Web site: Robinson . David . The Buffalo News is being sold to Lee Enterprises . The Buffalo News . July 12, 2021 . en . January 29, 2020 . subscription.
  5. Book: Light, Murray B.. From Butler to Buffett: The Story Behind the Buffalo News. 2011. 39. Prometheus Books. 9781615924790.
  6. http://corp.buffalonews.com/services/contact/faq.asp#his Frequently Asked Questions
  7. Web site: About Buffalo Evening News. [volume] (Buffalo, N.Y.) 1880-1982 ]. Library of Congress . 16 October 2020.
  8. News: Mrs. Edward H. Butler, News Publisher, is Dead; a Civic, Cultural Leader . 16 March 2023 . Buffalo Evening News . 5 August 1974 . Newspapers.com . subscription.
  9. Web site: James Fink . Nine Buffalo News staffers take buyout offers . Buffalo Business First . July 12, 2021 . May 23, 2018.
  10. News: Sarasota editor named Buffalo News editor . Gee . Denise Jewell . 18 September 2012 . The Buffalo News . 18 September 2012.