Ogden Newspapers
H.C. Ogden established a newspaper company in Wheeling, West Virginia during 1890. The business remained within the family for four generations under Robert Nutting. G. Ogden Nutting served as the grandfather of current CEO Robert Nutting. This lineage represents one of the longest-running family-owned media empires in American history. Robert Nutting also holds principal ownership of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. The company operates from its original base while expanding across multiple states.
Ogden Newspapers maintains operations in California, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia. Most markets serve small communities like Cape Coral, Florida or Fort Wayne, Indiana. The publisher avoids major metropolitan centers to focus on regional audiences. A Sierra Sun publication serves Truckee, California with local coverage. The company owns the Maui News based in Wailuku, Hawaii. Small-town newspapers form the core of their operational footprint across twenty-one states.
Two Ogden newspapers dropped the Doonesbury comic strip in October 1984. The Intelligencer and The Evening Journal made this decision due to objections regarding Ronald Reagan. Editors felt the comic strip provided unfavorable political coverage of the sitting president. This action sparked national attention for a mid-sized newspaper group. The removal demonstrated how editorial choices could impact circulation and public perception during that era. No other major chain followed suit immediately after this specific incident.
On the 30th of January 2018, the company submitted what appeared to be the highest bid for the bankrupt Charleston Gazette-Mail. They withdrew that offer by the 8th of March 2018. Later in March 2018, Ogden purchased all newspapers owned by the Byrd family. That transaction included The Winchester Star and Daily News-Record among others. On the 1st of January 2022, Ogden took over Swift Communications which operates publications in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California. In 2024, they acquired The Dominion Post located in Morgantown, West Virginia. During 2025, the firm agreed to license LocalRoad content management from CherryRoad Media.
The company publishes daily newspapers, weekly magazines, telephone directories, and shopper guides across its network. Kansas hosts Grit magazine alongside Mother Earth News and Motorcycle Classics. The Fort Wayne News Sentinel serves Indiana while the Lawrence Journal-World covers Lawrence, Kansas. Michigan operations include The Daily Mining Gazette based in Houghton and Alpena News. Ohio maintains multiple titles including The Vindicator of Youngstown and Warren Tribune Chronicle. Utah features the Standard-Examiner of Ogden and Daily Herald of Provo. Telephone directories remain a significant part of their revenue stream despite digital shifts.
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Common questions
Who founded Ogden Newspapers and when did the company start?
H.C. Ogden established a newspaper company in Wheeling, West Virginia during 1890. The business remained within the family for four generations under Robert Nutting.
Which states does Ogden Newspapers operate in today?
Ogden Newspapers maintains operations in California, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia. Small-town newspapers form the core of their operational footprint across twenty-one states.
Why did two Ogden newspapers drop the Doonesbury comic strip in October 1984?
The Intelligencer and The Evening Journal made this decision due to objections regarding Ronald Reagan. Editors felt the comic strip provided unfavorable political coverage of the sitting president.
When did Ogden Newspapers acquire the Charleston Gazette-Mail bid and what happened next?
On the 30th of January 2018, the company submitted what appeared to be the highest bid for the bankrupt Charleston Gazette-Mail. They withdrew that offer by the 8th of March 2018.
What publications are included in the Ogden Newspapers portfolio as of 2025?
In 2024, they acquired The Dominion Post located in Morgantown, West Virginia. During 2025, the firm agreed to license LocalRoad content management from CherryRoad Media.