''The Salinas Californian'', sometimes referred to as ''The Californian'', is a digital and print newspaper published in

Salinas, California Salinas (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Salt pan (geology), Salt Flats") is a city in the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Monterey County, California, Monterey County. With a population of 163,542 in the 2020 Census, Salinas is ...

, covering mainly the Salinas Valley. Founded in 1871 as ''The Salinas City Index'', it went through several name changes and assumed its current name during World War II. The paper is part of the

USA Today Network Gannett Co., Inc. ( ) is an American mass media holding company headquartered in New York City. It is the largest U.S. newspaper publisher as measured by total daily circulation. It owns the national newspaper ''USA Today'', as well as severa ...

, owned by

Gannett Gannett Co., Inc. ( ) is an American mass media holding company headquartered in New York City. It is the largest U.S. newspaper publisher as measured by total daily circulation. It owns the national newspaper ''USA Today'', as well as several ...

, which acquired its parent company Speidel Newspapers Inc., in 1977.

History

''The'' ''Salinas Californian’s'' direct precursor ''The Salinas City Index'' first published on March 31. 1871. It changed its name into ''Salinas Weekly Index'' in 1883. As Salinas went through a period of agricultural and financial expansion in the years between 1860 and 1890, the existence of ''The Salinas Weekly Index'', and two other publications, ''Salinas Weekly Democrat'' and ''Salinas Daily Journal,'' was seen as evidence that the city was “one of the most modern for its size in the state” in the late 1800s. The paper changed its name into ''Salinas Index-Journal'' in 1928, after merger with ''The Salinas Daily-Journal'.'' In 1936 the newspaper was bought by Merritt C. Speidel. In 1942, ''Salinas Index-Journal'' merged with ''Salinas Morning Post''. The combined publication was renamed ''The Salinas Californian'' in honor of California's first newspaper, '' The Californian'', published in 1848 in

Monterey Monterey ( ; ) is a city situated on the southern edge of Monterey Bay, on the Central Coast of California. Located in Monterey County, the city occupies a land area of and recorded a population of 30,218 in the 2020 census. The city was fou ...

. The paper was renamed ''The Californian'' in 1990, but was still referred to as "''The''" ''Salinas Californian'', and carries the full three-word name on its masthead and logos. In May 1977,

purchased Speidel Newspapers Inc., and has remained owner of ''The Salinas Californian'' ever since.

Publication

''The Salinas Californian'' has issued newspapers from Monday to Saturday since its inception until Sept. 28, 2015. It has never produced a Sunday Edition. It now has a 24-hour, 7-day digital presence and prints newspapers Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday only. The paper serves

Monterey County, California Monterey County ( ), officially the County of Monterey, is a county (United States), county located on the Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, its population was 439,035. The count ...

with a specific emphasis on the Salinas Valley. Its delivery area includes the towns of Salinas, Spreckels, Prunedale, Castroville, Chualar, Gonzales, Soledad, Greenfield, and King City. Daily delivery is also available in Monterey, Marina, Seaside, Del Rey Oaks, and Pacific Grove. ''The Salinas Californian'' also produced , a Spanish-language weekly paper. Its online edition was launched in September 2000. As of December 2022, the newspaper had no reporters on staff, with all remaining content sourced from other Gannett newspapers, notably the

Record Searchlight The ''Redding Record Searchlight'' is a newspaper serving Redding, California. It has a daily print circulation of under 15,000 and has between 100,000 and 400,000 unique visitors per month to its news website, Redding.com. History On Octobe ...

in Redding, 300 miles north. ''El Sol'' was also shut down due to a lack of content. One reporter was hired on staff in August 2024.

Circulation

In 2015, ''The Salinas Californian’s'' circulation stood between 6,000 and 7,000 during the week, slightly higher on Saturdays.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Salinas Californian, The Gannett publications Daily newspapers published in California Mass media in Salinas, California Companies based in Monterey County, California 1871 establishments in California Newspapers published in California Newspapers established in 1871