''The State Journal-Register'' is the only local daily

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

for

Springfield, Illinois Springfield is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Illinois. Its population was 114,394 at the 2020 United States census, which makes it the state's List of cities in Illinois, seventh-most populous cit ...

, and its surrounding area.

History

The newspaper was founded in 1831 as the ''Sangamo Journal'' by William Bailhache and Edward Baker, and describes itself as "the oldest newspaper in Illinois". As such, it and its editor, Edward L. Baker, supported the political career of the Springfield-based

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

in the years before the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

; in fact, it was in the ''Journal''s office that Lincoln and his friends waited for the

telegraph Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas ...

ic news from Chicago to find out who would be the Republican presidential nominee in 1860. Later in publication, the name was changed to ''Illinois State Journal''. The cover-price is $2 daily, $4.50 on Sunday.

Copley Press Copley Press was a privately held newspaper business, founded in Illinois but later based in La Jolla, California. Its flagship paper was ''The San Diego Union-Tribune''. History Founder Ira Clifton Copley launched Copley Press c. 1905, eventu ...

bought the ''State Journal'' in 1927. In 1942, it bought Springfield's afternoon paper, the ''Illinois State Register''. For years, the two papers maintained separate editorial stances, with the ''State Journal'' tilting Republican and the ''State Register'' tilting Democratic. The two papers merged in 1974 as ''The State Journal-Register''.

Fairport, New York Fairport is a village (New York), village in the town (New York), town of Perinton, New York, Perinton, part of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, New York (state), New York, United States. Fairport is a suburb of Rochester, New York, Roche ...

–based

GateHouse Media GateHouse Media Inc. was an American publisher of locally based print and digital media. It published 144 daily newspapers, 684 community publications, and over 569 local-market websites in 38 states. Its parent company, New Media Investment Group ...

bought ''The State Journal-Register'', along with most of Copley's other Midwestern titles, in 2007. In November 2019, GateHouse was merged with

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 ...

, forming the largest newspaper chain in the U.S. Since the change in ownership, the paper has downsized its staff, leading to internal controversy and at least one editor resigning in protest. In 2022, the paper announced it would stop printing its Saturday edition.

References

External links

''The State Journal-Register'' websiteIllinois Digital Newspaper Collections: Sangamo Journal/Illinois State Journal (1831–1853)
Gannett publications Newspapers published in Illinois Springfield, Illinois Companies based in Sangamon County, Illinois Newspapers established in 1831 {{Illinois-newspaper-stub