Newspapers are unique businesses. While privately owned and dependent on profits, newspapers play an important public-service role. They provide readers with information they need to live their daily lives and make informed decisions about the issues that affect them.
King County Journal Newspapers takes this public-service role very seriously. We are committed to publishing excellent local newspapers that serve our communities well. We’re equally committed to managing a business that allows us to invest in our future and ensures that our newspapers will be a part of our readers’ lives for many years to come.
Our history
In October 1994, the Horvitz family purchased the Journal American in Bellevue, the Valley Daily News in Kent, Mercer Island Reporter and the Northshore Citizen in Bothell. With these purchases came the commitment to publish high-quality, local newspapers throughout suburban King County.
In 1996, the Journal American was renamed the Eastside Journal and the Valley Daily News became the South County Journal. At the same time, the name King County Journal Newspapers was coined to cover all of our publications in the county. The size of our newspaper network doubled in December 2000 with the purchase of the Snoqualmie Valley Record and the Auburn, Kent and Renton Reporters. In September 2001, we started the Redmond Reporter, and the Northshore Citizen was transformed into the Bothell/Kenmore Reporter in January 2002.
Today, King County Journal Newspapers is a powerful network of suburban daily and community weekly and twice-a-month newspapers with a concentrated and dedicated combined readership that rivals that of any newspaper in the region.
Investing in the future
For the past two years, America’s economy has been in a decline and the Pacific Northwest has been hit especially hard. Our industry is not immune to the economic climate, but we remain committed to our newspapers and the communities they serve.
While other newspapers are scaling back, King County Journal Newspapers is making a significant investment in the future. We have just completed work on a new state-of-the-art production facility located in Kent where we will print all King County Journal Newspapers publications, as well as numerous other publications, including Seattle Weekly and Investor’s Business Daily.
Our new printing press is equipped with the latest technology and will greatly increase our productivity, expand our color capacity and improve the quality of our printing. Our new packaging equipment will speed our completed papers to our delivery personnel so that readers will have their papers on time every day.
New King County Journal
Along with significant investment comes innovation. We are about to deliver a new newspaper that will provide added value to our readers and advertisers.
On Dec. 30, 2002, the Eastside Journal and South County Journal will become one publication. The new publication will be called the King County Journal.
The King County Journal has been designed for readers living in the suburbs. Our compass is centered on the suburbs of King County and we will approach our news coverage from this perspective. Eastside and South County zoned editions will give readers the city specific information they want.
The issues of traffic congestion, transportation, education, growth management, the environment, just to name a few, are important to our suburban readers and our news coverage and editorials will reflect an understanding of the issues and the impacts they have on our neighbors and friends. King County Journal employees don’t just work in the suburbs, they live here and care about the place they call home.
Giving back to
the community
King County Journal Newspapers is serious about its commitment to the community. We prove it by getting involved and giving back.
Since 1995, the King County Journal Newspapers Charitable Fund has contributed $840,000 to nonprofit organizations serving the needy in the suburbs. In addition, the Charitable Fund has made significant one-time gifts to important capital campaigns in suburban King County.
King County Journal Newspapers also sponsors many of the community events and arts organizations in the communities its publications serve.
During the school year, our “Newspapers in the Classroom” program delivers more than 200,000 newspapers to King County school children.
More than a business
King County Journal Newspapers is more than a business. We report on your community. We write about the issues that matter to you. We celebrate your milestones. Our newspapers are a part of the fabric of life in our communities. We understand the vital role we play and are dedicated to publishing newspapers that our readers are proud to call their own.
