[ COMMEMORATIVE EDITION ]
Star-Bulletin WITH TODAY'S SUNDAY EDITION, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin marks yet another milestone in a year filled with many "firsts" for the 119-year-old daily newspaper.
clears yet another
hurdle today
This Sunday edition is the
latest milestone in an
amazing yearStar-Bulletin staff
Today's edition is the first independently produced edition of a Sunday Star-Bulletin since 1962.
When Publisher David Black took over ownership of the Star-Bulletin on March 15, it was the first time the traditional afternoon newspaper added a morning edition.
Perhaps most important of all, the March 15 edition was also the first time since 1962 that the newspaper was published outside a joint operating agreement with the Honolulu Advertiser, an arrangement in which the newspapers maintained separate newsrooms but shared all business functions, such as advertising and circulation.
The Star-Bulletin is no longer joined at the hip with the Advertiser.
The competition is now fierce, but supporters are optimistic about the Star-Bulletin's chances.
"We're in for exciting newspaper days ahead," said former Hawaii Lt. Gov. Jean King.
"The genuine competition should mean an ever-improving quality of news coverage for readers, plus a good deal for advertisers," said King, a key member of the Save Our Star-Bulletin group.
The group rallied to the defense of the paper in September 1999, when then-owner Liberty Newspapers Limited Partnership announced it planned to close the paper and terminate its joint operating agreement with Gannett in return for $26 million.
The public outcry at that announcement led to a number of legal firsts for the newspaper industry. Lawsuits by the state and S.O.S. forced Liberty and Gannett to keep the Star-Bulletin open and later to put it up for sale.
Newspaper analysts pooh-poohed the sale effort, contending that nobody would want to buy an afternoon paper. Instead, three bidders came forward, with Canadian David Black ultimately winning the battle and reaching a deal to buy the paper on Nov. 9.
Black's subsequent purchase of MidWeek publisher RFD Publications in Kaneohe, along with its presses, circulation and sales department, opened the eyes of many industry watchers.
"Having two voices in Honolulu when all of the conventional wisdom said it wouldn't happen is a significant and hopeful sign," said Ben Bagdikian, retired dean of the University of California-Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.
Today, the Star-Bulletin staff celebrates the newspaper's return to Sundays and looks forward to doing what they do best: putting the reader first.
The new owners of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin are following the example of several newspapers around the country in partnering with a television station for enhanced coverage of local news. Star-Bulletin joins
with 2nd TV stationStar-Bulletin staff
The newspaper has taken this trend a step further by joining forces not only with KITV 4 News for news coverage but also with KFVE (Channel 5) for University of Hawaii sports coverage.
Here are some examples of how the KITV partnership works:
>> A four-day weather forecast every day from KITV 4's weatherman, Ben Gutierrez.
>> The Star-Bulletin and KITV will also combine resources for some investigative stories.
>> And the two news organizations will share resources during election years for polling in major races and debates.
In the paper's UH sports partnership, the newspaper and KFVE plan co-promotional marketing campaigns.
Other newspaper-TV news partnerships include the Chicago Tribune and WGN TV, the Los Angeles Times and KTLA, The Washington Post and WRC TV, and The Tampa Tribune and WFLA TV.
In some cases both members of the partnership are owned by the same company. In other cases two different owners are involved.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin is owned by Oahu Publications, KITV 4 News is owned by Hearst-Argyle Corp. and KFVE is owned by RaycomMedia.