Daily Still in the Family After 125 Years

By: Dexter Hill Change is in the air in Washington and other places across the country, but one thing has remained stable in one Maryland community: The Frederick News-Post, which is celebrating 125 years of publishing the community's news ? and has never missed printing a regular edition. (Next year, E&P will blow out just as many candles.)

On Oct. 15, 1883, William T. Delaplaine printed Vol. 1, No. 1 of the newspaper, at that time called The Daily News. Originally a morning paper published six days a week, it eventually switched to afternoons. A quarter- century later, the publishing company bought its rival, The Frederick Post, and in 2002, the morning and evening news-papers combined to become The Frederick News-Post. The family-owned, 38,410-circ daily publishes seven days a week.

To celebrate the anniversary, the News-Post included a special section in its Oct. 15 issue. Included were an overview of events from 1883, a history of the newspaper, and congratulatory advertisements from vendors and other supporters. The paper seized the opportunity to reaffirm its original vision, outlined in the first edition: "Our course in politics shall be neutral, satisfying ourselves, and we hope the public, with a simple record of events, rather than speculate upon the possibilities or probabilities of so uncertain a subject. We open our columns, however, to the public, and would be glad to publish anything that might be of interest to the general reader."

An editorial also published on the anniversary linked the paper's mission to the First Amendment, adding that it is the publication's duty to continue to defend its readership's "right to know." It serves a community of more than 65,000.

Birthday cake was even served to the staff that day, recalls Editor/Publisher Myron Randall.

The News-Post is not without its share of accolades. This March, it took second place in the National Headliner Awards competition for its "Nine Lost Warriors" series. Last year, the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association named the News-Post Maryland's newspaper of the year for 2006 in its circulation division.

Its offerings have expanded this decade to include more local columnists and a daily Webcast. And behind the scenes, there have also been production changes. "Over time we've proved our printing capabilities," says Randall. "Previously, we were spread among three different locations. Now, we're together with a new press."

Last winter, the Frederick daily packed up and moved into a multi-million dollar 144,000 square-foot building. Today, the advertising, circulation, and classified departments share a roof with the newsroom. Also, the newspaper is being printed more efficiently; thanks to a new two-page-across, two-page-around TKS CT4000 press developed in Japan, a 45,000-edition press run now takes roughly two hours.

Having survived two world wars, the Great Depression, and several natural disasters, the Maryland paper has proven its tenacity, but even the News-Post is not immune to the current economic downturn. Last month, 16 employees were laid off, including four from the newsroom. Yet Randall, a fourth-generation member of the founding family, remains confident in the strategy that has served the newspaper well for the last 125 years ? and is optimistic about future birthday celebrations.

"I think we'll just evolve like the rest of the industry is evolving, and just keep trying to be attentive to our local community," he adds.