By: MICHELLE R. SMITH, Associated Press Writer (AP) Stephen Hamblett, who led The Providence Journal for nearly 12 years as publisher and chief executive, died Tuesday at 71.
Hamblett ran the newspaper when it won a Pulitzer Prize in 1994 for uncovering corruption and patronage in the state court system, a story that prompted the resignations of Rhode Island's chief justice and the Supreme Court's top administrator.
Under his leadership, the newspaper merged its morning and afternoon newspapers into one edition, became a publicly traded company and then was acquired by A.H. Belo Corp. in 1997.
Hamblett was on The Associated Press board of directors from 1991 to 1999, serving as vice chairman his last two years on the board.
"He was a really great friend. He was a great director of the AP. He was a great executive, and he had a great family," Osborne said.
"He was a person of remarkably high integrity. He was a very smart businessman," Osborne said.
Hamblett is survived by his wife of 15 years, Jocelin, three sons and seven grandchildren. His first wife, Julie, died several years ago.
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