TownNews

Gibson County's oldest, continuous business institution celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1996 - a milestone by any means, especially for the newspaper industry.

Founded in 1846, the Princeton Daily Clarion has played a vital role in the Gibson County community, keeping the readers up-to-date on current events, both at home and throughout the world. The Clarion's current circulation totals 6,800.

Add to the Clarion's rich history the accomplishments of its sister newspaper, The Oakland City Journal, a 115-year-old weekly. Total production of the Journal takes place at the Princeton plant so that East Gibson readers are provided the latest news for their area.

The Oakland City Journal debuted in February 1893, first as a weekly and, after a short time, a semi-weekly. Currently, 1,700 readers subscribe to the Journal.

Princeton Publishing is also home for two non-subscriber shoppers -- the Journal Dollar Saver and Gibson County Today. The free Dollar Saver is delivered weekly to 3,600 people in the East Gibson area. Gibson County Today, also a free publication, reaches 5,300 homes in the North and South Gibson areas every Monday.

The Princeton plant is kept busy nearly 24 hours a day, utilizing three shifts of employees. In addition to its own newspapers and special sections, Princeton Publishing's presses are responsible for printing the Warrick Publications, as well as a host of other print jobs such as grocery inserts, real estate sections and special publications.

In 1979, the Clarion, Journal and their shopper publications were purchased by the W.J. McGiffin Newspaper Company, which later became Brehm Communications, Inc.

The Early Years

The county auditor, William Kurtz, opened the Democratic Clarion on a hot August day in 1846. According to the History of Gibson County, "Like all country newspapers at that time, it was long on editorials, painfully short on advertising and totally barren of personals."

Throughout the years, the newspaper changed hands, as well as names, numerous times.

In 1966, Edward C. Cochrane I and son, Ned purchased the newspaper and began carving their own niche into the community. One of the first things the Cochranes did to modernize their product was install a five-unit Goss Community press.

The new offset unit was capable of printing, cutting and folding up to 16,000 20-page newspapers per hour. The first three units were put into operation Sept. 18, 1969. Four years later, two additional press units were installed to keep up with the growth of the Clarion. A sixth unit was added to the press in December 1987.

Publications are now produced on a eight-unit press that can print 24 pages at speeds of 20,000 to 25,000 per hour.

"A newspaper is a slowly moving vehicle, and it grinds away day by day and year by year, chronicling the news, and trying to do justice to a good community by being a good newspaper," Cochrane once said.

"A newspaper may be cussed and discussed - but it certainly is read - page by page, item by item..." he added.

Soon after their newspaper purchase, the Cochrane family began updating equipment and adding staff members - all in an effort to improve their product. The elder Cochrane also realized there was another important "cog in the wheel" - the carriers. Calling the young boys and girls who delivered his Clarion the "little merchants," Cochrane said, "We try to get to know them, be patient with them, and ask them to be patient with us."

In 1971, when the Clarion celebrated its 125th anniversary, county auditor Roy Owens said, "Normally when we think of something being 125 years old, we tend to feel 'Boy that is really old.' But this is not true in the case of a newspaper. A newspaper is, as its name implies, always new."

The newspaper's 125th anniversary edition was dedicated to W. Steele Gilmore, who from a "boy reporter" at age 17 launched an impressive journalism career. Gilmore eventually became editor-in-chief of the Detroit News and later received the highest honor for editors when he became president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors.

After spending 55 years at 112 S. Main St., the Clarion moved into its current facility at 100 N. Gibson St. in August, 1978 - an Indiana limestone structure that doubled the floor space of the old building. The more spacious and modern plant offered the employees better equipment with which to get the job done, gave customers easier access to the newspaper, and remained a part of downtown Princeton history.

Princeton Publishing has 42 full-time employees, 30 walking carriers and 20 motor route carriers. In June 1994, Baseview Products, Inc. installed a new Macintosh computer system -- a welcome addition to the editorial, classified and composing departments. A Photoshop computerized system was added in 1995. And pages are printed using an imagesetter - from computer directly to negative.

Display ads are now produced through the computer system. News publications and special sections are designed using the Quark pagination program.

Efficiency is further achieved in the business office and circulation department with the help of a computerized billing system.

Also in 1995, Princeton Publishing was added to the Historic Business Register program of the Indiana Historical Society.

Publisher

Gary Blackburn
gblack@pdclarion.com

Business Manager

Marietta Nelson
nelson@pdclarion.com

News Department

Andrea Howe, Editor
andrea@pdclarion.com

Jeff Stanton, Presentation Editor
jeff@pdclarion.com

Pete Swanson, Sports Editor
sports@pdclarion.com

Travis Neff, Staff Writer
travisn@pdclarion.com

Send obits, people news, general news items to - news@pdclarion.com

Classified Advertising

Maggie Armstrong, Classified Manager
matrue@sigecom.net

Ann Foss
afoss@pdclarion.com

Jennifer Meade
jennifer@pdclarion.com

Display Advertising

Tom Stephens, Advertising Manager
toms@pdclarion.com

Paul Lynch
paulb@pdclarion.com

Bridget Berlin
bridget@pdclarion.com

Darlene Robbins
drobbins@pdclarion.com

James Linsday
james@pdclarion.com

Business Office

Nancy Wilder, Accounting Manager
wilder@pdclarion.com

Lorri Rembe
lrembe@pdclarion.com

Susan Sutherland
susans@pdclarion.com

Creative Department

Jancey Smith, Composing Coordinator
janc@pdclarion.com

Jason Hembree
jason@pdclarion.com

Jennifer Perry
jperry@pdclarion.com

Chad Phillips
flowbie@pdclarion.com

Madonna Smith

Internet Specialist

JD Weagley
jd@pdclarion.com

Pressroom

Mark Armstrong, Lead Pressman

Tim Askren

Steve Middleton

Dale Morris

Mark Short

Joe Tindle

Pre-Press

Kevin Harms

Circulation Department

Jim Hansen, Director
jmhansen@pdclarion.com

Carlene Kitchen, Clerk
carlene@pdclarion.com

Mark Patterson, District Manager

Mail Room

Nita Bridges, Distribution Coordinator
nbridges@pdclarion.com

Cindy Walton, Production Coordinator

Michael Curry

Jim Fincher

Mark Hardiman

Daniel Mayer

George Meuser

Rachel Morris

Don Sensemeir