The Florida Times-Union
The Florida Times-Union is a major daily newspaper in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. Widely known as the oldest newspaper in the state, it began publication as the Florida Union in 1864. Its current incarnation started in 1883, when the Florida Union merged with another Jacksonville paper, the Florida Daily Times.[2] A Southeast Georgia edition, called The Georgia Times-Union, serves the Brunswick area. In 1983, Morris Communications of Augusta, Georgia, purchased Florida Publishing Company. The Times-Union became the largest newspaper of this chain, which owns a number of newspapers around the country. In 2018, its editor is Mary Kelli Palka and the editorial page editor is Michael P. Clark.
The 5 March 2007 front page of The Florida Times-Union | |
| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Owner(s) | Gannett |
| Founder(s) | J.K. Stickney W.C. Morrill Charles H. Jones |
| Publisher | Mark Nusbaum |
| Editor | Mary Kelli Palka |
| Founded | 1864 (as the Florida Union) |
| Headquarters | 1 Riverside Avenue Jacksonville, Florida 32202 US |
| Circulation | 45,000 Daily 70,000 Sunday[1] |
| ISSN | 0740-2325 |
| Website | jacksonville |
History
In 1864, during the American Civil War, J. K. Stickney and W. C. Morrill published the first edition of the Florida Union. It was a Northern and Republican paper, at the time when Jacksonville was occupied by the Union Army. By 1867, Stickney sold the Florida Union to Edward M. Cheney, of Boston. Cheney tried to make the paper into a daily publication but lacked the needed money. The Union was sold to Walton, Fowle & Co. in 1873. Stockholder C. F. Mawbey assumed control and turned the Union into a daily publication. Cheney returned to the Union as an editor. In 1876, the Union was in decline and abandoned daily publication. Financially doomed, it was sold to H. B. McCallum, who then returned it to daily publication and converted it from an afternoon to a morning paper. Charles H. Jones wanted to buy the Union but was refused by McCallum. Annoyed, Jones started a rival paper, the Florida Daily Times, in November 1881. By 1883, the Daily Times was dominating the Union. McCallum became ill and finally decided to sell the paper to the Daily Times. The Union then combined with the Daily Times to form The Florida Times-Union, whose first edition was published on February 4, 1883.[3] On February 11, 2018, The Florida Times-Union printed its last papers in Jacksonville after 154 years. The Florida Times-Union newspapers are now printed at The Gainesville Sun and The Daytona Beach News-Journal, which are both owned by Gatehouse Media.[4] On April 1, 2019, The Florida Times-Union moved to the Wells Fargo building at 1 Independent Drive, Suite 200 in downtown Jacksonville.[5]
Ownership
The Florida Times-Union was previously owned by Florida Publishing Company which was a subsidiary of Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (now known as CSX). In 1983 Morris Communications of Augusta, Georgia acquired the Florida Publishing Company. From 1983 to 2017 The Florida Times-Union had been owned by Morris Communications.[6] In October 2017 Gatehouse Media acquired The Florida Times-Union from Morris Communications.[7]
References
- "2007 Top 100 Daily Newspapers in the U.S. by Circulation" (PDF). BurrellesLuce. March 31, 2007. Retrieved May 30, 2007.
- "The Florida Times-Union". Morris Communications Company, LLC. Archived from the original on May 3, 2007. Retrieved March 5, 2007.
- Foley, Bill. "History of the Florida Times-Union". Jacksonville.com. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
- Benfield, David (February 11, 2018). "End of an era: Florida Times-Union prints its last paper in Jacksonville". WJXT. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
- "Florida Times-Union moves to Wells Fargo building downtown". Jacksonville.com. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
- "Fact Sheet". morris.com. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
- "Times-Union gets new ownership with closing of purchase by GateHouse Media". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved January 1, 2018.