LEADER 03944nam 22005895 450 001 9910972072903321 005 20240409234301.0 010 $a9781610755610 010 $a1610755618 035 $a(CKB)3710000000356376 035 $a(CaPaEBR)ebrary11017951 035 $a(SSID)ssj0001468545 035 $a(PQKBManifestationID)11865401 035 $a(PQKBTitleCode)TC0001468545 035 $a(PQKBWorkID)11525505 035 $a(PQKB)10938407 035 $a(MiAaPQ)EBC2007839 035 $a(OCoLC)902804374 035 $a(MdBmJHUP)muse44804 035 $a(Au-PeEL)EBL2007839 035 $a(CaPaEBR)ebr11017951 035 $a(CaONFJC)MIL796199 035 $a(Perlego)2145354 035 $a(EXLCZ)993710000000356376 100 $a20141103h20152015 uy| 0 101 0 $aeng 135 $aurcnu|||||||| 181 $ctxt 182 $cc 183 $acr 200 10$aIf it ain't broke, break it $ehow corporate journalism killed the Arkansas gazette /$fDonna Lampkin Stephens 205 $a1st ed. 210 1$aFayetteville, Arkansas :$cUniversity of Arkansas Press,$d2015. 210 4$dİ2015 215 $a1 online resource (293 p.) 300 $aBased on the author's dissertation (Ph.D.--University of Southern Mississippi, 2012). 311 08$a9781557288141 311 08$a1557288143 320 $aIncludes bibliographical references and index. 327 $aIntroduction -- 1902-1946: early Heiskell family ownership -- 1947-1959: a new triumvirate takes control: J.N. Heiskell, Hugh B. Patterson, and Harry S. Ashmore face the crisis at Central High -- 1960-1970: the aftermath of Central High -- 1970-1974: Mr. Heiskell's death and the transition of ownership to the Patterson family -- 1974-1986: a change atop the Arkansas Democrat, the ensuing newspaper war, antitrust lawsuit, and sale to Gannett -- 1986-1990: Gannett ownership -- 1991: the death of the newspaper -- Lessons learned. 330 8 $aThe Arkansas Gazette, under the independent local ownership of the Heiskell/Patterson family, was one of the most honored newspapers of twentieth-century American journalism, winning two Pulitzer Prizes for its coverage of the Little Rock Central Crisis. But wounds from a fierce newspaper war against another local owner-Walter Hussman and his Arkansas Democrat -combined with changing economic realities, led to the family's decision to sell to the Gannett Corporation in 1986.Whereas the Heiskell/Patterson family had been committed to quality journalism, Gannett was focused on the bottom line. The corporation shifted the Gazette's editorial focus from giving readers what they needed to be engaged citizens to informing them about what they should do in their leisure time. While in many ways the chain trivialized the Gazette's mission, the paper managed to retain its superior quality. But financial concerns made the difference in Arkansas's ongoing newspaper war. As the head of a privately held company, Hussman had only himself to answer to, and he never flinched while spending $42 million in his battle with the Pattersons and millions more against Gannett. Gannett ultimately lost $108 million during its five years in Little Rock; Hussman said his losses were far less but still in the tens of millions.Gannett had to answer to nervous stockholders, most of whom had no tie to, or knowledge of, Arkansas or the Gazette. For Hussman, the Arkansan, the battle had been personal since at least 1978. It is no surprise that the corporation blinked first, and the Arkansas Gazette died on October 18, 1991, the victim of corporate journalism. 606 $aNewspapers$xOwnership 615 0$aNewspapers$xOwnership. 676 $a070.172 700 $aStephens$b Donna Lampkin$01809768 801 0$bMiAaPQ 801 1$bMiAaPQ 801 2$bMiAaPQ 906 $aBOOK 912 $a9910972072903321 996 $aIf it ain't broke, break it$94360719 997 $aUNINA