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MEDIA DETAILS |
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| Website | http://www.baltimoresun.com |
| Category | Newspaper |
| Last Modified | U Ole Polecat September 12, 2007 08:38am |
| Description | The Baltimore Sun Company's history is among the longest and most distinguished in American journalism.
Contact information Speakers' Bureau FAQ Executive bios Journalism prizes Community programs Current openings
Founded by Arunah Shepherdson Abell, a journeyman printer from Rhode Island who believed in the concept of a people's paper devoted to the news that most directly affected the lives of its readers, The Sun first appeared on Wednesday, May 17, 1837. That issue consisted of four tabloid-size pages, sold for a penny, and was in marked contrast to the six-cent "literary" dailies then in fashion all along the East Coast.
Since that time, The Sun has experienced dramatic growth and change that is not adequately reflected in a chronicle of the mere passage of years. Indeed, this growth can be measured in a variety of ways:
It can be measured in terms of the talented people whom The Sun has been able to attract and the growth in their numbers over the years. Only a handful of people were involved in publishing the first edition of The Sun in 1837; in fact, it is likely that Arunah Abell set type himself. Today, approximately 1,500 full- and part-time employees work for The Sun, making The Baltimore Sun Company not only one of Maryland's most prestigious employers, but also one of its largest.
The Company's growth also can be measured in terms of the brick and mortar and steel which have been used to construct the ever-larger facilities into which the Company has had to move. The first issue of The Sun was printed in a small, antiquated building at 21 Light Street. The large, modern plant at Calvert and Centre streets into which The Sun moved in 1950 is the fifth home of The Baltimore Sun Company.
Of the first four, the only one that had not been outgrown by the time it was replaced was the celebrated Sun Iron Building, a five-story structure built in 1851 with design and construction concepts that made it the forerunner of the contemporary skyscraper. Located at the corner of Baltimore and South streets, the Iron Building was destroyed in the historic fire of 1904 that razed 20 blocks of the downtown area. In 1906, the Company moved into a building it constructed at the intersection of Charles and Baltimore streets. It was from this building that The Baltimore Sun moved to its present location in 1950. In 1979, ground was broken for a new addition to the Calvert Street plant to house modern pressroom facilities. The new facility commenced operations in 1981. By 1985, this new facility was already nearing its capacity due to the rate of growth in advertising and circulation.
In April 1988, the Company purchased 60 acres of land at Port Covington as the site of Sun Park, a satellite printing and packaging facility, which houses state-of-the-art, computerized presses and packaging equipment and represents an investment of $180 million. It is there that the paper is published today.
Most important, our development can be measured in terms of traditions, innovations, and accomplishments. From the very beginning, The Baltimore Sun Company has been devoted to Arunah Abell's belief in bringing its readers the news that matters most to them. The lead story in the first issue of The Sun dealt with actions of the Baltimore City Council, which affected the lives of the citizens but which not one of the other half-dozen papers in the city bothered to report.
Today, that same emphasis on what is taking place in Baltimore, its surrounding counties, and throughout Maryland makes The Sun's local news coverage among the most complete in the country.
Because of Baltimore's proximity to Washington, D.C., events in the nation's capital have always been regarded with particular interest; and on June 13, 1837, less than a month after it was founded, The Sun carried its first account by a Washington correspondent writing specifically for Sun readers. Through the years, that coverage was expanded and a formal Washington Bureau was established.
The same tradition of printing news affecting Baltimoreans was applied to the paper's coverage abroad, prompting it then - as now - to augment other reports with its own initiative. Thus, at the end of its first decade, The Sun was the first source to inform President Polk of the surrender of the city of Vera Cruz, assuring a United States victory in the Mexican War. In 1924, The Baltimore Sun Company opened its first overseas bureau in London. Today, the Company has multiple offices overseas, a network that brings distinguished foreign reporting directly to hometown readers.
Wherever Sun reporters may be, whatever story they may be covering, they are there to maintain a tradition of excellence and accuracy that was fostered by three generations of Abells and has been maintained since 1910, when control of the Company was acquired by a group of Baltimore businessmen including H. Crawford Black. His son, Van Lear, was named Chairman of the Board of Directors in 1914, a position held until his death in 1930.
Van Lear Black was succeeded by his brother, Harry C. Black. Upon Harry's death in 1956, he in turn was succeeded by his nephew - and Van Lear's son - Gary Black Sr. Upon his retirement in December, 1984, Gary Black Sr. was succeeded by William E. McGuirk Jr., who remained the Chairman of the Board of directors until October 1986, when the company was acquired by the Times Mirror Company, a nationwide information and media company. In June 2000, Times Mirror merged with Tribune Company, making The Sun a subsidiary of Tribune, a major-market, multimedia leader with operations in television and radio broadcasting, publishing and interactive media.
To further the tradition of getting the news early and correctly, The Baltimore Sun Company has a long history of innovation. The Company was a pioneer in the use of the telegraph, the high speed press, and the underwater cable. It used the development of the railroad to speed the news to Baltimore and distribute the papers carrying that news. Where railroads failed to reach, the Company set up a sort of "pony express" system. And it led the way in the kind of cooperative news reporting ventures that eventually gave rise to the wire services.
Nor has this pioneering spirit been confined to the past. In 1975, The Sun developed and installed the most sophisticated electronic system of writing and editing news in the country. This system utilized five computers and 76 video typewriter terminals. In 1976, The Company installed a similar electronic system in the classified advertising telephone room and completed the far-reaching conversion of its production operations from "hot-metal" and linotype machines to "cold-type" and computers.
In 1978, the Company committed itself to the purchase of technically advanced off-set presses and mailroom equipment to further expand production capabilities beginning in 1981. By 1983, the classified and editorial systems installed in the 1970s had fallen behind the rapid advancement of computer technology, necessitating the purchase and installation of a state-of-the-art classified system in 1984 and a new, expanded editorial system in 1985. With the support of Times Mirror and now Tribune, the Company has continued to pursue projects that will keep The Sun on the leading edge of technology. And, in September 1996, the Company introduced its internet site, baltimoresun.com, which contains the full daily newspaper content as well as extensive original programming.
The Sun's satellite facility at Sun Park houses Goss Colorliner presses - highly sophisticated, computerized presses that offer unprecedented flexibility in color placement, paging and speed - and SLS-1000 automated inserting equipment in the packaging area to keep pace with the speed of the Colorliner process. In addition, robotics are employed to automate the process of delivering newsprint to the presses in the form of Automated Guided Vehicles - "intelligent" electronic forklifts that are programmed from a central control station.
The accomplishments of The Baltimore Sun Company through the years are reflected in the esteem with which it is held in the newspaper business, in its circulation and advertising acceptance, in its community leadership, in the Pulitzer prizes and numerous other awards it and its reporters have earned, and in the distinguished directory of bylines that have appeared in its pages: H.L. Mencken, John Haslup Adams, Frank Kent, Gerald Johnson, Hamilton Owens, Thomas O'Neill, Gerald Griffing, Mark Watson, Lee McCardell, Philip Potter, Price Day, Alice Steinbach, William Manchester, Jon Franklin and many, many more.
Over the years, The Baltimore Sun Company has put at the heart of its mission a responsibility and duty toward its advertisers and readers.
(from the newspaper's website) |
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| Date |
Category |
Headline |
Article |
Contributor |
|
| ENDORSEMENTS |
| MD Q4: Cannabis - Legalization of Adult Use and Possession - Nov 08, 2022 |
YES |
Yes |
| Anne Arundel County Executive - Nov 08, 2022 |
D |
Steuart Pittman |
| MD Comptroller - Nov 08, 2022 |
D |
Brooke Elizabeth Lierman |
| MD Governor - Nov 08, 2022 |
D |
Wes Moore |
| Baltimore MD County Executive - Nov 08, 2022 |
D |
John A. "Johnny O" Olszewski, Jr. |
| Baltimore County, MD Council 5 - Nov 08, 2022 |
R |
David Marks |
| Baltimore County, MD Council 6 - Nov 08, 2022 |
D |
Michael P. "Mike" Ertel |
| Baltimore County, MD Council 1 - Nov 08, 2022 |
D |
Pat Young |
| Anne Arundel County, MD Council 7 - Nov 08, 2022 |
R |
Shannon Leadbetter |
| Anne Arundel County, MD Council 3 - Nov 08, 2022 |
N |
Write-In |
| Anne Arundel County, MD Council 6 - Nov 08, 2022 |
D |
Lisa Brannigan Rodvien |
| MD District 01 - Nov 08, 2022 |
D |
Heather R. Mizeur |
| MD Attorney General - Nov 08, 2022 |
D |
Anthony G. Brown |
| Baltimore, MD Mayor - D Primary - Jun 02, 2020 |
D |
Brandon M. Scott |
| MD District 07 - Special D Primary - Feb 04, 2020 |
D |
Jill P. Carter |
| MD District 07 - Special R Primary - Feb 04, 2020 |
R |
Reba A. Hawkins |
| MD Governor - Nov 06, 2018 |
R |
Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr. |
| MD Governor - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Ben Jealous |
| Baltimore City State's Attorney - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Ivan Bates |
| MD State Senate 40 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Antonio L. Hayes |
| MD State Senate 41 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
J. D. Merrill |
| MD State Senate 43 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Joan Carter Conway |
| MD State Senate 45 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Cory V. McCray |
| MD State House 40 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Nick J. Mosby |
| MD State House 40 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Melissa Wells |
| MD State House 40 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Gabriel Auteri |
| MD State House 41 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Samuel I. "Sandy" Rosenberg |
| MD State House 41 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Angela Gibson |
| MD State House 41 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Tony Bridges |
| MD State House 43 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Maggie L. McIntosh |
| MD State House 43 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Regina T. Boyce |
| MD State House 43 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Nilesh Kalyanaraman |
| MD State House 45 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Talmadge Branch |
| MD State House 45 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Cheryl Glenn |
| MD State House 45 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Stephanie Smith |
| MD State House 46 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Luke Clippinger |
| MD State House 46 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Robbyn T. Lewis |
| MD State House 46 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Brooke Elizabeth Lierman |
| Baltimore County, MD Executive - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
John A. "Johnny O" Olszewski, Jr. |
| Baltimore County, MD Executive - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Alfred W. Redmer, Jr. |
| Baltimore County, MD Council 1 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Sheila Ruth |
| Baltimore County, MD Council 2 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Izzy Patoka |
| Baltimore County, MD Council 3 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Colleen Marie Ebacher |
| Baltimore County, MD Council 3 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Ed Hale, Jr. |
| Baltimore County, MD Council 4 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Julian Earl Jones, Jr. |
| Baltimore County, MD Council 5 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Alex Foley |
| Baltimore County, MD Council 5 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
David Marks |
| Baltimore County, MD Council 6 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Ryan Nawrocki |
| Baltimore County, MD Council 7 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Brian Weir |
| Baltimore County, MD Council 7 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Todd Crandell |
| MD State Senate 06 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
C. O. "Buddy" Staigerwald |
| MD State Senate 06 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Johnny Ray Salling |
| MD State Senate 08 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Katherine A. Klausmeier |
| MD State Senate 10 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Delores G. Kelley |
| MD State Senate 11 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Robert A. "Bobby" Zirkin |
| MD State Senate 12 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Clarence K. Lam |
| MD State House 06 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Nicholas D'Adamo, Jr. |
| MD State House 06 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Justin Holliday |
| MD State House 06 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Megan Ann Mioduszewski |
| MD State House 06 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Robin L. Grammer, Jr. |
| MD State House 06 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Bob Long |
| MD State House 06 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Richard W. Metzgar |
| MD State House 07 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Kathy Szeliga |
| MD State House 07 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Lauren Arikan |
| MD State House 07 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Tammy Larkin |
| MD State House 08 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Eric Bromwell |
| MD State House 08 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Harry "H. B." Bhandari |
| MD State House 08 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Carl Jackson |
| MD State House 08 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Joe Cluster |
| MD State House 08 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Joe Norman |
| MD State House 08 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Joseph C. Boteler, III |
| MD State House 10 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Benjamin T. Brooks, Sr. |
| MD State House 10 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Adrienne A. Jones |
| MD State House 10 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Lauren Lipscomb |
| MD State House 10 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Michael Tyrone Brown, Sr. |
| MD State House 10 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
George H. Harman |
| MD State House 10 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Brian Marcos |
| MD State House 11 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Shelly Hettleman |
| MD State House 11 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Dana Stein |
| MD State House 11 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Jon S. Cardin |
| MD State House 12 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Eric Ebersole |
| MD State House 12 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Terri L. Hill |
| MD State House 12 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Jessica Feldmark |
| MD State Senate 42 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Robert Leonard |
| MD State Senate 44 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Shirley Nathan-Pulliam |
| MD State House 42B - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Michele Guyton |
| MD State House 42B - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Daniel Nemec |
| MD State House 42B - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Nino Mangione |
| MD State House 42B - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Tim Robinson |
| MD State House 44B - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Charles E. Sydnor, III |
| MD State House 44B - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Aisha Khan |
| Howard County Executive - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Calvin Ball |
| Howard County, MD Council 1 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Jonathan Weinstein |
| Howard County, MD Council 3 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Christiana Rigby |
| Howard County, MD Council 4 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Deb Jung |
| Howard County, MD Council 5 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
David George Yungmann |
| MD State House 09B - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Courtney Watson |
| MD State Senate 09 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Gail H. Bates |
| Anne Arundel County, MD Council 2 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Allison Pickard |
| Anne Arundel County, MD Council 5 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Amanda Fiedler |
| Anne Arundel County, MD Council 6 - D Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
D |
Lisa Brannigan Rodvien |
| Anne Arundel County, MD Council 7 - R Primary - Jun 26, 2018 |
R |
Jonathan Boniface |
| MD US President - R Primary - Apr 26, 2016 |
R |
John Kasich |
| MD US Senate - R Primary - Apr 26, 2016 |
R |
Chrys Kefalas |
| Baltimore City State's Attorney - D Primary - Jun 24, 2014 |
D |
Gregg Bernstein |
| Question 5: Maryland Redistricting Veto Referendum - Nov 06, 2012 |
NO |
No |
| Baltimore, MD Mayor - D Primary - Sep 13, 2011 |
D |
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake |
| MD Slots - Nov 04, 2008 |
YES |
Yes |
| MD US President - Nov 04, 2008 |
D |
Barack Obama |
| MD US President - D Primary - Feb 12, 2008 |
D |
Barack Obama |
| MD District 1 - R Primary - Feb 12, 2008 |
D |
Wayne T. Gilchrest |
| Baltimore City Council President - D Primary - Sep 11, 2007 |
D |
Michael Sarbanes |
| Baltimore, MD Mayor - D Primary - Sep 11, 2007 |
D |
Sheila Dixon |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 1 - D Primary - Sep 11, 2007 |
D |
James B. Kraft |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 2 - D Primary - Sep 11, 2007 |
D |
Lawrence Jamaal Moses |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 3 - D Primary - Sep 11, 2007 |
D |
Robert W. Curran |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 4 - D Primary - Sep 11, 2007 |
D |
Bill Henry |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 7 - D Primary - Sep 11, 2007 |
D |
Belinda K. Conaway |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 6 - D Primary - Sep 11, 2007 |
D |
Elizabeth "Liz" Smith |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 8 - D Primary - Sep 11, 2007 |
D |
Helen L. Holton |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 9 - D Primary - Sep 11, 2007 |
D |
Michael Eugene Johnson |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 10 - D Primary - Sep 11, 2007 |
D |
Terry F Hickey |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 11 - D Primary - Sep 11, 2007 |
D |
William H. Cole IV |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 12 - D Primary - Sep 11, 2007 |
D |
Bernard C. "Jack" Young |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 13 - D Primary - Sep 11, 2007 |
D |
Vernon E. Crider |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 14 - D Primary - Sep 11, 2007 |
D |
Mary Pat Clarke |
| MD US Senate - Nov 07, 2006 |
D |
Benjamin L. Cardin |
| MD Governor - Nov 07, 2006 |
D |
Martin J. O'Malley |
| Howard County, MD Executive - Nov 07, 2006 |
R |
Christopher J. Merdon |
| Harford County, MD Executive - Nov 07, 2006 |
R |
David R. Craig |
| Harford County, MD Council President - Nov 07, 2006 |
R |
William "Billy" K. Boniface |
| Anne Arundel County, MD Executive - Nov 07, 2006 |
R |
John R. Leopold |
| MD Attorney General - D Primary - Sep 12, 2006 |
D |
Stuart O. Simms |
| Baltimore, MD Mayor - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Martin J. O'Malley |
| MD District 7 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Elijah E. Cummings |
| MD District 3 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Benjamin L. Cardin |
| MD District 1 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Wayne T. Gilchrest |
| MD District 2 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
C. A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger |
| MD District 6 - Nov 02, 2004 |
R |
Roscoe G. Bartlett |
| MD District 4 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Albert R. Wynn |
| MD District 5 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Steny H. Hoyer |
| MD District 8 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Chris Van Hollen |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 13 - Nov 02, 2004 |
G |
Glenn Lowell Ross |
| Baltimore City Council President - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Sheila Dixon |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 1 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
James B. Kraft |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 2 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Nicholas D'Adamo, Jr. |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 3 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Robert W. Curran |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 4 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Kenneth N. Harris, Sr. |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 5 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Rochelle "Rikki" Spector |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 6 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 7 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Belinda K. Conaway |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 8 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Helen L. Holton |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 10 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Edward L. Reisinger |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 11 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr. |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 12 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Bernard C. "Jack" Young |
| Baltimore City, MD Council 14 - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Mary Pat Clarke |
| MD US President - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
John F. Kerry |
| MD US Senate - Nov 02, 2004 |
D |
Barbara Mikulski |
| Harford County, MD Executive - Nov 05, 2002 |
R |
James M. Harkins |
| MD Governor - Nov 05, 2002 |
D |
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend |
| MD Comptroller - R Primary - Sep 15, 1998 |
R |
Ardath M. Cade |
| MD US Senate - D Primary - May 13, 1980 |
D |
R. Spencer Oliver |
| Baltimore, MD Mayor - D Primary - Mar 03, 1959 |
D |
J. Harold Grady, Sr. |
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