Observer-Dispatch: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:02, 4 September 2007

Latest revision as of 10:09, 18 July 2025

(95 intermediate revisions by 48 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{InfoboxShort description|Newspaper |in Utica, New York}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2017}}

name = The Observer-Dispatch |

{{US-Infobox newspaper-stub}}

image = |

| name = The Observer-Dispatch |

caption = |

| logo = [[File:Observer-Dispatch masthead.svg|frameless|class=skin-invert]]

type = Daily [[newspaper]] |

| logo_size = 220px

format = [[Broadsheet]] |

| image = Utica_Observer-Dispatch_building,_Utica_New_York.jpg

foundation = |

| caption = Former Observer-Dispatch building, vacant since 2022

owners = [[Gatehouse Media, Inc]] |

| type = Daily [[newspaper]] |

headquarters = |

| format = [[Broadsheet]] |

editor = |

| owners = [[Gannett]]

political position = |

| publisher = |

| editor = |

circulation = |

| foundation = 1817, as ''Utica Observer''

founded = 1817 |

| ceased publication =

price = Daily: USD 0.75<br />Sunday: USD 1.50 |

| headquarters = 221 Oriskany Plaza, [[Utica, NY|Utica]], [[New York (state)|New York]], [[United States]]

website = [http://uticaod.com/ uticaod.com] |

| circulation = 17,123 Daily<br />21,444 Sunday

| circulation_date = 2018

| circulation_ref = <ref>{{Cite web |date=2018 |title=2018 Legacy NEWM Annual Reports |url=https://s202.q4cdn.com/162862548/files/doc_financials/2018/ar/2018-NEWM-Annual-Report.pdf |website=investors.gannett.com}}</ref>

| sister newspapers = ''[[The Times Telegram]]''

| ISSN = 0890-0329

| oclc = 10886202

| website = [http://{{URL|uticaod.com/ uticaod.com] |}}

}}

The '''''Observer-Dispatch''''' (''The O-D'') is a [[newspaper]] serving the major[[Utica-Rome metropolitan area]] in [[newspaperCentral New York]], forcirculating in [[Oneida County, New York|Oneida County]], [[Herkimer County, New York|Herkimer County]], and parts of [[Madison County, New York|Madison County]], and also services the greater [[Central New York]] area. Based in [[Utica, New York]], the publication is owned by [[Gatehouse Media, IncGannett]].

==History==

[[File:Lewis Hine, Pasquale Lolara, Ercola Guallilo, Jerry Paciello, Frank Graciana, newsboys, Utica, New York, 1910.jpg|thumb|left|Newsboys for one of the precursors of ''The Observer-Dispatch'' in 1910, photographed by [[Lewis Hine]]]]

Founded by Eliasaph Dorchester in 1817, the newspaper was originally named the Utica Observer. The paper under the Observer name continued through a number of mergers and was purchased in 1922 by Frank Gannett.

Eliasaph Dorchester founded the weekly ''Utica Observer'' in 1817. The paper briefly moved to [[Rome, New York]] and published under the name of the ''Oneida Observer'', but returned to Utica after. The paper consolidated with the ''Utica Democrat'' in 1852, bringing with it long-time editor Dewitt C. Grove, who simultaneously served as [[List of mayors of Utica, New York|mayor of Utica]] from 1860 to 1862. The ''Observer'''s facilities were destroyed in 1884 by a fire.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wager |first=Daniel E. |title=Our county and its people: a descriptive work on Oneida County, New York |date=1896 |publisher=Higginson Book Company |___location=Salem, Mass. |language=English |oclc=317926894|pages=355–356}}</ref> Construction began in 1914 on a new office for the Observer, which was completed in 1915.<ref name="HMV">{{Cite book |last=Nelson |first=Greene |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qOApAQAAMAAJ&dq=observer-dispatch&pg=PA262 |title=History of the Mohawk Valley : gateway to the West, 1614-1925, covering the six counties of Schenectady, Schoharie, Montgomery, Fulton, Herkimer and Oneida |date=1925 |publisher=S.J. Clarke Pub. Co. |oclc=866075217|volume=3|pages=261–262}}</ref> The two-story building was expanded to three stories in 1930, with the name "Utica Observer-Dispatch" engraved in the stone above the third story windows.<ref name="OD0304">{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Edward |date=2022-03-04 |title=O-D building in downtown Utica sold to The Mohawk Observer, LLC |work=Observer-Dispatch |url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/2022/03/04/observer-dispatch-building-sold-utica-company/9329644002/ |access-date=2022-03-07}}</ref>

The same year another merger took place resulting in the seven-day, afternoon and Sunday Observer-Dispatch.

In 1922 the paper was purchased by Frank E. Gannett, founder of the [[Gannett Company]]. Gannett purchased the ''Herald-Dispatch'' at the same time and combined the two, creating the ''Utica Observer-Dispatch''.<ref name="HMV" /> Gannet also purchased the ''Utica Daily Press'' in 1935. The ''Utica Daily Press'' and the ''Utica Observer-Dispatch'' merged in 1987, and were renamed to the current ''Observer-Dispatch''.<ref name="EncNYS">{{Cite book |title=The encyclopedia of New York State |date=2005 |publisher=Syracuse University Press |others=Peter R. Eisenstadt, Laura-Eve Moss |isbn=0-8156-0808-X |edition=1 |___location=Syracuse, N.Y. |oclc=57506556|chapter=Utica Observer-Dispatch|page=1629}}</ref> Gannett owned the newspaper until 2007, when it was purchased by [[GateHouse Media]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gamela |first=Renée |date=2007-04-13 |title=Utica-based newspaper sold after 85 years with Gannett |work=Observer-Dispatch}}</ref> GateHouse Media's parent company merged with Gannett in 2019, returning the ''Observer-Dispatch'' to Gannett once more.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tracy |first=Marc |date=2019-11-19 |title=Gannett, Now Largest U.S. Newspaper Chain, Targets 'Inefficiencies' |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/19/business/media/gannett-gatehouse-merger.html |access-date=2022-03-02 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

In 1929 the initial part of the current Observer-Dispatch plant was built and in 1935 the competing morning paper, the Utica Daily Press, was purchased by the Gannett company. The two papers published side by side for more than 50 years, garnering the Pulitzer Prize for public service in 1959. They were combined into the current seven-day morning Observer-Dispatch in 1987.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the O-D had a weekly [[Bosnian language]] column serving the [[Bosnian American]] population in Utica.<ref>{{Cite book |editor-last=Frazier |editor-first=John W. |title=Multicultural geographies : the changing racial/ethnic patterns of the United States |date=2010 |publisher=State University of New York Press |others=Florence M. Margai, John W. Frazier |isbn=978-1-4384-3683-8 |___location=Albany, N.Y. |oclc=793202791|page=145|chapter=Refugee resettlement in Utica, New York: Opportunities and Issues for Community Development|first1=Ellen|last1=Percy Kraly|first2=Kristin|last2=VanValkenburg}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Race and ethnic relations, 05/06 |date=2005 |publisher=McGraw-Hill/Dushkin |others=John A. Kromkowski |isbn=0-07-305378-3 |___location=Dubuque, Iowa |oclc=62235542|page=3}}</ref>

==External links==

*[http://www.uticaod.com] Official Website

*[http://www.gannett.com/about/map/ataglance/utic.htm Gannett subsidiary profile of the ''Observer-Dispatch'']

The company added digital delivery of news and information in January 2000 with the launch of uticaOD.com. It began online video publication in 2006.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

In 2004, the ''Observer-Dispatch'' purchased the ''Mid York Weekly'' newspaper, serving [[Hamilton, New York]], and seven weekly [[Pennysaver]] publications, which are mailed throughout Oneida and Herkimer counties.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

{{GCI}}

In January 2022, the paper announced it would cease printing its Saturday edition starting March.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Observer-Dispatch to cease Saturday print publication, expand digital access |url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/2022/01/12/observer-dispatch-cease-saturday-print-paper-expand-digital-access/9187449002/ |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=Utica Observer Dispatch |language=en-US|date=2022-01-12}}</ref> In March, the Observer-Dispatch building was purchased by a real estate investment group.<ref name="OD0304" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Downstate investment group new owner of former Utica OD building |url=https://www.wktv.com/news/local/downstate-investment-group-new-owner-of-former-utica-od-building/article_91d9ba9a-9c05-11ec-a020-6b2f105b205e.html |access-date=2022-03-07 |website=WKTV NewsChannel2 |language=en|date=2022-03-04}}</ref>

In September 2023, the paper announced it will switch from carrier to postal delivery via U.S. Postal Service starting Oct. 23.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Observer-Dispatch transitioning to postal delivery |url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/2023/09/19/observer-dispatch-transitioning-to-postal-delivery/70864499007/ |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=Utica Observer Dispatch |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Awards==

The ''Utica Daily Press'' and the ''Utica Observer-Dispatch'' were jointly awarded the 1959 [[Pulitzer Prize for Public Service]]:<ref>{{Cite web |title=1959 Pulitzer Prize Winners & Finalists |url=https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-year/1959 |access-date=2022-03-07 |website=www.pulitzer.org |language=en}}</ref>

{{blockquote|For their successful campaign against corruption, gambling and vice in their home city and the achievement of sweeping civic reforms in the face of political pressure and threats of violence.}}

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

*[http://www.uticaod.com] OfficialObserver-Dispatch Website| uticaOD.com]

{{City of Utica, New York}}

{{PulitzerPrize PublicService 1951–1975}}

{{US-newspaper-stub}}

{{NewYork-stubGannett}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:NewspapersDaily newspapers published in New York (state)]]

[[Category:Pulitzer Prize–winning newspapers]]

[[Category:Utica, New York]]

[[Category:Rome, New York]]

[[Category:Publications established in 1817]]

[[Category:1817 establishments in New York (state)]]

[[Category:Pulitzer Prize for Public Service winners]]

[[Category:Gannett publications]]