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The Chicago Tribune, self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", is the leading newspaper of the Midwest of the United States.
History
Founded in 1847, the Tribune began as a Know Nothing paper. It consisted mostly of columns that were xenophobic, with constant foreigner and Roman Catholic bashing. Eight years after its founding, Joseph Medill and his five partners bought the paper. The xenophobia was toned down, but the paper began promoting temperance. When "Long" John Wentworth entered his second term as mayor of Chicago, he sold the Chicago Democrat to Medill.
Before and during the American Civil War, Joseph Medill pushed an abolitionist agenda and strongly supported Abraham Lincoln. The paper remained a strong force in Republican politics for years afterwards.
Under the 20th century editorship of Col. Robert R. McCormick these tendencies were exaggerated and the paper was strongly isolationist and actively biased in its coverage of political news and social trends, calling itself "An American newspaper for Americans", excoriating the Democrats and the New Deal, resolutely disdainful of the British and French, and greatly enthusiastic for Chiang Kai-shek and Sen. Joseph McCarthy. These biases were so pronounced that the paper came to be regarded as untrustworthy.
Notable scoops
One of the great scoops in Tribune history was the revelation of U.S. war plans on the eve of the Pearl Harbor attack. Col. McCormick also once mutilated an American flag by cutting out what he deemed the "Rhode Island star" after that state had offended him.
The paper is also infamous for its reporting of the 1948 presidential election. At that time, many of its staff was on strike, and early returns led the paper to believe that the Republican candidate Thomas Dewey would win. The next day's issue was printed in advance: the headline was "DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN", turning the paper into a national laughingstock when it turned out that Harry S. Truman won.
Although the paper has since reformed and toned down, it retains a strong editorial Republican slant and remains a dominant voice in "Chicagoland" and the Midwest in general.
The Tribune Company
The Chicago Tribune is the centerpiece of The Tribune Company, which includes many smaller suburban newspapers, radio and television stations. The Tribune owns the WGN radio station (720 AM) and TV station (Channel 9), whose call letters stand for "World's Greatest Newspaper". The Tribune Company also owns the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Also owned by the Tribune Company is Premium Ticket Service close to Wrigley Field, considered by many to be a ticket scalping operation.
The Tribune Company owned the New York Daily News from its 1919 founding until its 1991 sale to Robert Maxwell.. The founder of the News, Capt. Joseph Patterson and Col. McCormick, were both descendants of Medill. Both were also enthusiasts for simplified spelling, another hallmark of their papers.
Since 1925, the Chicago Tribune has been housed in the Gothic Tribune Tower, the result of a famous design competition.
Columnists
Current
- Steve Chapman
- John Kass
- Charlie Madigan
- Clarence Page
- Mary Schmich
- Dawn Turner Trice
- Don Wycliff
- Eric Zorn
Past
External link
- Chicago Tribune official website