Knight Ridder/ˈrɪdər/ was an American media company, specializing innewspaper andInternetpublishing. It was bought byMcClatchy on June 27, 2006, allowing the latter to become the second largest newspaper publisher in the United States at the time, with 32 daily newspaper brands sold. Its headquarters were located inSan Jose, California.[1]
In September 1969, company president Herman Henry "Hank" Ridder died.[18] In November 1969, the company went public. At that time it was the eighth largest newspaper chain in the country in terms of circulation.[19] In May 1973, Ridder acquired theWichita Eagle-Beacon for $40.5 million.[20]
In March 1969, Knight went public, leaving the Knight family with about 59% of outstanding stock. John S. Knight and his brother James sold $30 million of their holdings in the company.[30] In September 1969, Knight acquired theBoca Raton News.[31] In October 1969, Knight boughtThe Philadelphia Inquirer andPhiladelphia Daily News for $55 million. The deal boosted Knight from the fifth to the third largest newspaper chain in the United States in terms of circulation.[32] In August 1973, Knight acquired theLexington Herald-Leader.[33] In September 1973, Knight purchased R.W. Page Corp. The sale included theColumbus Ledger-Enquirer andThe Bradenton Herald.[34]
On July 11, 1974, Knight Newspapers and Ridder Publications agreed to merge. The newly formed group would own 35 newspapers with a combined daily circulation of 3.6 million. At the timeGannett owned 54 papers with a combined daily circulation of 2.3 million. So the deal would make the combined Knight Ridder the second largest newspaper chain in the United States in terms of number of papers owned, and the largest in terms of circulation. The plan called for both partners to divest from radio and television.[35]
Stockholders approved the deal that November. Annual revenue for the newly combined firm was expected to be $550 million.[36] The new name was Knight-Ridder Newspapers Inc. Lee Hills was elected board chairman and CEO.Alvah Chapman Jr. was elected president. Bernard H. Ridder Jr. became vice chairman.John S. Knight became editorial chairman as well as a board member.[37]
Knight Ridder acquired theCentre Daily Times in August 1979,[38] and theFort Wayne News-Sentinel in February 1980.[39] Knight Ridder became the first newspaper publisher to experiment withvideotex when it launched itsViewtron system in 1983. After investing six years of research and $50 million into the service, Knight Ridder shut down Viewtron in 1986 when the service's interactivity features proved more popular than news delivery.[40]
In April 1998, Knight Ridder announced it will relocate its headquarters from Miami, Florida to San Jose, California. The goal was to change it's public image from a traditional newspaper company to a high-technology information provider.[50] In February 1998, the company sold theGary Post-Tribune toHollinger International, Inc.[51] In April 2000, Knight Ridder purchasedThe Olathe News.[52]
In the run-up to the2003 invasion of Iraq, Knight Ridder DC Bureau reporters Jonathan Landay and Warren Strobel wrote a series of articles critical of intelligence suggesting links betweenSaddam Hussein, the obtainment ofweapons of mass destruction, andAl-Qaeda, citing anonymous sources. Landay and Strobel's stories ran counter to reports byThe New York Times,The Washington Post and other national publications, resulting in some newspapers within the Knight-Ridder chain refusing to run the two reporters' stories, with some choosing to substitute coverage fromThe Times.[53]
After the war and the discrediting of many initial news reports written and carried by others, Strobel and Landay received theRaymond Clapper Memorial Award from the Senate Press Gallery in 2004, for their coverage.[54]
TheHuffington Post headlined the two as "the reporting team that got Iraq right".[55] TheColumbia Journalism Review described the reporting as "unequaled by the Bigfoots working at higher-visibility outlets such as theNew York Times, theWashington Post, theWall Street Journal and theLos Angeles Times".[56]
In November 2005, the Knight Ridder announced plans for "strategic initiatives," which involved the possible sale of the company. This came after three major institutional shareholders publicly urged management to put the company up for sale. At the time, the company had a higherprofit margin than many Fortune 500 companies, includingExxonMobil.[61] On March 13, 2006,The McClatchy Company announced its agreement to purchase Knight Ridder for a purchase price of $6.5 billion in cash, stock and debt.[62] The deal gave McClatchy 32 daily newspapers in 29 markets, with a total circulation of 3.3 million. However, for various reasons, McClatchy decided immediately to resell twelve of these papers.[63]
Knight Ridder Information: ??–1997, Acquired by MAID, later by Thomson
Knight Ridder Financial Inc: 1985–1996. Acquired by Global Financial trading asBridge Data.
RealCities Network:[69] 2004–2006. RealCities was a portal/hub website for Knight-Ridder group. It was absorbed with The McClatchy Company into McClatchy Interactive[70] and sold to Chicago-based Centro[71] in 2008.
Knight Newspapers entered broadcasting in 1946 via the purchase of minority ownership stakes inWQAM in Miami,WIND in Chicago, andWAKR in Akron; all three stations were in markets served by a Knight newspaper.[72][73][74] The minority stake in WAKR's parent company, Summit Radio, also included the establishment ofWAKR-TV (channel 49), as well asWAKR-FM (97.5) and six radio stations purchased inDayton, Ohio;Dallas, Texas; andDenver, Colorado.[75] WAKR-TV was built and signed on by Summit on July 23, 1953, as the Akron market'sABC affiliate,[76] moving to channel 23 on December 1, 1967.[77] Knight Ridder divested its stake in Summit Radio by 1977;[78] a planned merger between the two entities in 1968 failed to be consummated.[79]
In 1954, Ridder Newspapers launchedWDSM-TV inSuperior,Wisconsin, serving theDuluth,Minnesota market. Initially aCBS affiliate, it switched to its presentNBC affiliation a year and a half after the station's launch. It was spun off after Ridder's merger with Knight Newspapers, Inc.
From 1956 to 1962, Knight and theCox publishing family jointly operated Biscayne Television, which ownedNBC affiliateWCKT inMiami, Florida, as well asWCKR radio, which this entity purchased from Cox;[80] Knight sold off WQAM to a third party as part of Biscayne's formation.[81] Revelations of improper behavior and underhanded tactics by Biscayne[82][83][84] andNational Airlines (which signed onWPST-TV, also in Miami[85]) to secure their licenses, along with ethics violations within the FCC itself, resulted in the licenses for both stations being revoked.[86][87] A replacement license for WCKT was granted in 1960 toSunbeam Television, the lone bidder for the prior license not to have engaged in any unethical behavior;[88][89] Biscayne sold to Sunbeam WCKT's non-license assets: the studios,intellectual property and all off- and on-air personnel for the new station, which took the WCKT name for continuity.[90] Cox repurchased WCKR, reviving that station's prior WIOD call sign.[91]
Following the divestment of their stake in Summit Radio, Knight Ridder acquired Poole Broadcasting, which consisted ofWJRT-TV inFlint,Michigan,WTEN inAlbany,New York and its satellite WCDC inAdams,Massachusetts, andWPRI-TV inProvidence,Rhode Island. Immediately after the acquisition of these stations was finalized, Knight Ridder cut a corporate affiliation deal with ABC, switching then-CBS affiliates WTEN/WCDC and WPRI (the latter of which eventually rejoined CBS) to ABC (WJRT was already affiliated with ABC when the affiliation deal was made). As part of the deal, Poole Broadcasting would eventually become Knight Ridder Broadcasting. Knight Ridder would acquire several television stations in medium-sized markets during the 1980s, including three stations owned byThe Detroit News which theGannett Company—which purchased the newspaper in 1986—could not keep due toFederal Communications Commission regulations on media cross-ownership and/or television duopolies then in effect. (None of Knight Ridder's later acquisitions changed their network affiliations under Knight Ridder ownership; for example, then-NBC affiliateWALA-TV inMobile,Alabama remained an NBC affiliate when it was owned by Knight Ridder and would switch toFox several years after Knight Ridder sold the station.)
In early 1989, Knight Ridder announced its exit from broadcasting, selling all of its stations to separate buyers; the sales were finalized in the summer and early fall of that year. This deal was made in order to reduce their debt loads from the proceedings.[92] One of the stations,WALA-TV went to Burnham Broadcasting for $40 million, whileWKRN would go toYoung Broadcasting for $50 million,KOLD-TV toNews-Press & Gazette Company for an undisclosed price, and two television stationsWPRI andWTKR to Narragansett Television L.P. for $150 million on February 18, 1989.[93] This was followed by the following month with the sale ofKTVY-TV toWHO-TV owner Palmer Communications, for $50 million.[94]WTEN was the next-to-last station to be sold, going toYoung Broadcasting for $38 million,[95] andWJRT would eventually becoming the final Knight Ridder station, to be sold toSJL Broadcasting for $39 million.[96]
^Co-owned by Knight Newspapers and Cox Newspapers, long before Knight's merger with Ridder Publications.
^The license for WCKT under Cox-Knight ownership was revoked by the FCC, with the current license dating back to 1962. However, most contemporary accounts and WSVN itself recognize the history of both WCKTs as one and the same.
^While this station was owned by Summit Radio from 1953 to 1994, Knight Newspapers held a 45 percent minority stake in Summit that predated this station's establishment, this was fully divested by Knight Ridder in 1977.
^Owned by Ridder Publications until the merger between Ridder and Knight forced its divestiture.
^"Where We Are." Knight Ridder. April 28, 2005. Retrieved on August 28, 2012. "Knight Ridder 50 W. San Fernando St. San Jose, CA 95113" and "Knight Ridder Digital 35 South Market Street San Jose, CA 95113-2302"
^""Staats" Is The Greatest German-American Paper".Brooklyn Eagle. April 16, 1905. p. 40.
^"Herman Ridder, Editor, Is Dead | Staats-Zeitung Publisher Expires Suddenly from Arterial Sclerosis at His Home".The New York Times. November 2, 1915. p. 11.
^""Staats Zeitung" Buys "New Yorker Herold" | German-Language Papers in City Are Reduced by Transaction".New-York Tribune. November 14, 1919. p. 22.
^"Staats-Zeitung Buys L.I. Daily Press".Brooklyn Eagle. December 3, 1926. p. 24.
^"Ridders Merge 2 Journals Of Commerce Here".Daily News. New York City, New York. January 1, 1927. p. 66.
^"Eastern Men Buy Dispatch, Pioneer Press".Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. August 14, 1927. p. 1.
^"St. Paul Group Buys Paper at Aberdeen, S.D.".Star Tribune. August 2, 1928. p. 6.
^"Grand Forks Herald Sold To M.M. Oppegard Of St. Paul".Grand Forks Herald. June 16, 1929. p. 11.
^"Buy Share In Seattle Times | Ridder Brothers Acquire 40 Percent Interest".St. Louis Post-Dispatch. January 5, 1930. p. 2.
^"Today Is Our Birthday! Press Is 135 Years Old".Long Island Daily Press. January 1, 1956.
^"Announcement".The Duluth News Tribune. July 24, 1936. p. 1.
^"San Jose News, Mercury Sold To Ridder Group".Record Searchlight. Redding, California. Associated Press. July 26, 1952. p. 5.
^"Ridders Buy Long Beach Newspapers | Prisk Interests Unaffected In Pasadena".Pasadena Star-News. August 10, 1952. p. 1.
^"Ridders Sell N.Y. Publication".The Duluth News-Tribune. March 30, 1953. p. 9.
^"Gary Post-Tribune Sold To Ridder Chain".Tampa Bay Times. United Press International. August 24, 1966. p. 4.
^"Ridder Purchases Boulder Daily Paper".The Missoulian. Associated Press. April 10, 1969. p. 23.
^"Ridder Publications President Dies At 61".The Register. Santa Ana, California. United Press International. September 16, 1969. p. 13.
^"Ridder chain to offer stock for public sale".The Peninsula Times Tribune. Palo Alto, California. November 19, 1969. p. 11.
^"Ridder Acquires Wichita Eagle".Oakland Tribune. May 2, 1973. p. 12.
^"The Life Story Of Charles Landon Knight | Beacon Journal Publisher's Complete Biography; Editorials Reprinted".The Akron Beacon Journal. September 27, 1933. p. 14.
^"Miami Herald Sold To Knight".The Lima News. Associated Press. October 18, 1937. p. 12.
^"John S. Knight Buys Detroit Free Press".Corpus Christi Times. United Press. May 1, 1940. p. 13.
^"Knight Newspapers Buy Daily News".The Ithaca Journal. Associated Press. October 18, 1944. p. 13.
^"Charlotte Observer Sold. | Knight Newspapers Buy Paper for 7 Million Dollars".The Kansas City Times. Associated Press. December 30, 1954. p. 2.
^Kahn, Larry; Wadlow, Kevin (March 24, 2018). "For decades, 'Keynoter' documented the Keys".Florida Keys Keynoter. pp. A1.
^"Field Gains Control Of 2nd Chicago Newspaper".The Houston Post. United Press International. January 6, 1959. p. 8.
^"Charlotte Paper Bought by Knight".The Evening Review. East Liverpool, Ohio. Associated Press. April 6, 1959. p. 18.
^"3 Georgia Papers Bought by Knight".Tallahassee Democrat. United Press International. February 26, 1969. p. 2.
^"Knight Papers To Offer 950,000 Shares To Public".The Miami News. March 21, 1969. p. 11.
^"Knight Buys Boca Raton News".The Miami Herald. September 18, 1969. p. 42.
^"Philadelphia Inquirer, News Bought by Knight".Winston-Salem Journal. Associated Press. October 29, 1969. p. 2.
^"Lexington Papers Bought by Knight".The Macon News. Macon, Georgia. August 17, 1973. p. 2.
^"Columbus Papers Are Sold".Alabama Journal. Associated Press. September 22, 1973. p. 9.
^"Knight, Ridder Agree To Merge".The Macon News. Macon, Georgia. Associated Press. July 11, 1974. p. 22.
^"Stockholders OK Merger OF Knight, Ridder Papers".The Wichita Eagle. Wichita, Kansas. November 21, 1974. p. 6.
^"Knight-Ridder Officers Named, Dividend Declared".The Wichita Beacon. Wichita, Kansas. December 8, 1974. p. 31.
^"Centre Daily News Sold To Knight-Ridder".The Gettysburg Times. August 8, 1979. p. 11.
^"Knight-Ridder Acquires Fort Wayne, Ind., Paper".The Macon Telegraph. February 21, 1980. p. 40.
^"Journal of Commerce being sold".Chicago Tribune. February 10, 1995. p. 197.
^Hall, Carl T.; Hallissy, Erin (August 29, 1995). "East Bay Newspaper Chain Sold | Knight-Ridder buys Contra Costa Times".San Francisco Chronicle. p. 1.
^"Knight-Ridder buys 4 papers | Disney deal includes Kansas City Star".The Cincinnati Post. April 5, 1997. p. 18.
^Lyons, Silas (July 26, 1997). "T-T changing owners in 5-paper deal".The Tribune. San Luis Obispo, California. p. 1.
^"Boca Raton News Sold | Buyer emphasizes 'community'".Boca Raton News. October 31, 1997. p. 3.
^"Press-Telegram Sold To Garden State Newspapers".The Los Angeles Times. November 7, 1997. p. 158.
^"Knight Ridder completes sale of Gary paper".The South Bend Tribune. February 4, 1998. p. 22.
^Whitaker, Shane (April 1, 2000). "Sale of Daily News becomes official | New owner expects few changes".Olathe News. p. 1.
^Walcott, John."Why the Press Failed on Iraq; And How One Team of Reporters Got It Right",Foreign Affairs, March 19, 2023. Accessed November 27, 2025. "Our reporting might have been getting under officials’ skin, but it did not slow the administration’s march to war. Some Knight Ridder papers even ignored what their own Washington bureau was writing and instead printed New York Times stories (which the paper later admitted were wrong)."
^Fear, David."‘Shock and Awe’ Review: Journalistic Drama Is No ‘All the President’s Men’",Rolling Stone, July 13, 2018. Accessed November 27, 2025. "The idea that someone would make a movie about Warren Strobel and Jonathan Landay, the Knight-Ridder reporters who questioned the Bush’s administration rush to war in Iraq after 9/11, is both bold counterprogramming and a necessary corrective – these men should be household names a la Woodward and Bernstein."
^"Chain buys 5 small dailies | 125 on combined staff won't lose jobs, Knight Ridder says".San Francisco Chronicle. February 16, 2005. p. 25.
^Porretto, John (August 4, 2005). "Several Knight Ridder, Gannett newspapers to change hands".Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Associated Press. p. 37.
^Carey, Pete (August 3, 2006). "Sales of 12 former Knight Ridder papers closed".Lexington Herald-Leader. p. 18.
^Yao, Deborah (May 24, 2006). "McClatchy sells Philadelphia newspapers | Inquirer and Daily News net $562 million".Intelligencer Journal. Lancaster, Pennsylvania. p. 20.
^"McClatchy releases sale prices of five former KR papers".Citizens' Voice. Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. June 13, 2006. p. A24.
^Rubinkam, Michale (June 27, 2006). "McClatchy sells last Knight Ridder paper | Wilkes-Barre's Times Leader sold to private investors".The Evening Sun. Hanover, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. p. 8.
^"FCC Sets Hearings On Channel 7 Bids".The Miami News. Miami, Florida. January 20, 1954. p. 1A.Archived from the original on February 12, 2022. RetrievedFebruary 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Pressure Is Usual, FCC Prober Finds".The Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. Associated Press. June 3, 1958. pp. 1A–2A.Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. RetrievedFebruary 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Channel 7 Award Is Reopened".The Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. United Press. April 4, 1959. p. A1.Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. RetrievedFebruary 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^Kraslow, David J. (July 15, 1960)."FCC Switches Ch. 10 Permit To Ohio Firm".The Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. pp. 1A-2A.Archived from the original on February 14, 2022. RetrievedFebruary 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^"FCC Lifts Channel 7 Franchise".The Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. July 27, 1961. p. 1A.Archived from the original on February 16, 2022. RetrievedFebruary 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^"FCC Orders Inquiry Into Miami TV Cases".Tampa Bay Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. June 12, 1960. p. 9A.Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. RetrievedFebruary 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^Anderson, Jack (March 16, 1961)."Ch. 7 Switched; New Station OKd".The Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. p. 1A.Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. RetrievedFebruary 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^Anderson, Jack E. (November 15, 1962)."Channel 7 Sale Is Proposed".The Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. pp. 1A–2A.Archived from the original on February 17, 2022. RetrievedFebruary 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
