Daily Hampshire Gazette
Encyclopedia
The Daily Hampshire Gazette is a six-day morning daily newspaper based in Northampton, Massachusetts
, and covering all of Hampshire County
and southern towns of Franklin County, Massachusetts
. The newspaper prints Monday through Saturday, with the latter labeled "Weekend Edition".
In addition to its main office just south of downtown Northampton, the Gazette maintains news bureaus in Amherst
and Easthampton, Massachusetts
.
, based in Concord, New Hampshire
, owns both the Gazette and its main daily competitor to the north, The Recorder
of Greenfield, Massachusetts
. The Gazette also competes in its own coverage area with The Republican, a regional daily in Springfield
.
In addition to the daily newspaper, Gazette newsrooms publish two weekly newspaper
s serving Northampton's suburbs, based in the newspaper's two satellite news bureaux, and one regional weekly:
—the Gazette is one of oldest newspapers in the country, and had been owned by the DeRose family since 1929 before being sold for an undisclosed amount of money in 2005. The paper was sold to Newspapers of New England, said then-publisher and co-owner Peter L. DeRose, because there were no younger members of the family willing to take over the business.
DeRose, who stayed on as publisher for another year under the new owners, became co-publisher upon the death of his father, Charles N. DeRose, in 1970. Charles' mother, Harriet Williams DeRose, had purchased the Gazette in 1929. Peter and his brother Charles W. DeRose were credited with moving the newspaper's offices to a modern building just outside downtown Northampton
on Conz Street; paying and treating Gazette employees well; and being a pioneer in establishing an Internet
presence, now known as gazettenet.com.
Originally an afternoon newspaper, the Gazette responded to shifting readership demographics by moving its publication time earlier in the day, although it long resisted making the switch to early morning delivery on weekdays (the Saturday edition converted to morning distribution in the early 1970s). By the time of the Newspapers of New England
sale, the Gazette was available at downtown newsstands as early as 11:30 a.m., although subscribers still had to wait until after mid-afternoon for delivery by schoolchildren. Under the new management, however, the Gazette opted to make the change to six-day morning publication in September 2006, partly to compete better with the rival Springfield Republican.
In late 2007, Newspapers of New England purchased a competing alternative weekly
newspaper, the Valley Advocate of Easthampton
. The Advocate had begun as an independent newspaper but was then owned by Advocate Weekly Newspapers
, which also published weeklies in Connecticut
. The Advocates owner at the time, the Tribune Company
, sold the Massachusetts weekly to focus on its Connecticut properties, which included the Hartford Courant daily. The Gazette's owners announced they would move the Valley Advocate offices to Northampton, but would retain separate news and advertising staffs from the daily.
Northampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
, and covering all of Hampshire County
Hampshire County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 152,251 people, 55,991 households, and 33,818 families residing in the county. The population density was 288 people per square mile . There were 58,644 housing units at an average density of 111 per square mile...
and southern towns of Franklin County, Massachusetts
Franklin County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 71,535 people, 29,466 households, and 18,416 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 31,939 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
. The newspaper prints Monday through Saturday, with the latter labeled "Weekend Edition".
In addition to its main office just south of downtown Northampton, the Gazette maintains news bureaus in Amherst
Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
and Easthampton, Massachusetts
Easthampton, Massachusetts
Easthampton is the second largest city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is on the southeastern edge of an area called the Pioneer Valley near the five colleges in the college towns of Northampton and Amherst, MA...
.
Sisters and competitors
Newspapers of New EnglandNewspapers of New England
Newspapers of New England Inc. is a privately-owned publisher of seven daily and weekly newspapers in the U.S. states of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.The company's flagship publication is the Concord Monitor, in New Hampshire's capital...
, based in Concord, New Hampshire
Concord, New Hampshire
The city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 42,695....
, owns both the Gazette and its main daily competitor to the north, The Recorder
The Recorder (Greenfield)
The Recorder is a six-day morning daily newspaper published in Greenfield, Massachusetts, USA, covering all of Franklin County, Massachusetts; Hinsdale, New Hampshire; and Brattleboro, Guilford and Vernon, Vermont...
of Greenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield is a city in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,456 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. Greenfield is home to Greenfield Community College, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin County Fair...
. The Gazette also competes in its own coverage area with The Republican, a regional daily in Springfield
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
.
In addition to the daily newspaper, Gazette newsrooms publish two weekly newspaper
Weekly newspaper
A weekly newspaper is a general-news publication that is published on newsprint once or twice a week.Such newspapers tend to have smaller circulations than daily newspapers, and are usually based in less-populous communities or small, defined areas within large cities; often, they may cover a...
s serving Northampton's suburbs, based in the newspaper's two satellite news bureaux, and one regional weekly:
- The Amherst Bulletin, published every Friday, covers several towns east of Northampton: AmherstAmherst, MassachusettsAmherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
, DeerfieldDeerfield, MassachusettsDeerfield is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,750 as of the 2000 census. Deerfield is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area in Western Massachusetts, lying only north of the city of Springfield.Deerfield includes the...
, HadleyHadley, MassachusettsHadley is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. The population was 4,793 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The area around Hampshire Mall and Mountain Farms Mall along Route 9 is a major shopping destination for the surrounding...
, LeverettLeverett, MassachusettsLeverett is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,663 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, PelhamPelham, MassachusettsPelham is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,403 at the 2000 census. It shares the same zip code as Amherst.Pelham is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, ShutesburyShutesbury, MassachusettsShutesbury is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,810 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
and Sunderland, MassachusettsSunderland, MassachusettsSunderland is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, part of the Pioneer Valley. The population was 3,777 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. - The Summit, a Thursday tabloid, is delivered free to each home in EasthamptonEasthampton, MassachusettsEasthampton is the second largest city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is on the southeastern edge of an area called the Pioneer Valley near the five colleges in the college towns of Northampton and Amherst, MA...
, SouthamptonSouthampton, MassachusettsSouthampton is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It was established first as a district of Northampton in 1753. It was incorporated in 1753. The name Southampton was given to it during its first town meeting in 1773. Its ZIP code is 01073...
and Westhampton, MassachusettsWesthampton, MassachusettsWesthampton is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,607 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
. - The Valley Advocate, an alternative weeklyAlternative weeklyAn alternative newspaper is a type of newspaper, that eschews comprehensive coverage of general news in favor of stylized reporting, opinionated reviews and columns, investigations into edgy topics and magazine-style feature stories highlighting local people and culture. Their news coverage is more...
, is distributed for free throughout the Pioneer ValleyPioneer ValleyThe Pioneer Valley is the colloquial name for the U.S. Commonwealth of Massachusetts's portion of the Connecticut River Valley. The Pioneer Valley consists of three counties in Massachusetts which collectively feature much of New England's most fertile farmland...
, including the Five College AreaFive Colleges (Massachusetts)The Five Colleges comprises four liberal arts colleges and one university in the Connecticut River Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, totaling approximately 28,000 students. The schools belong to a consortium called Five Colleges, Incorporated, established in 1965...
, greater SpringfieldSpringfield, MassachusettsSpringfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
and southern VermontVermontVermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. It began as an independent newspaper in 1973 and has a circulation of about 53,000.
History
First published September 6, 1786—with a news item about Shays' RebellionShays' Rebellion
Shays' Rebellion was an armed uprising in central and western Massachusetts from 1786 to 1787. The rebellion is named after Daniel Shays, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War....
—the Gazette is one of oldest newspapers in the country, and had been owned by the DeRose family since 1929 before being sold for an undisclosed amount of money in 2005. The paper was sold to Newspapers of New England, said then-publisher and co-owner Peter L. DeRose, because there were no younger members of the family willing to take over the business.
DeRose, who stayed on as publisher for another year under the new owners, became co-publisher upon the death of his father, Charles N. DeRose, in 1970. Charles' mother, Harriet Williams DeRose, had purchased the Gazette in 1929. Peter and his brother Charles W. DeRose were credited with moving the newspaper's offices to a modern building just outside downtown Northampton
Northampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
on Conz Street; paying and treating Gazette employees well; and being a pioneer in establishing an Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
presence, now known as gazettenet.com.
Originally an afternoon newspaper, the Gazette responded to shifting readership demographics by moving its publication time earlier in the day, although it long resisted making the switch to early morning delivery on weekdays (the Saturday edition converted to morning distribution in the early 1970s). By the time of the Newspapers of New England
Newspapers of New England
Newspapers of New England Inc. is a privately-owned publisher of seven daily and weekly newspapers in the U.S. states of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.The company's flagship publication is the Concord Monitor, in New Hampshire's capital...
sale, the Gazette was available at downtown newsstands as early as 11:30 a.m., although subscribers still had to wait until after mid-afternoon for delivery by schoolchildren. Under the new management, however, the Gazette opted to make the change to six-day morning publication in September 2006, partly to compete better with the rival Springfield Republican.
In late 2007, Newspapers of New England purchased a competing alternative weekly
Alternative weekly
An alternative newspaper is a type of newspaper, that eschews comprehensive coverage of general news in favor of stylized reporting, opinionated reviews and columns, investigations into edgy topics and magazine-style feature stories highlighting local people and culture. Their news coverage is more...
newspaper, the Valley Advocate of Easthampton
Easthampton, Massachusetts
Easthampton is the second largest city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is on the southeastern edge of an area called the Pioneer Valley near the five colleges in the college towns of Northampton and Amherst, MA...
. The Advocate had begun as an independent newspaper but was then owned by Advocate Weekly Newspapers
Advocate Weekly Newspapers
The Advocate Weekly Newspapers are four free weekly alternative newspapers in central Connecticut and western Massachusetts, published by New Mass. Media Inc., a subsidiary of the Chicago-based Tribune Company....
, which also published weeklies in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. The Advocates owner at the time, the Tribune Company
Tribune Company
The Tribune Company is a large American multimedia corporation based in Chicago, Illinois. It is the nation's second-largest newspaper publisher, with ten daily newspapers and commuter tabloids including Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel, South Florida...
, sold the Massachusetts weekly to focus on its Connecticut properties, which included the Hartford Courant daily. The Gazette