RISN Operations
Encyclopedia
RISN Operations Inc., also called Rhode Island Suburban Newspapers, is a privately owned publisher of four daily newspapers and several weekly newspaper
s in the U.S. state of Rhode Island
. The company was founded by Illinois
-based newspaper executives in early 2007 to purchase the Rhode Island holdings of Journal Register Company
, which it did for $8.3 million.
's former Hollinger International newspaper chain. Radler is the daughter of F. David Radler
, a former Hollinger boss; McBride is chief financial officer of Horizon Publications Inc., the company Radler founded after he left Hollinger.
McBride also served as CFO of American Publishing Co., a former Hollinger subsidiary, and was said in an indictment to have aided Black's and the elder Radler's misappropriation of $5.5 million in connection with the sale of some newspaper properties from Hollinger to Horizon.
As of March 2007, the company had not yet announced a local headquarters. Its incorporation papers list a Delaware address.
, part of South Kingstown, Rhode Island
. As Journal Register properties, the weeklies managed to avoid circulation slips as sharp as those that plagued the dailies in the early 2000s, but nevertheless have still cut back on staff members, consolidating positions that were once held by multiple people and forcing new responsibilities onto the employees that remain. In the past 16 months, the weekly chains have lost three full-time photographers, two full-time sportswriters and eight full-time reporters. A Providence Journal report said the group's combined weekly circulation of around 13,000 in 2007 was down from 16,140 in 2001.
Southern Rhode Island Newspapers' offices are at 187 Main Street, Wakefield, Rhode Island 02879.
The Chariho Times :The Chariho Times covers Charlestown
, Hopkinton
and Richmond
, three rural towns in western Washington County that form the Chariho
regional school district (the name comes from the first letters of each town's name). Founded in 1993, the paper circulated an average of 1,328 copies each Thursday in 2006.
The Coventry Courier :The Coventry Courier covers Coventry
and West Greenwich
, the two westernmost towns of Kent County, also covered by the Kent County Daily Times
. It was founded in 1996 and circulated an average of 849 copies each Friday in 2006.
The East Greenwich Pendulum :The East Greenwich Pendulum has covered East Greenwich
in Kent County since 1854. Its Thursday circulation in 2006 averaged 2,040.
The Narragansett Times :With the largest and most frequent circulation of the Wakefield-based papers—5,006 in 2006, delivered twice weekly, on Wednesday and Friday -- The Narragansett Times is the second oldest, having covered Narragansett
and South Kingstown
, in southeastern Washington County, since 1855.
The Standard-Times :The Standard-Times is the only of RISN's newspapers to cover a community off the mainland. In addition to Exeter
and North Kingstown
, it covers Jamestown
in Newport County. Founded in 1888, its Thursday circulation was 3,854 in 2006.
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 in the U.S. state of Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. The company was founded by Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
-based newspaper executives in early 2007 to purchase the Rhode Island holdings of Journal Register Company
Journal Register Company
The Journal Register Company is an American media company, serving an audience of 21 million Americans in 992 communities. The company operates more than 350 multi-platform products in 992 communities. The company is led by CEO John Paton who openly blogs about the changes he is making to transform...
, which it did for $8.3 million.
Officers
The corporation's first two named officers, Melanie Radler (president) and Roland McBride (vice president and treasurer), were both Illinois residents connected with Conrad BlackConrad Black
Conrad Moffat Black, Baron Black of Crossharbour, OC, KCSG, PC is a Canadian-born member of the British House of Lords, and a historian, columnist and publisher, who was for a time the third largest newspaper magnate in the world. Lord Black controlled Hollinger International, Inc...
's former Hollinger International newspaper chain. Radler is the daughter of F. David Radler
David Radler
F. David Radler is a Canadian executive and close associate of Conrad Black for 36 years. Radler was once president of Ravelston Corporation, a privately owned corporation owned by Black and Radler to control their former newspaper empire. Ravelston owned Argus Corporation which in turn...
, a former Hollinger boss; McBride is chief financial officer of Horizon Publications Inc., the company Radler founded after he left Hollinger.
McBride also served as CFO of American Publishing Co., a former Hollinger subsidiary, and was said in an indictment to have aided Black's and the elder Radler's misappropriation of $5.5 million in connection with the sale of some newspaper properties from Hollinger to Horizon.
As of March 2007, the company had not yet announced a local headquarters. Its incorporation papers list a Delaware address.
Dailies
RISN operates three daily newspapers:- The CallThe Call (Woonsocket)The Call is a seven-day daily newspaper based in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, U.S., covering northern Providence County, Rhode Island, and some adjacent towns in Massachusetts....
of Woonsocket, Rhode IslandWoonsocket, Rhode IslandWoonsocket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 41,186 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Woonsocket lies directly south of the Massachusetts border.... - Kent County Daily TimesKent County Daily TimesThe Kent County Daily Times is a six-day evening daily newspaper based in West Warwick, Rhode Island, USA, covering central and western Kent County, Rhode Island...
of West Warwick, Rhode IslandWest Warwick, Rhode IslandWest Warwick is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 29,191 at the 2010 census.West Warwick was incorporated in 1913, making it the youngest town in the state. Prior to 1913, the town, situated on the western bank of the Pawtuxet River, was the population and... - The TimesThe Times (Pawtucket)The Times is a six-day daily newspaper based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA, covering eastern Providence County, Rhode Island, and some adjacent towns in Massachusetts. It is owned by RISN Operations Inc.-History:...
of Pawtucket, Rhode IslandPawtucket, Rhode IslandPawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...
Weeklies
RISN's five weekly newspapers, known collectively as Southern Rhode Island Newspapers, are based in the village of WakefieldWakefield, Rhode Island
Wakefield is a village in the town of South Kingstown, Rhode Island, and the commercial center of the town. Together with the village of Peace Dale, it is treated by the U.S. Census as a component of the census designated place identified as Wakefield-Peacedale, Rhode Island. South Kingston was...
, part of South Kingstown, Rhode Island
South Kingstown, Rhode Island
South Kingstown is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 30,639 at the 2010 census.South Kingstown includes the villages of Kingston, West Kingston, Wakefield, Peace Dale, Snug Harbor, Tuckertown, East Matunuck, Matunuck, Green Hill, and Perryville. Peace...
. As Journal Register properties, the weeklies managed to avoid circulation slips as sharp as those that plagued the dailies in the early 2000s, but nevertheless have still cut back on staff members, consolidating positions that were once held by multiple people and forcing new responsibilities onto the employees that remain. In the past 16 months, the weekly chains have lost three full-time photographers, two full-time sportswriters and eight full-time reporters. A Providence Journal report said the group's combined weekly circulation of around 13,000 in 2007 was down from 16,140 in 2001.
Southern Rhode Island Newspapers' offices are at 187 Main Street, Wakefield, Rhode Island 02879.
The Chariho Times :The Chariho Times covers Charlestown
Charlestown, Rhode Island
Charlestown is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 7,827 at the 2010 census.-History:Charlestown is named after King Charles II, and was incorporated in 1738. The area was formerly part of the town of Westerly...
, Hopkinton
Hopkinton, Rhode Island
Hopkinton is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 8,188 at the 2010 census.The villages of Ashaway and Hope Valley are located in Hopkinton.-Geography:Hopkinton is found at 41.461 N latitude and 71.778 W longitude...
and Richmond
Richmond, Rhode Island
Richmond is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 7,708 at the 2010 census. The villages of Alton, Arcadia, Carolina, Hope Valley, Kenyon, Shannock, Usquepaug, Woodville, and Wyoming are located in Richmond.-History:The town of Richmond was originally part...
, three rural towns in western Washington County that form the Chariho
Chariho, Rhode Island
Chariho is a regional school district located in southern Rhode Island shared by three adjacent towns; Charlestown, Richmond, and Hopkinton. The name Chariho is derived by taking the first syllables from each town name and combining them together....
regional school district (the name comes from the first letters of each town's name). Founded in 1993, the paper circulated an average of 1,328 copies each Thursday in 2006.
The Coventry Courier :The Coventry Courier covers Coventry
Coventry, Rhode Island
Coventry is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 35,014 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of . of it is land and of it is water...
and West Greenwich
West Greenwich, Rhode Island
West Greenwich is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 6,135 at the 2010 census. West Greenwich was named for Greenwich, Kent, England...
, the two westernmost towns of Kent County, also covered by the Kent County Daily Times
Kent County Daily Times
The Kent County Daily Times is a six-day evening daily newspaper based in West Warwick, Rhode Island, USA, covering central and western Kent County, Rhode Island...
. It was founded in 1996 and circulated an average of 849 copies each Friday in 2006.
The East Greenwich Pendulum :The East Greenwich Pendulum has covered East Greenwich
East Greenwich, Rhode Island
East Greenwich is a town in and the county seat of Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 13,146 at the 2010 census. East Greenwich is the wealthiest municipality within the state of Rhode Island....
in Kent County since 1854. Its Thursday circulation in 2006 averaged 2,040.
The Narragansett Times :With the largest and most frequent circulation of the Wakefield-based papers—5,006 in 2006, delivered twice weekly, on Wednesday and Friday -- The Narragansett Times is the second oldest, having covered Narragansett
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Narragansett is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 15,868 at the 2010 census, but there is a greater population in the summer. The nickname for the town is "Gansett". The town of Narragansett occupies a narrow strip of land running along the eastern bank...
and South Kingstown
South Kingstown, Rhode Island
South Kingstown is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 30,639 at the 2010 census.South Kingstown includes the villages of Kingston, West Kingston, Wakefield, Peace Dale, Snug Harbor, Tuckertown, East Matunuck, Matunuck, Green Hill, and Perryville. Peace...
, in southeastern Washington County, since 1855.
The Standard-Times :The Standard-Times is the only of RISN's newspapers to cover a community off the mainland. In addition to Exeter
Exeter, Rhode Island
Exeter is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. Exeter extends east from the Connecticut border to the town of North Kingstown. It is bordered to the north by West Greenwich and East Greenwich, and to the south by Hopkinton, Richmond and South Kingstown. Exeter's postal code...
and North Kingstown
North Kingstown, Rhode Island
North Kingstown is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 26,486 at the 2010 census. The famous American portraitist Gilbert Stuart was born in the village of Saunderstown, located in the southern region of North Kingstown....
, it covers Jamestown
Jamestown, Rhode Island
Jamestown is a town located in Newport County, Rhode Island, in the United States. The population was 5,405 at the 2010 census. Jamestown is situated almost entirely on Conanicut Island, the second largest island in Narragansett Bay.-History:...
in Newport County. Founded in 1888, its Thursday circulation was 3,854 in 2006.