Staten Island Register
Encyclopedia
The Staten Island Register was a weekly newspaper serving the borough of Staten Island
in New York City as an independent alternative to other news sources, including the Staten Island Advance
. It began publication in 1966 under the ownership of the Sclafani family. Joseph was the Owner. The Staten Island register was sold in August 2002 to Elauwit, LLC, a company formed by Daniel McDonough of New Jersey, was sold by McDonough to an investor in 2004, and ceased publication in December 2005.
Started as a "shopper" (merely a vehicle for advertising with little or no editorial content) under the name "Cash Register," by the early 1970s it had grown into a small but important voice for Staten Islanders. The daily Staten Island Advance, one of the original papers in the Newhouse
chain, had achieved near-saturation circulation and was perceived by many as being enmeshed with political incumbents, real estate developers and other entrenched interests. The Register offered a weekly "outsider's" take on important community news: politics, government, the environment, etc.
A string of tough editors, which included Fred Armentraut, Richard Regis, Jim Callaghan, William C. Franz, Joan Gerstel and Barbara Naness, emphasized four themes in the paper: investigative journalism, comprehensive coverage (Register articles on any particular issue often ran as series), background and analysis, and political independence. A premium was put on good explanatory pieces, and these editors made it a point of pride to avoid "dumbing down" stories. The paper also featured provocative editorials, which made it a bracing antidote to The Advance's more sedate style.
As part of its commitment to what might be called aggressive political independence, the paper almost always carried at least one, and often three or four local, exclusive political columnists, but never endorsed a candidate in its editorials. Yet, the paper was always the subject of controversy.
Register stories tended to fall into four categories: neighborhood issues that were either ignored or under-reported by other sources; environmental issues (Staten Island is an island, and the least developed of New York City's boroughs, so both marine and land use environmental issues abounded); governmental issues (since Staten Island is part of New York City and a player in New York State politics, the paper made an effort to thoroughly cover the politics of city and state government, as well as internal party politics in the borough); and "other" (which included everything from one of the very first investigative series on the Willowbrook State School
, to an early story on "Joker Poker" video gambling, to an exposé of labor issues on the local commuter railroad, to ongoing and extensive coverage of veterans' issues).
In addition to "hard news," the paper was also well known for its extensive and in-depth articles on local history. A series on the history and operations of the New York City Fire Department in the 1980s, for instance, was packaged by the Fire Department's own press office into a sort of handbook for covering the Fire service, and long series on Staten Island's role in the Civil War and in the American Revolution won praise from local historians. Few months went by without some major historical piece in the paper during the 1980s and 1990s.
In February 2004, Elauwit sold the Register to Staten Island Media Group, LLC, run by Daniel Duman's York Street Partners. Duman shut down the newspaper in late December 2005.
At least partial collections of the paper are available in the New York Public Library
's main branch and the New York State Library
in Albany.
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
in New York City as an independent alternative to other news sources, including the Staten Island Advance
Staten Island Advance
The Staten Island Advance is a daily newspaper published in the borough of Staten Island in New York City. The only daily newspaper published in the borough, and the only borough to have its own major daily paper, it covers news of local and community interest, including borough politics. As of...
. It began publication in 1966 under the ownership of the Sclafani family. Joseph was the Owner. The Staten Island register was sold in August 2002 to Elauwit, LLC, a company formed by Daniel McDonough of New Jersey, was sold by McDonough to an investor in 2004, and ceased publication in December 2005.
Started as a "shopper" (merely a vehicle for advertising with little or no editorial content) under the name "Cash Register," by the early 1970s it had grown into a small but important voice for Staten Islanders. The daily Staten Island Advance, one of the original papers in the Newhouse
Newhouse
-Places:* New House, County Durham* Newhouse, North Lanarkshire* Newhouse, Edinburgh * Newhouse, Utah, a ghost town-People:* Donald Newhouse , publisher* Flower A...
chain, had achieved near-saturation circulation and was perceived by many as being enmeshed with political incumbents, real estate developers and other entrenched interests. The Register offered a weekly "outsider's" take on important community news: politics, government, the environment, etc.
A string of tough editors, which included Fred Armentraut, Richard Regis, Jim Callaghan, William C. Franz, Joan Gerstel and Barbara Naness, emphasized four themes in the paper: investigative journalism, comprehensive coverage (Register articles on any particular issue often ran as series), background and analysis, and political independence. A premium was put on good explanatory pieces, and these editors made it a point of pride to avoid "dumbing down" stories. The paper also featured provocative editorials, which made it a bracing antidote to The Advance's more sedate style.
As part of its commitment to what might be called aggressive political independence, the paper almost always carried at least one, and often three or four local, exclusive political columnists, but never endorsed a candidate in its editorials. Yet, the paper was always the subject of controversy.
Register stories tended to fall into four categories: neighborhood issues that were either ignored or under-reported by other sources; environmental issues (Staten Island is an island, and the least developed of New York City's boroughs, so both marine and land use environmental issues abounded); governmental issues (since Staten Island is part of New York City and a player in New York State politics, the paper made an effort to thoroughly cover the politics of city and state government, as well as internal party politics in the borough); and "other" (which included everything from one of the very first investigative series on the Willowbrook State School
Willowbrook State School
Willowbrook State School was a state-supported institution for children with intellectual disabilities located in the Willowbrook neighborhood of Staten Island in New York City from the 1930s until 1987....
, to an early story on "Joker Poker" video gambling, to an exposé of labor issues on the local commuter railroad, to ongoing and extensive coverage of veterans' issues).
In addition to "hard news," the paper was also well known for its extensive and in-depth articles on local history. A series on the history and operations of the New York City Fire Department in the 1980s, for instance, was packaged by the Fire Department's own press office into a sort of handbook for covering the Fire service, and long series on Staten Island's role in the Civil War and in the American Revolution won praise from local historians. Few months went by without some major historical piece in the paper during the 1980s and 1990s.
In February 2004, Elauwit sold the Register to Staten Island Media Group, LLC, run by Daniel Duman's York Street Partners. Duman shut down the newspaper in late December 2005.
At least partial collections of the paper are available in the New York Public Library
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is the largest public library in North America and is one of the United States' most significant research libraries...
's main branch and the New York State Library
New York State Library
The New York State Library is part of the New York State Education Department. The Library and its sister institutions, the New York State Museum and New York State Archives, are housed in the Cultural Education Center...
in Albany.