Kalamazoo Gazette

History

Originally founded in 1833 by John D. Defrees as the Michigan Statesman and St. Joseph Chronicle, the paper's name was shortened to the Michigan Statesman after it was purchased by Henry Gilbert. The paper became the Kalamazoo Gazette in 1837.

In April 2010, the Gazette announced it would pay $1,525,000 to the City of Kalamazoo to avoid lawsuits seeking $4 million in previously awarded tax breaks related to the 2002 expansion of their downtown Kalamazoo printing facility. The 2002 expansion cost the Gazette $33 million, including $20 million in new equipment. The breaks were awarded on the condition that the Gazette maintain 175 jobs related to the expansion until 2014.

On November 2, 2011, the Gazettes owners announced that the newspaper would limit home delivery to Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays beginning February 2, 2012 as it made the transition to a digital-first news organization as part of the newly created MLive Media Group. In November, the Gazette also confirmed 77 employees were issued layoff notices related to the reorganization while an unspecified number of employees were hired back by MLive.

On February 2, 2012, the Gazette moved into its new hub at 306 S. Kalamazoo Mall. The hub is an open-office environment and is also designed to accommodate community events. Printing facilities for the Gazette were moved from Kalamazoo to MLive Media Group's printing facility in Walker, Michigan in 2012 and are shared with The Grand Rapids Press and Muskegon Chronicle.

Publishers and editors, 1833-2011

In the early days of the paper, the publisher (owner) and editor were generally the same person. In the 1900s, those roles were commonly separate. A list of people who ran the paper from 1833 to 2011 flows (with year they began): ;Editor and publisher :1833 John D. Defrees (in White Pigeon) :1834 Henry Gilbert :1839 E. D. Burr :1841 Henry Gilbert :1846 Volney Hascall :1862 Joseph W. Mansur :1865-1869 Several ownership configurations, involving William Shakespeare, B.S. Gleason, Joseph Lomax, and Elijah J. Clark :1870 Andrew J. Shakespeare :1897 Edgar Bartlett :1898 T. B. Shoaff :1900 Frank Ford Rowe

Awards

In 2009, the Gazette was named "Newspaper of the Year" by the Michigan Press Association. The Michigan Press Association also named the Gazette Newspaper of the Year in its circulation category on October 6, 2013.

In the MPA's annual Better Newspaper Contest for 2013, the Gazette won 23 awards, including first place in all four photo categories (three won by Mark Bugnaski, the fourth by intern Matt Gade), as well as first place for general excellence, editorial writing, local columnist (Julie Mack), feature story (Yvonne Zipp) and sports columnist (David Drew).

References

References

1. (2022-02-01). "2022-2023 Michigan Press Association Member Directory".
2. (February 2, 2012). "Take a look at the Kalamazoo Gazette's new home (with video, photo gallery)".
3. (October 4, 2012). "Kalamazoo County prosecutor candidates tout plans, highlight differences during MLive debate (with photo gallery)".
4. Adapted from the [https://www.kpl.gov/local-history/kalamazoo-history/business/kalamazoo-gazette/ Kalamazoo Public Library page on the paper's history]
5. Samuel W. Durant, ''History of Kalamazoo County, Michigan: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers'', Unigraphic, 1880. [https://books.google.com/books?id=YWlFAQAAMAAJ&dq=Kalamazoo+Gazette+Lomax+Shakespeare&pg=PA264 Page 264]
6. ''Kalamazoo County Directory: With a History of the County from Its Earliest Settlement'', J.M. Thomas, 1869, [https://archive.org/details/bad0949.0001.001.umich.edu/page/265 Page 265].
7. (October 4, 2009). "Gazette news staff earns top award from Michigan Press Association".
8. (October 6, 2013). "Kalamazoo Gazette named 2013 Newspaper of the Year; wins 23 awards in Michigan Press Association contest".