Morning Sentinel

History

Founded in 1904 by officials of the Waterville Democratic Party—Waterville mayor Cyrus Davis; future U.S. Senator Charles Fletcher Johnson; and future mayor L. Eugene Thayer, leavened by newspaper veteran Thomas F. Murphy—the Waterville Morning Sentinel, within a year, grew from a three-desk operation to requiring its own building, on Silver Street.

In 1911, a financially ailing Davis sold the paper to bond holders; ten years later, it was bought by Guy Gannett, who was in the process of building a newspaper, radio and television empire in Maine. His holdings included the Portland Press Herald and, after 1929, the Sentinel's in-county competitor, the Kennebec Journal.

Gannett's ownership also saw the paper become less politically biased. Gannett and his heirs—no relation to the Virginia-based chain called Gannett Company—held the three Maine dailies until 1998, when they sold them to The Seattle Times Company, which rechristened the chain "Blethen Maine Newspapers".

Frank Blethen, a descendant of Seattle Times founder Albert Blethen, a Maine native, later called the purchase "the largest and riskiest investment in our history" but a necessary move to keep the newspapers from becoming part of a corporate chain.

It was sold in 2009 to MaineToday Media. In December, the newspaper was criticized for firing one of its journalists who had made negative remarks about the gay-rights group Human Rights Campaign.

Starting in April 2025, the paper will be printed five days a week instead of six and will be delivered by mail via U.S. Postal Service instead of newspaper carriers.

References

References

1. "Sale of Maine newspapers to national nonprofit is finalized". Press Herald.
2. [http://www.centralmaine.com/about.shtml CentralMaine.com: About] {{webarchive. link. (2007-06-29 , accessed May 27, 2007.)
3. Christie, John. [http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/view/columns/3021202.shtml "In the Newspaper Business, Who Owns the Place Makes All the Difference in the World"] {{webarchive. link. (2008-10-15 . ''Kennebec Journal'' (Augusta, Maine). August 13, 2006.)
4. (June 15, 2009). "MaineToday Media Acquires Maine Newspapers, Online Information Portal and Related Real Estate Assets". Business Wire.
5. [https://www.foxnews.com/story/reporter-fired-for-anti-gay-marriage-e-mail-claims-wrongful-termination Reporter, Fired for Anti-Gay Marriage E-Mail, Claims Wrongful Termination]
6. link. (2010-02-07)
7. [http://rawstory.com/2009/12/maine-reporter-fired-calling-gay-rights-campaign-hateful-job/ Reporter fired for gay marriage taunt blames 'anti-Christian bias']
8. Russell, Eric. (2025-03-04). "Maine Trust for Local News will reduce some print editions, lay off workers".