Jump to content

Dave Danforth (publisher)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dave Danforth is an American publisher and newspaper owner. In the United States, he pioneered micro-daily newspapers beginning in the late 1970s, including Colorado's Aspen Daily News.[1]

Career

[edit]

In 1978, Danforth, a Yale University dropout who later returned to graduate from the Ivy League school,[2] then working as a stringer for The Denver Post and for some national publications, began printing up a one-sheet "missive" and distributing 2,000 copies around Aspen. "It was typewritten, both sides, with a little band of ads one inch high, a free handout," former Aspen journalist Andy Stone recalls. "He had a taste and a flair for sensational journalism."[1]

The Aspen Daily News, which soon converted to a tabloid format on traditional newsprint, has had a competition over decades with The Aspen Times, founded as a daily in 1881 before converting to a weekly in the 1920s. In the face of The News' incursion, The Times introduced a daily edition beginning in 1988;[1] as of 2016, The Times continues to publish daily.[3] Danforth sold the Daily News in 2017.[4]

In 1989, Danforth, together with partners Mark Guerringue and Adam Hirshan, co-founded the free New Hampshire daily The Conway Daily Sun.[citation needed] The newspaper dropped its Monday edition in 2009 but continues to publish Tuesdays through Saturdays.

In 1995, Danforth, together with partners James Pavelich and Dave Price (publisher), co-founded the free The Daily News (Palo Alto).[5] A year later, Pavelich and Price voted to remove Danforth from the newspaper's management.[6] Danforth unsuccessfully sued his partners, citing financial mismanagement, and the newspaper itself was sold in 2005 to Knight Ridder, which itself was later sold.[7] Pavelich and Price ultimately returned to Palo Alto to compete, as Palo Alto Daily Post, against their former newspaper.[8]

In 1999, Danforth co-founded California's Berkeley Daily Planet, which discontinued publication in 2010.[9]

In 2001, Danforth, together with Carolyn Sackariason and Ross Furukawa, co-founded California's Santa Monica Daily Press, which continues to publish as of 2016. Furukawa remains as president.[10]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "American Journalism Review". ajrarchive.org. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
  2. ^ "Channel 82 co-owner to meld minds with Aspen Daily News | AspenTimes.com". The Aspen Times. Archived from the original on 2016-08-20. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
  3. ^ "AboutUs Aspen Colorado | AspenTimes.com". The Aspen Times. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
  4. ^ "Quarterly Updates - 3rd Quarter 2017". Dirks, Van Essen & Murray. 2017-09-30. Archived from the original on 2017-10-29. Retrieved 2017-10-28.
  5. ^ "A falling out at the Palo Alto Daily News". www.paloaltoonline.com. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
  6. ^ "Daily News prevails in lawsuit (March 21, 2001)". www.paloaltoonline.com. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
  7. ^ "Knight Ridder buys papers with local ties | AspenTimes.com". The Aspen Times. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
  8. ^ "The Daily Post". www.padailypost.com. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
  9. ^ "Amid Myriad Woes, 'Berkeley Daily Planet' Folding as Print Publication – Editor & Publisher". www.editorandpublisher.com. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
  10. ^ "About Us". Santa Monica Daily Press. 2012-07-10. Retrieved 2016-07-02.