Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is a daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts, and is the oldest and largest daily newspaper in the city. Founded in 1872, the Globe has a storied history of journalistic excellence and has been a significant player in both local and national news.
History
The Boston Globe was founded on March 4, 1872, by a group of Boston businessmen led by Eben Jordan, co-founder of the Jordan Marsh department store. Initially struggling to find a readership in a city already served by ten newspapers, the Globe began to grow under the leadership of Charles H. Taylor, who was hired as a temporary business manager in 1873. Taylor's innovative strategies, including the introduction of an afternoon edition called the Evening Globe in 1887, helped the paper reach a circulation of 100,000 by 1886.
In 1958, the Globe moved from its original location on Washington Street's "Newspaper Row" to a new plant on Morrissey Boulevard in the Dorchester neighborhood. The paper remained a private company until 1973, when it went public under the name Affiliated Publications. In 1993, the Globe was sold to The New York Times Company for $1.1 billion, one of the most expensive print purchases in U.S. history. In 2013, it was purchased by John W. Henry, owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C., for $70 million.
Notable Achievements
The Boston Globe has been recognized for its investigative journalism and has won numerous Pulitzer Prizes. The paper won its first Pulitzer in 1966 for an investigation into the professional qualifications of Judge Francis X. Morrissey, a Kennedy family friend and nominee for a federal judiciary appointment. The Globe's Spotlight Team, an investigative journalism unit, won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2003 for its coverage of the Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal. This investigation was later dramatized in the 2015 film "Spotlight," which won two Academy Awards.
Editorial Stance and Influence
Historically, the Boston Globe has maintained a generally liberal editorial stance. Under the leadership of legendary editor Tom Winship from 1965 to 1984, the paper developed a reputation for bold liberalism. Winship's tenure saw the Globe win a dozen Pulitzer Prizes and transform from a mediocre local paper into a regional paper of national distinction. The Globe was also the first major U.S. newspaper to come out against the Vietnam War in 1967.
Digital Transition
In recent years, the Boston Globe has successfully transitioned to digital media. As of 2022, the Globe boasts over 245,000 digital-only subscriptions. The paper has also moved its headquarters back to downtown Boston, closer to its roots at the old Newspaper Row, and opened a new production center in Taunton, Massachusetts, with state-of-the-art printing facilities.
Notable Articles and Coverage
The Boston Globe has covered numerous significant events and stories over its long history. Some of its most notable articles include:
- The publication of the Pentagon Papers in 1971, which exposed the U.S. government's secret history of the Vietnam War.
- Coverage of the Boston school busing crisis in the 1970s, for which the Globe won a Pulitzer Prize in 1975.
- Investigative reporting on widespread corruption in Somerville, Massachusetts, which earned the Globe a Pulitzer Prize in 1972.