[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 5, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E314]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PENSACOLA NEWS JOURNAL

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                            HON. JEFF MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 5, 2014

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 125th 
anniversary of the Pensacola News Journal. During its incredible 125 
year history, the News Journal has been an invaluable resource for the 
people of Pensacola and Northwest Florida, and we are proud to have 
such a first-class newspaper in our community.
  In 1889, two local newspapermen, John O'Connor and John C. Witt, 
gathered support from the local business community to start a daily 
morning paper. The paper, originally known as the Daily News, was first 
published on March 5, 1889, with a staff of ten people working to write 
and produce the paper in downtown Pensacola. The newly created paper 
quickly began to flourish and within a decade had a daily circulation 
of more than 1,500. Thanks to the success of the Daily News, a rival 
paper, the Pensacola Journal was started by M. Loftin in March 1897. 
The following year, the Pensacola Journal became a daily and began 
directly competing with the Daily News through publication of a highly 
regarded afternoon daily.
  For more than two decades, these two competing papers fought to 
expand their reach in the growing Pensacola community. While this 
fierce competition raised the quality of both papers, it also required 
constant innovation and expansion, leaving them both in precarious 
financial shape. In 1922, John H. Perry, a Kentucky native, arrived in 
Pensacola and decided to purchase the Pensacola Journal. Two years 
later, he purchased the Daily News and merged the two publications to 
under the News-Journal Company umbrella.
  With the reporting resources of both papers now working together and 
the business acumen of the News-Journal Company leadership, the two 
papers began an era of unbridled growth and expansion. The News-Journal 
Company moved to a new larger location in downtown Pensacola; however, 
because of the meteoric growth of the papers, they quickly outgrew this 
location and began plans for further development. In order to meet the 
needs of this growing company, the News-Journal Company funded the 
creation of an entirely new street in downtown Pensacola, which was 
given to the City of Pensacola at no cost to the taxpayer.
  With the space available in its new location, the News-Journal 
Company constructed one of the most modern and advanced newspaper 
structures in the Southeast. The company's meteoric growth continued 
throughout the 1950s when it added a new pressroom and brand new state-
of-the-art three-unit Goss Headliner Press. By the end of the decade, 
the paper required even more room to operate its growing enterprise, 
and by 1960 the News-Journal company headquarters had more than doubled 
in space and added two additional press units.
  Thanks to the two papers' well-earned reputation for quality 
journalism, the first-rate publication infrastructure, and robust 
circulations, the News-Journal Company was acquired by the Nation's 
largest newspaper publisher, Gannett Company, Inc., in 1969 for $15.5 
million. Six years after the purchase, the News-Journal building 
underwent another renovation, highlighted by the construction of a new 
plant that was on the cutting edge of newspaper technology.
  After operating under the same roof for more than six decades, the 
Pensacola Daily News and the Pensacola Journal were combined in 1985, 
to create one morning newspaper called the News Journal. The News 
Journal carried on the proud traditions of both long-time Pensacola 
institutions and continued its commitment to meeting the needs of the 
expanding Northwest Florida community. A new Goss Headliner offset 
press was installed to enhance the quality of their printing operation, 
and the paper won several national newspaper awards for investigative 
reporting and environmental coverage.
  In 2004, the News Journal expanded into the digital age during 
coverage of the devastating Hurricane Ivan. Despite the catastrophic 
impact of the storm, which caused nearly $20 billion in economic 
damages, the News Journal was able to use its generator and one working 
phone line to transmit photographs and news coverage of the storm to a 
sister paper to post on the News Journal's website. During this 
difficult time, the News Journal relayed stories to millions across the 
world, aid their outstanding coverage earned the newspaper a Pulitzer 
Prize finalist nomination, the second in the paper's history.
  Pensacola's proud newspaper tradition continues today as the 
Pensacola News Journal celebrates its 125th anniversary. The News 
Journal continues to provide excellent coverage to more than 31,000 
daily and 47,000 Sunday subscribers. In addition, the paper's website, 
pnj.com, provides constant news to more than 500,000 visitors, logging 
more than 4.3 million page views per month. The News Journal's 
tradition of evolving to meet the needs of the community will continue 
this summer when the company moves into a new digital facility that 
will help the paper continue to provide the quality reporting that 
local residents have grown to trust.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am privileged 
to recognize the 125th anniversary of the Pensacola News Journal. 
Freedom of the Press, as guaranteed by the First Amendment, is one of 
the cornerstones of our Nation's democracy, and it has helped pave the 
way for American success and innovation. The Pensacola News Journal is 
a shining example of the kind of world-class newspaper envisioned by 
our Founding Fathers. They have enriched Northwest Florida for 125 
years, and my wife Vicki and I send our congratulations to all the 
staff of the News Journal, both current and former, and wish them 
continued success in the future.

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