The Free Press found itself trailing in a three-newspaper war - but making money, riding the crest of Detroit's prosperity. William Randolph Hearst bought the Detroit Times in 1921 and injected it with a new vitality, pushing his brand of coverage for the common man - especially crime and scandal. In 1922, Stair sold the Journal, with 120,000 readers, also to the News. The Detroit News, born as the Evening News on the rival Quinby's presses, bought the 44,000-circulation Detroit Tribune in 1919. By 1917, Stair had controlling interest in the Free Press, where fortunes were booming along with those of the city.Īs Detroit heated up with the auto industry, the newspaper war did, too. In 1913, it moved into larger, more modern facilities at 131 W. The owner of the afternoon Detroit Journal, Stair was persuaded in 1906 to join investors as a part owner of the 40,000-circulation Free Press. He said theaters were becoming a bit too salacious for his tastes, and settled in with newspapers. He bought and sold a handful of newspapers, owned a 158-theater entertainment empire and gave several stars their big breaks. In some ways, his portfolio previewed the multi-media companies of today. Stair had a long newspaper history, but was also a man of finance. Stair, the Free Press grew to maturity and found the financial security that had eluded Quinby. Esterling at a 1935 ceremony recognizing longtime newspapermen. Stair, right, works an Acorn press with Charles J.
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