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==A newspaper "war"==​

==A newspaper "war"==​

In 1974, Hussman left Hot Springs for Little Rock when WEHCO purchased ''The Arkansas Democrat,'' the afternoon daily in the state capital. Hussman implemented a strategy of reducing operating costs and expanding subscriptions within the metropolitan area. Nevertheless, the advertising and circulation trends continued to be unfavorable. In 1977, Hussman sought a joint operating agreement with the rival morning newspaper, ''The Arkansas Gazette.'' However, ''The Gazette'' publisher Hugh Patterson rejected the overtures and spurred a competitive 13-year newspaper "war" between ''The Democrat'' and ''The Gazette''.​

In 1974, Hussman left Hot Springs for Little Rock when WEHCO purchased ''The Arkansas Democrat,'' the afternoon daily in the state capital. Hussman implemented a strategy of reducing operating costs and expanding subscriptions within the metropolitan area. Nevertheless, the advertising and circulation trends continued to be unfavorable. In 1977, Hussman sought a joint operating agreement with the rival morning newspaper, ''The Arkansas Gazette.'' However, ''The Gazette'' publisher Hugh Patterson rejected the overtures and spurred a competitive 13-year newspaper "war" between ''The Democrat'' and ''The Gazette.''

 

In late 1978, Hussman offered free classified want ads—a move which tripled the size of the ''Democrat'''s classified section and made it the only Arkansas newspaper to publish more than one million classified advertisements in a single year. Hussman hired reporters, editors,  and [[photographer]]s to enhance local news coverage and named former [[Associated Press]] bureau chief John Robert Starr as managing editor. In 1979, ''The Democrat'' switched to morning publication, a trend already underway in the industry to compete with ''The Gazette.''​

In late 1978, Hussman offered free classified want ads—a move which tripled the size of the ''Democrat'''s classified section and made it the only Arkansas newspaper to publish more than one million classified advertisements in a single year. Hussman hired reporters, editors,  and [[photographer]]s to enhance local news coverage and named former [[Associated Press]] bureau chief John Robert Starr as managing editor. In 1979, ''The Democrat'' switched to morning publication, a trend already underway in the industry to compete with ''The Gazette.''​

 

Readership increased dramatically. Newspaper circulation totals showed that in 1980, ''The Democrat'' was the fastest growing newspaper in the [[United States]].

Readership increased dramatically. Newspaper circulation totals showed that in 1980, ''The Democrat'' was the fastest growing newspaper in the [[United States]].

Innovations continued, including the use of color with offset lithography printing presses. ''The Democrat'''s revenues increased from $6.7 million in 1979 to $18.4 million in 1984. ''The Democrat'' increased its daily circulation from 53,671 to 76,119. Its Sunday circulation leaped from 98,237 to 140,642 over the same period. Distraught ''The Gazette'' management filed a federal antitrust suit which accused Hussman of trying to put ''The Gazette'' out of business.  On March 26, 1986, a federal jury exonerated Hussman in a verdict rendered in the Little Rock courtroom of U.S. District Judge William R. Overton.​

Innovations continued, including the use of color with offset lithography printing presses. ''The Democrat'''s revenues increased from $6.7 million in 1979 to $18.4 million in 1984. ''The Democrat'' increased its daily circulation from 53,671 to 76,119. Its Sunday circulation leaped from 98,237 to 140,642 over the same period. Distraught ''The Gazette'' management filed a federal antitrust suit which accused Hussman of trying to put ''The Gazette'' out of business.  On March 26, 1986, a federal jury exonerated Hussman in a verdict rendered in the Little Rock courtroom of U.S. District Judge William R. Overton.​

 

On December 1, 1986, the [[Virginia]]-based Gannett Corporation, the nation's largest newspaper chain, purchased ''The Gazette'' from the Heiskell-Patterson family. Within five years ''The Democrat'' closed the circulation gap. ''The Gazette'' circulation was still substantially larger than that of ''The Democrat'' in 1986, but within five years, ''The Democrat'' virtually tied ''The Gazette'' in daily circulation: 133,753 to 134,027 for ''The Gazette''. On Sundays, ''The Democrat'' actually led ''The Gazette'', 241,361 to 225,326.

On December 1, 1986, the [[Virginia]]-based Gannett Corporation, the nation's largest newspaper chain, purchased ''The Gazette'' from the Heiskell-Patterson family. Within five years ''The Democrat'' closed the circulation gap. ''The Gazette'' circulation was still substantially larger than that of ''The Democrat'' in 1986, but within five years, ''The Democrat'' virtually tied ''The Gazette'' in daily circulation: 133,753 to 134,027 for ''The Gazette''. On Sundays, ''The Democrat'' actually led ''The Gazette'', 241,361 to 225,326.

 

Meanwhile, Gannett suffered increasing financial losses and published the final ''Gazette'' on October 18, 1991, just days after then [[Governor]] [[Bill Clinton]] announced his candidacy for the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] presidential nomination. Later that day WEHCO purchased all assets of ''The Gazette,'' including its subscription list. The new publication was called the ''Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.'' Hussman said that his company had "survived the greatest competitive onslaught in the newspaper business."

Meanwhile, Gannett suffered increasing financial losses and published the final ''Gazette'' on October 18, 1991, just days after then [[Governor]] [[Bill Clinton]] announced his candidacy for the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] presidential nomination. Later that day WEHCO purchased all assets of ''The Gazette,'' including its subscription list. The new publication was called the ''Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.'' Hussman said that his company had "survived the greatest competitive onslaught in the newspaper business."

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In 1999, WEHCO purchased ''The Chattanooga Times'' and''The Chattanooga Free Press]'' in [[Tennessee]] and combined the rival newspapers into ''The Chattanooga Times Free Press.''​

In 1999, WEHCO purchased ''The Chattanooga Times'' and''The Chattanooga Free Press'' in [[Tennessee]] and combined the rival newspapers into ''The Chattanooga Times Free Press.''​

==Newspaper philosophy==​

==Newspaper philosophy==​

A newspaper has a number of constituencies. Among those are readers, advertisers, employees, creditors, and stockholders. If a newspaper and its publisher always keep those constituencies in that order: readers first, advertisers second, employees third, creditors fourth, and shareholders last, then the newspaper will do well journalistically and financially, and the interests of all constituencies will be well served."</blockquote>​

A newspaper has a number of constituencies. Among those are readers, advertisers, employees, creditors, and stockholders. If a newspaper and its publisher always keep those constituencies in that order: readers first, advertisers second, employees third, creditors fourth, and shareholders last, then the newspaper will do well journalistically and financially, and the interests of all constituencies will be well served."</blockquote>​

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For years ''The Democrat'' was considered the [[conservative]] newspaper in Little Rock, compared to the [[liberal]] ''Gazette''. In the merger, the conservative viewpoint at first seemed to emerge triumphant in the combined ''Democrat-Gazette.''​

For years ''The Democrat'' was considered the [[conservative]] newspaper in Little Rock in contrast to the [[liberal]] ''Gazette''. In the merger, the conservative viewpoint at first seemed to emerge triumphant in the combined ''Democrat-Gazette.''​

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Hussman is a former chairman of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association. He was instrumental in funding the "Traveling Campus" program, which educated some seven thousand persons during 2002. Through his efforts, more than $4 million was pledged to the SNPA Foundation in 2002.  He was the first recipient of the [[Frank W. Mayborn]] award, given in honor of the late publisher of ''The Temple Daily Telegram'' in  [[Temple, Texas|Temple]], Texas.

Hussman is a former chairman of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association. He was instrumental in funding the "Traveling Campus" program, which educated some seven thousand persons during 2002. Through his efforts, more than $4 million was pledged to the SNPA Foundation in 2002.  He was the first recipient of the [[Frank W. Mayborn]] award, given in honor of the late publisher of ''The Temple Daily Telegram'' in  [[Temple, Texas|Temple]], Texas.