People and Papers
McClatchy buys Knight Ridder
The McClatchy Co. is making its biggest bet yet on the future of
the newspaper industry by agreeing to pay $4.4 billion in cash and
stock to acquire Knight Ridder Inc., a major newspaper publisher
more than twice its size.
Gary Pruitt, McClatchy's chief executive, said the addition of
the Miami Herald, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and 18 other papers in
fast-growing cities is less risky than it seems. All are dominant
in their markets and ripe for rapid expansions of their Internet
and direct-mail businesses, without requiring deep cuts in budgets,
he said.
But Pruitt is also counting on paying down acquisition debt quickly
by selling the Philadelphia Inquirer, the San Jose Mercury-News,
Akron Beacon Journal and nine other Knight Ridder newspapers. Those
properties don't meet Sacramento-based McClatchy's growth-market
criteria or in the case of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, compete directly
with McClatchy's Star Tribune in neighboring Minneapolis.
The takeover would be the second largest in U.S. newspaper history,
topped only by the Tribune Co's $6.5 billion acquisition in 2000
of Times Mirror Co. After the divestitures, McClatchy's 32 newspapers
would be second nationwide in circulation behind Gannett Co., Inc.,
the publisher of USA Today and The Arizona Republic, and rank fourth
in revenue behind Gannett, Tribune and the New York Times Co.
The News-Enterprise to award scholarships
The News-Enterprise will award six $2,000 scholarships to the class
of 2006. One $2,000 scholarship will go to a graduating senior from
each of the following schools: North Hardin High School, John Hardin
High School, Central Hardin High School, Fort Knox High School and
Elizabethtown High School. Each entry will be judged based on the
student’s financial need, grade-point average and a submitted essay.
The sixth scholarship The News-Enterprise will award is the Floe
Bowles Journalism Scholarship. This $2,000 award will be given to
one senior from any of the high schools in Hardin County or Fort
Knox pursuing a degree in journalism. The judging criteria of this
scholarship included a submitted essay, a students grade-point average
and financial need.
Cannon joins staff of Herald Ledger
 The Herald Ledger recently announced that Claire Cannon has joined
its staff as office manager. According to a statement from the paper,
Cannon brings a wealth of business management and operational skills
to The Herald Ledger team, along with 17 years office management
experience and a degree in public administration.
Cannon resides in Eddyville with her husband Jay and their children,
Aaron White, Aaron Cannon, Jake Cannon and Cole Cannon.
Photographer named to regional Hall of Fame
Former Ledger Independent chief photographer Bob Warner was inducted
posthumously as a contributor into the Tenth Region Hall of Fame.
Warner, who died in February, 2005 from complications suffered
in a automobile accident in August 2004, was an award-winning photographer
for 15 years while at The Ledger Independent.
During his career, Warner snapped a multitude of sports photographs
and many were featured on the Associated Press wire. He photographed
many special regional and state tournament games and spent numerous
hours perfecting his craft.
Warners’ widow, Julia, accepted the award on behalf of the photographer
and spoke of his legacy.
“Bobby had a knack of capturing the spirit of Tenth Region basketball, “ current
Ledger Independent photographer Terry Prather said. “He was a great
sports photographer and if there was an important game anywhere in
the region, you would see Bobby there shooting it. “
Emily Burton joins staff of The Messenger
 Emily Burton has joined The Messenger in Madisonville as a staff
writer.
Burton will cover police, courts, Webster County and the city of
Providence.
Burton is a native of Troy, Ohio, a town just north of Dayton.
After high-school graduation, she attended the University of Kentucky.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from UK and started
an internship at The Advocate- Messenger in Danville.
Within three months, her internship turned into a full-time job
covering Lincoln County.
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