The San Antonio Express-News has a rich history dating back to its founding in 1865. Launched as a weekly newspaper with a subscription price of $6 per year, the publication shifted to a daily format just a year later, with a higher price tag of $16 per year. The initial publishers, August Siemering and H. Pollmar, quickly established the Express as a respected source of news and information within the community.
Siemering eventually gained sole control of the paper in 1868, steering it through its early political affiliations and cementing its reputation for community engagement. The Express battled the earlier San Antonio Herald, which folded in 1879, before reorganizing in 1881. In 1875, the paper was sold to the Express Printing Co., with E.A. Siceluff and Frank Grice becoming equal partners by 1886, solidifying the Express’s position as San Antonio’s premier daily newspaper.
Technological Advancements and Expansion
By the 1890s, the San Antonio Express had undergone a series of technological advancements that altered its operations. In 1892, the paper installed six Merganthaler Linotype machines, boasting of “one of the finest” newspaper plants at the time. This investment in state-of-the-art technology improved the paper’s operational efficiency, allowing it to produce more copies than ever before.
The Express further expanded its reach in 1895 when it moved into a new building with a basement and three stories built on a frame of concrete and steel, along with a new 20-page Goss press. This enabled the paper to increase its production capacity and meet the growing demand for its content.
To offset the costs of this circulation expansion, the Express launched a special train service in 1896 to carry newspapers to a dozen or more cities, reaching locations 24 hours earlier than previously. The addition of a passenger car to the train service and the sale of tickets served as a cost-saving measure, helping to sustain the paper’s growth.
Ownership and Management Transitions
Throughout its long history, the San Antonio Express-News has frequently undergone ownership and management shifts. In 1960-1962, the Harte-Hanks Communications newspaper group purchased the paper. Then, in 1973, Rupert Murdoch combined the Express-News with the San Antonio News, forming the current publication. The Hearst Corporation later acquired the Express-News in 1992, announcing the closure of the San Antonio Light.
Over the years, the Express-News has been led by a variety of editors and publishers, including early figures like William E. Jones, W.B. Moore, and C.C. Gillespie. In 1993, the paper was published by W. Lawrence Walker, Jr. and edited by Jim Moss. The cooperation between the Express and the News increased in the 1950s, leading to merged staffs and greater cohesion between the two publications.
Editorial and Content Developments
As the paper’s ownership and leadership evolved over the decades, the San Antonio Express-News steadily expanded its editorial and content proposals to better serve its growing readership. The acquisition of radio stations in the 1920s and 1950s allowed the paper to maintain a 24-hour wire service, keeping readers informed through multiple platforms. Correspondents in West Texas, South Texas, and Mexico provided detailed local coverage, while the newsroom staff of 88 celebrated the Express’s 100th anniversary in 1965 with a wealth of institutional knowledge.
The paper’s commitment to investigative journalism and feature writing shone through, with the newsroom staff uncovering important stories and crafting engaging narratives that enthralled the local community. The merger of the Express and News newsrooms in the 1950s further strengthened the paper’s editorial voice, ensuring a cohesive and thorough approach to reporting on the issues that mattered most to San Antonio.
Circulation and Readership Growth
The steady growth in the San Antonio Express-News’ circulation over the decades emphasizes its prominence as the city’s premier daily newspaper. From a modest 500 daily readers in the 1870s, the paper’s circulation skyrocketed to 34,000 by 1918 and reached an impressive 81,936 by 1972. By 1993, the Express-News boasted a combined six-day circulation of 264,238, with a Sunday readership of 396,656.
Wrapping Up
This exceptional growth reflects the paper’s expanding geographic reach, extending beyond the San Antonio metropolitan area into West Texas. As the region experienced demographic changes and economic development, the Express-News adapted to serve an ever-widening readership. Its ability to cater to the shifting needs and interests of its audience has been the key to the paper’s enduring success and status as San Antonio’s leading daily.