Орегон штатының «Statesman Journal» газеті

Major daily newspaper published in Salem, Oregon, United States

The Statesman Journal is the major daily newspaper published in Salem, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1851 as the Oregon Statesman, it later merged with the Capital Journal to form the current newspaper, the second oldest in Oregon. The Statesman Journal is distributed in Salem, Keizer, and portions of the mid Willamette Valley. The average weekday circulation was 27,859, with Sunday's readership listed at 36,323, in 2012

The Oregon Statesman was founded by Samuel Thurston, the first delegate from the Oregon Territory to the US Congress. His editor and co founder was Asahel Bush; the paper was a Democratic Party response to the Whig controlled Portland based paper, The Oregonian. The first issue was dated March 28, 1851, printed on a hand press in Oregon City, the provincial capital from 1848 to 1851. Thurston died on April 9 of that year while returning from the nation's capital to the Territory, and Bush then assumed ownership of the paper. The territorial capital was relocated to Salem later that year, so by 1853 the printing operation was transferred to Salem. When the territorial capital was relocated to Corvallis in 1855, the printing process also moved there, but that decision was quickly reversed and the capital reverted to Salem. The printing operation also relocated to Salem in the late fall of 1855. The paper was used as a mouthpiece of the Democratic Party and of the Salem Clique that ran the party in Salem. The 'Unionist' was soon dropped from the title, and Clarke sold the paper in 1872. In 1929 the paper was sold to Charles A. Sprague (two thirds interest) and Sheldon Sackett (one third interest). Sprague had previously published newspapers in Ritzville, Washington and in Corvallis. By the end of the year, Parry sold the Journal to William H. Byars (who also was elected that year as Salem's City Surveyor), one of many ownership changes in subsequent years. (In 1890, Byars was appointed by Pres. Benjamin Harrison as U. S. Surveyor General for Oregon.) Around 1918, George Putnam purchased the Capital Journal and served as editor for 30 years before selling to Bernard Mainwaring in 1953. In the 2006 contest, the paper took first place in its division for overall excellence, best editorial page, and best editorial.

The newspaper primarily covers news in the Salem Keizer metropolitan area in the middle section of the Willamette Valley. Coverage includes state politics, Salem area news, area sports, business news, and lifestyle news. Circulation is focused on Marion and Polk counties with a market size of 410,000 residents, with some additional circulation in neighboring Linn, Lincoln, Yamhill, and Benton counties. In 2008 The Statesman Journal had circulation of 46,826 from Monday through Saturday, and 53,367 Sunday. By 2018, the average daily circulation had declined to 27,859 Monday Tuesday, Thursday and 33,815 Wednesday, with a Sunday readership of 36,323. The newspaper also publishes The Stayton Mail of Stayton and the Appeal Tribune of Silverton.