The Honolulu Star-Bulletin, based in Honolulu, Hawaii, is one of two major daily newspapers in the state of Hawaii (the other is the Honolulu Advertiser). The Honolulu Star-Bulletin is owned by Black Press of Victoria, British Columbia in Canada. The newspaper is administered by a council of local Hawaii investors.

Farrington Era

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin was founded in 1882 by J. W. Robertson and Company as the Evening Bulletin. In 1912 it merged with the Hawaiian Star to become the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Wallace Rider Farrington, who later became Governor of Hawaii, was the editor of the newspaper from 1898 and the president and publisher from 1912 until his death. His son Joseph Rider Farrington succeeded him and served as president and publisher until his own death in 1954. From 1962 it was owned by a local group of investors led by Elizabeth P. Farrington and entered a joint operating agreement with the Honolulu Advertiser that shared printing and advertising functions.

Gannett Era

Gannett Pacific Corporation, a subsidiary of Gannett Corporation and owner of the Honolulu Advertiser, purchased the Honolulu Star-Bulletin in 1971. In 1993, Gannett sold the afternoon edition to Liberty Newspapers in favor of the Honolulu Advertiser, the only afternoon edition newspaper Gannett owned nationwide. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin's circulation declined dramatically. Continued financial problems led to a decision by Liberty in September 1999 to close the Honolulu Star-Bulletin the following month. The decision was met with fierce resistance in the community and lawsuits were filed against Liberty and Gannett by the state and citizens' groups. The shutdown was postponed with an injunction by a federal district judge two weeks before the scheduled date of closure.

Black Era

In April 2000, Liberty Newspapers offered the Honolulu Star-Bulletin for sale. The action once again threatened the closure of the publication. In November of that year, Canadian publishing magnate David Black announced his intent to purchase the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. As soon as the purchase was finalized in 2001, Black dissolved the joint operating agreement it had with the Honolulu Advertiser and constructed its own printing facilities and moved to new headquarters near Honolulu Harbor. The newspaper received a major facelift and its readership once again grew.

Perhaps to celebrate its new ownership, the Bulletin started counting its volumes from the time of Black's purchase; despite being in existence for well over a century, the Bulletin is currently publishing volume four.

Resources

• Official website