{{short description|Three-times a week newspaper serving Fresno, California}} {{Use American English|date=April 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022|cs1-dates=y}} {{Infobox newspaper | name = The Fresno Bee | logo = The Fresno Bee Logo.svg | image = 225px|border | caption = {{ubl|The 2005-07-27 front page of|''The Fresno Bee''}} | type = Three-times a week newspaper | format = Broadsheet | founded = {{start date and age|1922}} | ceased_publication = | owners = The McClatchy Company | publisher = Tim Ritchey{{refn|name="ritchey"|{{Cite news |date=2018-11-14 |title=Tim Ritchey returns to Fresno as publisher of The Fresno Bee |language=en-US |work=The Fresno Bee |url=https://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/article221645020.html |url-status=live |access-date=2019-04-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420035106/https://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/article221645020.html |archive-date=2019-04-20}}}} | editor = Christopher Kirkpatrick | language = English | political_position = | circulation = 41,792 Daily <br /> 42,052 Sunday | circulation_date = 2020 | circulation_ref = <ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-09 |title=McClatchy {{!}} Markets |url=https://www.mcclatchy.com/our-impact/markets/the-fresno-bee |access-date=2023-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209114108/https://www.mcclatchy.com/our-impact/markets/the-fresno-bee |archive-date=9 February 2022 }}</ref> | headquarters = {{ubl|2721 Ventura Street|Fresno, California 93786|{{USA}}}} | ISSN = 0889-6070 | website = {{URL|fresnobee.com}} }}
'''''The Fresno Bee''''' is a three-times a week newspaper serving Fresno, California, and surrounding counties in that U.S. state's central San Joaquin Valley. It is owned by The McClatchy Company.
== History == On September 23, 1876, the first edition of ''The Fresno Republican'' was published. Its first editor was E.E. Curtis.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 23, 1876 |title=To The Public. |work=The Fresno Weekly Republican |pages=2}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=September 30, 1876 |title=New Paper. |work=Merced Sun-Star |pages=5}}</ref> One of the paper's founders was Dr. Chester A. Rowell,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rowell |first=Chester A. |date=September 11, 1878 |title=To The Leaders Of The "Republican" |work=The Fresno Weekly Republican |pages=2}}</ref> and its original group of investors included inventor and entrepreneur Frank Dusy. <ref>{{Cite news |date=October 5, 1961 |title=Frank Dusy Was Versatile Pioneer Of Golden State |work=The Selma Enterprise |pages=45}}</ref>
In May 1879, S.A. Miller bought the paper from Rowell.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 10, 1879 |title=Salutatory. |work=The Fresno Weekly Republican |pages=2}}</ref> In May 1885, R.F. Brewington and named John W. Short editor.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 30, 1885 |title=A Change In Proprietorship. |work=The Fresno Republican |pages=2}}</ref> In January 1886, Short and J.W. Shanklin purchased the ''Republican''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Short |first=J.W. |last2=Shanklin |first2=J.W. |date=January 2, 1886 |title=Introductory. |work=The Fresno Republican |pages=2}}</ref> A year later the two launched a daily edition.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 23, 1887 |title=To the Public. |work=The Fresno Weekly Republican |pages=2}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 1, 1887 |title=Local Items. |work=The Modesto Bee |pages=3}}</ref>
In April 1890, T.C. Judkins became the owner.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 30, 1890 |title=Change Of Proprietorship. |work=The Daily Morning Republican |pages=2}}</ref> In January 1892, Short was named editor again.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 5, 1892 |title=Publisher's Announcement |work=The Fresno Morning Republican |pages=2}}</ref> In June 1898, Short retired from the paper after he was appointed as the city's postmaster. Rowell succeeded him as editor and manager.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 12, 1898 |title=Salutatory. |work=The Fresno Morning Republican |pages=4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 14, 1898 |title=Notice |work=The Record |location=Stockton, California |pages=2}}</ref> In November 1919, Short died.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 1, 1919 |title=John W. Short Dies Suddenly In St. Helena |work=Fresno Herald |pages=1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=November 2, 1919 |title=John Short Succumbs To Heart Attack |work=The Fresno Morning Republican |pages=1}}</ref>
In June 1915, George A. Osborne and Chase E. Osborne Jr., sons of former Michigan governor Chase Osborn, bought the ''Fresno Herald.''<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 3, 1915 |title=Fresno Herald Sold. |work=The Sacramento Bee |pages=4}}</ref> In October 1920, Rowell sold the ''Republican'' for $1 million to the Osbornes, who merged it with the ''Herald''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 11, 1920 |title=Fresno Republican Sold For Million |work=Riverside Daily Press |pages=1}}</ref>
On October 17, 1922, the first issue of ''The Fresno Bee'' was published by The McClatchy Company, owner of ''The Sacramento Bee''. Carlos McClatchy was the paper's first editor.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 12, 1922 |title=First Issue Near {{!}} New Fresno Paper {{!}} Bee to Publish There on Tuesday, Owned by Sacramento Bee |work=Pasadena Star-News |pages=1}}</ref> In March 1932, the McClatchys purchased ''The Republican'' from the Osbornes and merged it into the ''Bee.''<ref>{{Cite news |last=McClatchy |first=Carlos K. |date=March 21, 1932 |title=Bee Buys Name And Circulation Of Fresno Morning Republican |work=The Fresno Bee |pages=1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=McClatchy group buys "Republican" at Fresno |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112194692/the-los-angeles-times/ |newspaper=The Los Angeles Times |date=March 22, 1932 |page=10 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=October 28, 2022}}</ref>
In August 1990, the ''Bee'' launched a Spanish-English language paper called ''Vida en el Valle.''<ref>{{Cite news |last=Young Pae |first=Mi |date=August 29, 1990 |title=New bilingual paper aims for Hispanic Market |work=The Fresno Bee |pages=31}}</ref> In 1996, the paper launched a website and fully integrated its digital team into the newsroom nine years later.<ref>{{Cite news |last=DeFoore |first=Jay |date=November 4, 2005 |title='Fresno Bee' Latest to Merge Online, Print Units |url=http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001434563 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051104224716/http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001434563 |archive-date=November 4, 2005 |work=Editor & Publisher}}</ref> In 2004, McClatchy purchased the ''Sierra Star'' in Oakhurst. In June 2018, the ''Star'' was consolidated into the ''Bee''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clugston |first=Gina |date=June 29, 2018 |title=Sierra Star Newspaper Closes Oakhurst Office After 60 Years |url=https://sierranewsonline.com/sierra-star-newspaper-closes-oakhurst-office-after-60-years/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005014919/https://sierranewsonline.com/sierra-star-newspaper-closes-oakhurst-office-after-60-years/ |archive-date=October 5, 2021 |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=Sierra News Online |language=en}}</ref>
The ''Bee'' was originally housed at the Fresno Bee Building, but moved throughout downtown Fresno over the decades. In March 2020, the paper relocated its headquarters to Bitwise 41, owned by Bitwise Industries.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kieta |first=Joe |date=March 2, 2020 |title=New digital day dawns for The Fresno Bee in new downtown location |url=https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article240750216.html |url-status= |access-date=March 31, 2026 |work=The Fresno Bee}}</ref> In July 2024, the ''Bee'' announced it would reduce its print days to three a week: Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kirkpatrick |first=Christopher |date=July 7, 2024 |title=Fresno Bee print days changing as digital transition continues. What to expect |url=https://www.fresnobee.com/sierra-star/ss-opinion/article289795084.html |access-date=July 7, 2024 |website=The Fresno Bee}}</ref> In November 2025, the paper laid off two opinion writers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gligich |first=Daniel |date=November 5, 2025 |title=McClatchy lays off Fresno Bee opinion writers |url=https://sjvsun.com/news/fresno/mcclatchy-lays-off-fresno-bee-opinion-writers/ |access-date=2025-11-26 |website=The San Joaquin Valley Sun |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Devin Nunes == From 2017, the ''Bee{{'}}''s relationship with their hometown U.S. representative Devin Nunes deteriorated. Nunes took issue with several op-eds the paper published on his handling of Russian interference in the 2016 elections.{{refn|name="gq"|{{Cite news |last=Baron |first=Zach |date=2018-12-19 |title=The Fresno Bee and the War on Local News |language=en-US |work=GQ |url=https://www.gq.com/story/fresno-bee-and-war-on-local-news |url-status=live |access-date=2020-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623105148/https://www.gq.com/story/fresno-bee-and-war-on-local-news |archive-date=2020-06-23}}}} He responded by airing TV ads attacking the paper{{r|gq}} and mailing constituents a 40-page glossy pamphlet solely focused on attacking ''The Bee'''s reputation.{{refn|name="motherjones"|{{Cite news |last=Schatz |first=Bryan |date=2018-10-03 |title=Devin Nunes' War on the Media Just Got Even Weirder |language=en-US |work=Mother Jones |url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/10/devin-nunes-campaign-mailer-fresno-bee/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-01-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130020057/https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/10/devin-nunes-campaign-mailer-fresno-bee/ |archive-date=2020-01-30}}}} Nunes resigned from the U.S. House on January 1, 2022.
== See also == {{Portal bar|California|Journalism}}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website|https://www.fresnobee.com/}}
{{Fresno}} {{McClatchy}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fresno Bee, The}} Category:1922 establishments in California Category:Daily newspapers published in California Category:Mass media in Fresno County, California Category:Mass media in Fresno, California Category:McClatchy publications Category:Newspapers published in California Category:Newspapers established in 1922 Category:San Joaquin Valley