{{About|the newspaper chain in New York state|the unrelated Washington, D.C. populist/far right newspaper|The Spotlight}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox newspaper | name = Spotlight Newspapers | image = | type = Weekly newspaper | format = Tabloid | founded = 1955 | owners = Community Media Group, LLC | headquarters = 341 Delaware Ave.<br>Delmar, NY<br>United States | website = [http://www.spotlightnews.com/ SpotlightNews.com] }}
'''''The Spotlight Newspapers''''' is made up of 3 weekly newspapers in the suburban communities in the Capital District of New York State. The group began in 1955 with '''''The Spotlight'''''.
== History == ''The Spotlight'' newspaper was first published as a four-page penny saver in Delmar, New York on December 1, 1955.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.spotlightnews.com/about-us/spotlight-history-1955-2006/|title=The Spotlight 50th Anniversary|last=Fottrell|first=MK|date=July 12, 2006|work=The Spotlight|access-date=April 16, 2018|page=3|url-status=dead}}</ref>
It was founded by Tracy Walsh out of her home. In 1957, she sold the paper to Robert G. King, a former advertising salesman at the ''Times Union''. In 1975, Nathaniel A. Boynton, a former Associated Press<nowiki/>writer, purchased the paper. Boynton stopped the free distribution of the paper and promoted subscription sales.{{Citation needed|date=February 2026}}
In 1980, Boynton sold the paper to Richard Ahlstrom, a retired vice-president of Westchester-Rockland Newspapers owned by Gannett. Ahlstrom turned ''The Spotlight'' into an 11- by 15-inch tabloid format, which allowed him to nearly double the news layout and photo content of the paper. He also started the Colonie and Loudonville editions of ''The Spotlight''.{{Citation needed|date=February 2026}}
In 1998, Ahlstrom sold the papers to Eagle Newspapers in 1998, which formed Spotlight, LLC.<ref>{{cite web |date=June 17, 1998 |title=Spotlight Newspapers sold to Syracuse chain |url=http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/1998/06/15/daily25.html |url-status= |accessdate=2012-03-06 |website=Albany Business Journal |publisher=}}</ref> Spotlight, LLC expanded through purchases of existing newspapers and start-ups in areas without local newspapers to a dozen weekly newspapers by 2007. Papers in Rotterdam, NY, Niskayuna, Scotia-Glenville,<ref>{{cite web |date=October 16, 1998 |title=Spotlight owner buys Journal newspapers |url=http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/1998/10/12/daily32.html |accessdate=2012-03-06 |website=Albany Business Journal |publisher=}}</ref> Clifton Park<ref>{{cite web |date=March 22, 1999 |title=Spotlight Newspapers purchases Clifton Park monthly |url=http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/1999/03/22/daily2.html |accessdate=2012-03-06 |website=Albany Business Journal |publisher=}}</ref> Guilderland, Burnt Hills, NY,<ref>{{cite web |last=Pinckney |first=Barbara |date=May 26, 2003 |title=Spotlight to debut weekly in Burnt Hills |url=http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2003/05/26/story6.html |accessdate=2012-03-06 |website=Albany Business Journal |publisher=}}</ref> Malta, NY, Milton<ref>{{cite web |last=Pinckney |first=Barbara |date=April 30, 2007 |title=Spotlight starts Milton weekly |url=http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2007/04/30/story10.html |accessdate=2012-03-06 |website=Albany Business Journal |publisher=}}</ref> and the City of Saratoga Springs<ref>{{cite web |last=Pinckney |first=Barbara |date=April 11, 2005 |title=Spa City will be newest weekly at Spotlight papers |url=http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2005/04/11/story6.html |accessdate=2012-03-06 |website=Albany Business Journal |publisher=}}</ref> were established.
On October 1, 2009, Spotlight Newspapers and its parent company Eagle Newspapers were sold to Community Media Group, LLC.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2009/10/05/daily26.html |title=Spotlight publisher, partners buy company - The Business Review |publisher=Albany.bizjournals.com |date=2009-10-07 |accessdate=2012-03-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hannagan |first=Charly |date=October 8, 2009 |title=Eagle newspapers noew have new owners |work=The Post-Standard |location=Syracuse, New York |pages=A7}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.spotlightnews.com Spotlight News] * [http://www.bethlehemspotlight.com Bethlehem Spotlight] * [http://www.coloniespotlight.com Colonie Spotlight] * [http://www.guilderlandspotlight.com Guilderland Spotlight] * [http://www.cdparentpages.com Capital District Parent Pages] * [http://www.cdseniorspotlight.com Capital District Senior Spotlight]
Category:Newspapers published in New York (state) Category:Weekly newspaper companies of the United States Category:Newspapers established in 1955 Category:1955 establishments in New York (state)