{{Infobox publisher | name = Western Communications, Inc. | image = | caption = | parent = | status = | traded_as = | predecessor = | founded =1953 | founder = [[Robert W. Chandler]] | successor = [[EO Media Group]] | country = | headquarters = [[Bend, Oregon]] | distribution = | keypeople = | publications = Newspapers | topics = | genre = | imprints = | revenue = | owner = | numemployees = | website = |defunct=2019}}
'''Western Communications, Inc.''' was an American newspaper publisher serving the states of [[Oregon]] and [[California]] from 1953 to 2019. The family-owned<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rafter |first=Michelle V. |date=January 31, 2009 |title=Good News for Small Papers |url=https://www.oregonbusiness.com/100best/item/3799-good-news-for-small-papers |access-date=November 8, 2018 |work=Oregon Business |language=en-gb}}</ref> company was based in [[Bend, Oregon]] and was founded by [[Robert W. Chandler]].<ref name="About">{{cite news |title=Our history |url=http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/ABOUT/50830001&nav_category=ABOUT |accessdate=2011-02-28 |work=[[The Bulletin (Bend)|The Bulletin]]}}</ref> Its flagship paper was ''[[The Bulletin (Bend)|The Bulletin]]''.<ref name="About" />
== History == Robert W. Chandler bought ''[[The Bulletin (Bend)|The Bulletin]]'' in 1953 and built his newspaper company up over the ensuing decades, prior to his death in 1996.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19960713/2338995/robert-chandler-prominent-editor-of-small-ore-calif-newspapers |title=Obituary: Robert Chandler, Prominent Editor Of Small Ore., Calif. Newspapers |date=July 13, 1996 |work=Seattle Times |access-date=2019-01-15}}</ref> The company was recognized by an [[Oregon State University]] awards program in 1995, for an effective ownership transition from Chandler to his daughter, Elizabeth McCool, and for remaining actively engaged in its community. At the time, the chain consisted of eight papers and employed 300 people.<ref>{{cite news |title=Awards Single Out Family Businesses |date=November 12, 1995 | work=The Oregonian |first=Fred |last=Leeson }}</ref> When the company bought ''[[The Redmond Spokesman]]'' from Mary Brown in 1971, it owned radio stations in Oregon and California.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |title=Company Buys Weekly Paper |work= The Oregonian |date=July 2, 1971 }}</ref>
Western Communications purchased the ''[[La Grande Observer]]'' in 1959,<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 25, 1959 |title=La Grande Paper Gets New Owner |work=Corvallis Gazette-Times |pages=2 |agency=[[United Press International|UPI]]}}</ref> ''[[Baker City Herald]]'' in 1967,<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 2, 1967 |title=Newspaper At Baker Sold |work=Albany Democrat-Herald |publisher=Associated Press |pages=7}}</ref> ''[[The Redmond Spokesman]]'' in 1971,<ref name=":1" /> ''[[Burns Times-Herald]]'' in 1976,<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 20, 1987 |title=Burns paper joins 100 Year Club |work=The Oregonian |pages=50}}</ref> ''[[Curry Coastal Pilot]]'' in 1981,<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 19, 1981 |title=Weekly Brookings paper sold |work=Corvallis Gazette-Times}}</ref> ''[[Del Norte Triplicate]]'' in 1988<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 8, 1988 |title=Newspaper Purchased |work=The Oregonian |pages=14}}</ref> and ''[[The Hermiston Herald]]'' in 1992<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=McDowell |first=Jade |date=2016-11-04 |title=Former Herald owner/publisher Jerry Reed has died. |url=https://www.hermistonherald.com/news/local/former-herald-owner-publisher-jerry-reed-has-died/article_ffdea592-9536-5ed3-9585-363dff00350d.html |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=Hermiston Herald |language=en |archive-date=2024-09-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914235038/https://hermistonherald.com/news/local/former-herald-owner-publisher-jerry-reed-has-died/article_ffdea592-9536-5ed3-9585-363dff00350d.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> but would sell it in 2008 to [[EO Media Group]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-04-22 |title=East Oregonian Publishing Co. to acquire Herald |url=https://www.eastoregonian.com/news/local/east-oregonian-publishing-co-to-acquire-herald/article_48725536-463e-586d-8079-78b84589f314.html |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=East Oregonian |language=en}}</ref> ''[[The Union Democrat]]'' was purchased in 1998.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 7, 1998 |title=The Union Democrat has new owners |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SCpZAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KUcNAAAAIBAJ&pg=6062,609655 |access-date=2025-09-03 |website=The Union Democrat |page=1 |via=Google News Archive Search}}</ref> The company built a large headquarters building in Bend in 2000.<ref name="OPBjan15">{{Cite news |url=https://www.opb.org/news/article/bend-bulletin-newspaper-western-communications-taxes/ |title=Bend Bulletin Owners Behind On Taxes And Local News Coverage Hangs In The Balance |last=Cureton |first=Emily |date=January 15, 2019 |work=Oregon Public Broadcasting |access-date=2019-01-15 |language=en}}</ref> In 2006, the ''[[Burns Times-Herald]]'' was sold.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Doussard |first=Robin |date=2006-05-01 |title=Good news for the little guy |url=https://oregonbusiness.com/5093-good-news-for-the-little-guy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240813144922/https://oregonbusiness.com/5093-good-news-for-the-little-guy/ |archive-date=August 13, 2024 |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=Oregon Business |language=en-US}}</ref>
The company filed for [[Chapter 11]] bankruptcy in 2011, seeking to renegotiate an $18 million loan, and hoping to complete the bankruptcy proceedings within six months.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.opb.org/news/series/rural-economy-project/bend-based-newspaper-chain-files-chapter-11/ |title=Bend-Based Newspaper Chain Files Chapter 11 |last=Nogueras |first=David |date=April 24, 2011 |work=Oregon Public Broadcasting |access-date=2019-01-15 |language=en}}</ref> In 2012, the company did emerge from bankruptcy,<ref name="OPBjan15" /> but also laid off 10% of its staff, due to a sharp decline in advertising revenue from legal notices.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.opb.org/news/article/western-communications-cutting-10-percent-of-staff/ |title=Western Communications Cutting 10 Percent Of Staff |last=Nogueras |first=David |date=October 10, 2012 |work=Oregon Public Broadcasting |access-date=2019-01-15 |language=en}}</ref> In 2017, it listed its headquarters building for sale, but no offer had been accepted as of January 2019, and the company had fallen behind on payments of state taxes. The debt the company owes is estimated at $26 million.<ref name="OPBjan15" /> In January 2019, the company again filed for bankruptcy protection.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.opb.org/news/article/bend-bulletin-bankruptcy-western-communications-finances/ |title=Bend Bulletin Owner Files For 2nd Bankruptcy In A Decade |last=Cureton |first=Emily |date=January 22, 2019 |work=Oregon Public Broadcasting |access-date=2019-01-23 |language=en}}</ref> Two papers were sold to [[Country Media, Inc.|Country Media]], one was sold to [[RISN Operations]] and the remaining properties were sold to [[EO Media Group]].<ref>{{Cite web |author=Staff Report |title=Country Media adds to its publications |work=Curry Pilot |accessdate=2020-04-05 |url=https://www.currypilot.com/news/country-media-adds-to-its-publications/article_23718724-3ed1-11ea-b353-cb0617f458ac.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rhode Island Suburban Newspapers buys California paper |work=News & Tech |accessdate=2020-04-05 |url=https://newsandtech.com/mergers_acquisitions/rhode-island-suburban-newspapers-buys-california-paper/article_180f78b4-cd9d-11e9-a456-6b965ccba19c.html}}{{dead link|date=December 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Phil |date=July 29, 2019 |title=Observer's company buys Bend Bulletin |url=https://www.chinookobserver.com/news/observers-company-buys-bend-bulletin/article_c2e23b08-b256-11e9-afed-fbfebc7e9d03.html |accessdate=2020-04-05 |work=Chinook Observer |archive-date=2020-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927052442/https://www.chinookobserver.com/news/observers-company-buys-bend-bulletin/article_c2e23b08-b256-11e9-afed-fbfebc7e9d03.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== Newspapers formerly published by Western Communications == {| class="wikitable" |+ !'''Title''' !'''Year acquired''' !'''Year sold or closed''' !Fate |- |''[[The Bulletin (Bend)|The Bulletin]]'' |1953 |2019 |Sold to [[EO Media Group]] |- |''[[The Observer (La Grande)|The Observer]]'' |1959 |2019 |Sold to [[EO Media Group]] |- |''[[Baker City Herald]]'' |1967 |2019 |Sold to [[EO Media Group]] |- |''[[The Redmond Spokesman]]'' |1971 |2019 |Sold to [[EO Media Group]] |- |''[[Burns Times-Herald]]'' |1976 |2006 |Sold to out-of-state owners |- |''[[Curry Coastal Pilot]]'' |1981 |2019 |Sold to [[Country Media, Inc.|Country Media, Inc]] |- |''[[The Daily Triplicate]]'' |1988 |2019 |Sold to [[Country Media, Inc.|Country Media, Inc]] |- |''[[The Hermiston Herald]]'' |1992 |2008 |Sold to [[EO Media Group]] |- |''[[The Union Democrat]]'' |1998 |2019 |Sold to [[RISN Operations]] |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20071212190034/http://jcomm.uoregon.edu/awards/chandler/index.html The Chandler Lecture] from the [[University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication]]
{{Western Communications}}
[[Category:Companies based in Bend, Oregon]] [[Category:Newspaper companies of the United States]] [[Category:Privately held companies based in Oregon]] [[Category:Publishing companies based in Oregon]]