Timeline

Rogers Newspapers

• Sept. 1, 1881: The first newspaper in Rogers, the Rogers Champion, prints its first issue. It folds shortly thereafter.

• October 1881: The New Era, later the Rogers Democrat, prints its first edition

• May 1888: The Rogers Republican launches. It printed for 25 years, although it changed hands eight times. The Republican family of newspapers included the Rogers Free Press, established in 1907. The Rogers Journal and Rogers Free Press were consolidated as the Rogers Republican in 1908. The Republican was sold in 1915, the name changed to Rogers Advocate and the politics switched to democratic.

• Nov. 1, 1894: The New Era is renamed the Rogers Daily-Democrat by owner H. M. Butler.

• Jan. 1, 1896: The Rogers Democrat closes its doors. It was purchased and opened Nov. 19, 1896, by E. M. Funk and his son, Erwin C. Funk. Between the two, they owned and operated the business for 33 years. Erwin C. Funk purchased the newspaper in 1919.

• Jan. 1, 1910: The Rogers Daily Post starts publication using a small hand-operated press.

• 1911-1912: The Rogers Democrat, Rogers Daily Post, Rogers Republican are printed through combined press operations called the Co-operative Press.

• 1919: The Rogers Democrat is set on its own linotype machines.

• July 1, 1927: The Rogers Daily Post becomes the Rogers Daily News after being purchased by James P. Shofner.

• Nov. 1, 1929: The Rogers Democrat is purchased by Shofner, owner of the Rogers Daily News. Offices and publication operations are combined for the two papers.

• 1935: Printing operations for the Rogers Daily News and Rogers Democrat are purchased by Charles Nutter and housed in the old Main hotel at the corner of First and Poplar Streets.

• Dec. 1, 1955: Donrey Media Group purchases the combined Rogers Daily News and Rogers Democrat.

• April 9, 1962: Donrey converts the operation from linotype to offset press, the first major newspaper in Arkansas to do so.

• 1972-1973: An equipment upgrade gives the Rogers Daily News electronic composing machines with a Goss Urbanite press, the standard for the time. The newspaper increases its capacity to 32 pages.

• 1978: The Rogers Daily News begins a morning edition, Northwest Arkansas Morning News. Both morning and afternoon editions were printed until 1981 when the Rogers Daily News ceased printing.

• 1990: The Northwest Arkansas Morning News is printed in the Springdale production plant, combining print operations with its sister paper, the Springdale News. The Rogers paper is called The Morning News.

• 1992: Saturday editions are added to The Morning News.

• 1994: The Morning News and Springdale News, both now owned by Stephens Media, merge into “Morning News of Northwest Arkansas”

• 2000: Zoned editions titled the Rogers Morning News, Springdale Morning News, Bentonville Morning News and Fayetteville Morning News are produced through Stephens Media.

• October 2009: Northwest Arkansas Newspapers is born through a joint operating agreement between Stephens Media and Wehco Media.