Redding Record Searchlight

History

In December 1894, A. R. Bowen & Co. published the first issue of The Searchlight in Redding. At that time the morning newspaper was affiliated with the People's Party. It's founder was M. E. Dittmar who owned the paper for five years.

In October 1899, the paper was purchased by Mel G. Johnson and J. W. Brackett. In 1905, Johnson sold his half-interest in The Searchlight to his business partner Brackett. In 1909, Brackett retired and sold the paper to Herbert Lyle Moody, who ran the paper for over a decade until selling it in 1925 to his son Herbert G. Moody. At that time the Shasta Sun, owned by the younger Moody and founded 18 months prior, was absorbed into The Searchlight. In 1936, he sold the paper to Walter H. Fink, owner of the Courier-Free Press.

On October 17, 1938, the John P. Scripps Newspaper Group published the first edition of the afternoon newspaper Redding Record. In April 1941, Scripps bought The Searchlight and Courier-Free Press from Fink and consolidated the three papers together to form the Redding Record Searchlight.

In 2014, Scripps purchased Journal Media Group and transferred ownership of the Record Searchlight to the company. It then sold the newspaper group in April 2016 to Gannett and the Record Searchlight became part of the USA Today network. In May 2024, the newspaper announced it will switch from carrier to postal delivery.

References

References

1. "Goudreau new president of Record Searchlight".
2. "Staff Directory".
3. Chapman, Mike. (June 6, 2022). "Record Searchlight earns 18 journalism awards in statewide contest".
4. (December 22, 1894). "Snap Shots.". Daily Red Bluff News.
5. (March 8, 1940). "Searchlight's Founder Dead {{!}} Dittmar Identified With Mining History". Redding Record.
6. (October 3, 1899). "Tooting A Horn That No One Else May Be Willing To Blow". The Searchlight.
7. (September 2, 1905). "Change In Searchlight Ownership". Trinity Journal.
8. (March 19, 1909). "Redding Searchlight Sold". Oroville Daily Register.
9. (April 2, 1909). "Notice". The Searchlight.
10. (July 18, 1925). "Seachlight Sold To Herbert Moody". Record Searchlight.
11. (July 18, 1925). "H. G. Moody Is New Owner Of Searchlight". The Searchlight.
12. (July 18, 1925). "Redding Newspapers to Be Amalgamated". The Chico Enterprise.
13. (May 6, 1936). "W. H. Fink Acquires Redding Searchlight". Oroville Mercury Register.
14. (October 17, 1938). "New Redding Paper Appears". The Chico Enterprise.
15. "About Us".
16. (April 22, 1941). "Three Redding Daily Papers Consolidated {{!}} John Scripps Buys W. H. Fink Interests, Merge With Record". The Sacramento Union.
17. Glauber, Bill. (30 July 2014). "Journal, Scripps deal announced". [[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]].
18. (April 8, 2016). "Gannett closes on $280 million purchase of Journal Media Group".
19. (May 22, 2024). "Redding Record Searchlight transitioning to postal delivery".