Cowles Media Company

Origins

In 1903, banker Gardner Cowles Sr. acquired a 50% stake in the Des Moines Register and Leader, a newspaper in Iowa. This made him the largest shareholder.^[3] The paper was later renamed to The Des Moines Register.^[4] In 1908, he acquired the Des Moines Tribune.^[5] In 1922, Cowles established the Register and Tribune Syndicate with Henry P. Martin as its general manager.^[6] In 1931, the company entered the radio market when it acquired the KSO radio station in Clarinda and moved it to Des Moines, Iowa.^[7] In March 1935, KSO became KRNT, with the new call letters, "R 'n T" short for "Register and Tribune."^[8]

Growth

In June 1935, the Cowles family purchased the Minneapolis Star.^[9] At that point, the Cowles Media Company formed with Gardner Cowles Sr. handing control of his newspapers to his sons John Cowles Sr. and Gardner "Mike" Cowles Jr.^[4] In 1939, the company purchased the Minneapolis Evening Journal and merged it with the Star to form the Star-Journal.^[10] In 1941 the company bought the Minneapolis Morning Tribune.^[11] This gave Cowles ownership of the major newspapers on the western side of the Twin Cities.^[11] The Tribune became Minneapolis' morning newspaper, the Star-Journal (shortened to the Star in 1947) was the evening newspaper, and they published a joint Sunday edition.^[12][13] A separate evening newspaper called the Times was spun off and published until 1948.^[14] In 1949, Colwes sold WOL (AM) to The Capital Broadcasting Co.^[15]

In 1955, Cowles entered the television market as the 60% majority owner of KRNT-TV in Des Moines, Iowa.^[16] This marked the start of the company's expansion into television. Later that year Cowles acquired KTVH for $1.07 million.^[17] In 1964, Cowles Media acquired the Rapid City Journal.^[18] In April 1965, the company bought a 50% stake in Harper's Magazine,^[19] followed by the Great Falls Tribune.^[20] The company sold WREG-TV to The New York Times Company in 1971,^[21] KRNT to Stauffer Publications in 1973,^[22] and WREC in 1974.^[23] Cowles purchased the South Idaho Press in 1977,^[24] and the Buffalo Courier-Express in 1979.^[25]

Decline

In 1980, Harper's Magazine was sold to the MacArthur Foundation after Cowles had announced plans to close the publication.^[26] In April 1982, the afternoon Star was discontinued and the two papers merged into a single morning paper called the Minneapolis Star and Tribune.^[27] In June 1982, the Des Moines Tribune was absorbed into the Des Moines Register.^[28] In July 1982, KTVH was sold for $12 million.^[29]

In September 1982, the Buffalo Courier-Express ceased publication after losing $8.6 million annually.^[30] This came after the paper's union rejected a sale to News American Publishing, owned by Rupert Murdoch, as the deal called for a 40% cut in staff and other contract givebacks.^[31]

Cowles sold WDRB for $10 million in 1984,^[32] the Des Moines Register to Gannett Co. in 1985,^[33] and the Register and Tribune Syndicate to Hearst for $4.3 million in 1986.^[34] The company acquired the Scottsdale Progress in May 1987,^[35] and then sold the South Idaho Press to Park Communications in July 1987,^[36] the Rapid City Journal to Lee Enterprises for $45 million in February 1990,^[37] Great Falls Tribune to Gannett Co. in May 1990,^[38] and the Scottsdale Progress to Cox Newspapers in 1993.^[39]

The Cowles Media Company was purchased by The McClatchy Company for $1.4 billion in 1997.^[40] McClatchy kept the Star Tribune newspaper, which by then was the primary asset in the sale, and sold the other business units to PRIMEDIA and to a management team.^[41]

Healthy lifestyles

• Climbing magazine^[42]
• Country Journal
• Low-Fat & Fast^[42]
• Natural Remedies^[42]
• Vegetarian Times^[42]

Collectibles

• Doll Reader^[42]
• Figurines & Collectibles^[42]
• Nautical World^[42] (formerly Nautical Collector)
• Teddy Bear and Friends^[42]

History magazines

Eight of the history magazines subsequently published by Weider History Group starting around 2006.

• America's Civil War^[42]
• American History^[42]
• Aviation History^[42]
• British Heritage^[42]
• Civil War Times Illustrated^[42]
• Columbiad^[42]
• Early American Homes^[42] (formerly Early American Life)
• Historic Traveler^[42]
• MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History^[42]
• Military History^[42]
• Vietnam Magazine^[42]
• Wild West^[42]
• Women's History (annual)^[43]
• World War II^[42]

Hunting

• Bowhunter^[42]
• Fly Fisherman^[42]

Recreation

• Dressage & CT^[42]
• Horse & Rider^[42]
• KITPLANES^[42]
• Practical Horseman^[42]
• Southwest Art^[42]

Gallery

• 
  John Cowles Sr.
• 
  Mike Cowles