From Publishers Weekly
With the caution of a stroller through a minefield, Miami Herald columnist Whited here writes an encomium to John S. Knight (1894-1981), founder of a newspaper empire. Knight, who saw himself as a self-made man, inherited the Akron Beacon Journal in the 1930s and added the Miami Herald , Detroit Free Press and Philadelphia Inquirer ; then he joined with the Ridder chain to form one of the nation's largest print media groups. He was a controversial newspaper tycoon: a Republican, he was anti-Roosevelt and anti-New Deal and a pre-World War II isolationist. Later, however, he was an early opponent of the Vietnam War. Knight maintained that he allowed his editors autonomy, yet he established a kind of political line via a column he wrote. Whited is clearly a loyalist, making a strong if arguable case for Knight as unyieldingly committed to freedom of the press. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Miami Herald columnist Whited captures the excitement of newspaper publisher John L. "Jack" Knight and his times in this fast-paced biography. As a young man, Knight inherited the ailing (Akron) Beacon Journal . When he died 50 years later, Pulitzers were commonplace, and the company's holdings had been merged with those of the Ridders to form a chain that boasted a daily circulation of 3.2 million in 33 cities and annual revenues of $1 billion. Personally, though, Knight could be distant and inconsistent; he was an avid gambler in Miami while his newspaper was railing against illegal casinos there. But what shines through is a man who advocated press freedom, and a journalist who loved his work. Essential reading about a major player in this bygone era of newspapers. Michelle Lodge, New York
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
