Daily Tribune
U.S. center (local/regional)
Background
The Tribune was founded on September 12, 1901, in Columbia, Missouri, by former University of Missouri student Charles Monro Strong. Edwin Moss Watson purchased it in 1905, and it remained in the Watson-Waters family for over 111 years — a long run of independent family ownership unusual among American dailies. Henry 'Hank' Waters III served as publisher and editorial voice for decades, giving the paper a locally rooted, moderately independent editorial character. In 2016, the Waters family sold the Tribune to GateHouse Media, a corporate chain operator. GateHouse's parent company, New Media Investment Group, acquired Gannett Co. in 2019 and adopted the Gannett name, placing the Tribune inside one of the largest U.S. newspaper chains, owner of USA Today and hundreds of local papers. Critics of the GateHouse/Gannett acquisition model cited staff reductions and a shift away from the deep local journalism the Waters era was known for. In 2025, Gannett announced it would close its Columbia printing plant, moving production to Des Moines, Iowa — a sign of continued cost-cutting across the chain. The paper is rated Center by AllSides, though with low confidence due to limited review data, consistent with its focus on local Missouri news over national commentary.
Sources
- Columbia Daily Tribune – Wikipedia
- Columbia Daily Tribune sold to GateHouse Media – Columbia Missourian
- Columbia Daily Tribune Media Bias Rating – AllSides
- Gannett closing downtown Columbia printing of Tribune papers – ABC17 News
- The Tribune's 'Tragedy' – Gateway Journalism Review
- Paxton Media Group – Wikipedia (for comparison/context on regional chains)
Profile compiled 2026-08-07; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.