Joint Operating Agreement between The Seattle Times and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer goes into effect on May 23, 1983.

  • By Patrick McRoberts
  • Posted 1/01/2000
  • HistoryLink.org Essay 2154
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On May 23, 1983, the first issues of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (P-I) to be printed on presses at The Seattle Times are delivered, inaugurating the Joint Operating Agreement between the two newspapers.

Under the agreement, The Times would manage printing, advertising, circulation, and most other commercial operations for both papers, while the two would remain editorially independent. The Times would publish afternoon editions Monday through Friday, with morning editions on Saturday and Sunday. The Post-Intelligencer would publish morning editions Monday through Saturday. The combined Sunday edition would be edited by The Times but would contain an editorial section produced by the P-I.

The Joint Operating Agreement was approved despite litigation filed by opponents who felt the combined operation would consitute a virtual monopoly. An appeals court ruling cleared the way for the merger.

The Joint Operating Agreement resulted in the layoff of all but 150 P-I employees.


Sources:

Stephen H. Dunphy, "The Seattle Times Will Switch to Morning Publication March 6," The Seattle Times, October 27, 1999; Scott Maier, "P-I to Roll Off Times Press Starting Tonight," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 22, 1983; Scott Maier, "P-I Will Be Quieter on Monday," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 22, 1983.


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