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Philadelphia Inquirer Building
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History
In 1829, two men created The Pennsylvania Inquirer in the hopes of getting a piece of the frenzied media action in the city. Philadelphia already had six major, competitive newspapers. While the first two owners struggled, the next owner, Jesper Harding, and his son, William, established the Inquirer as a dominant force in media. The Hardings acquired rival papers, established delivery routes, cut prices, changed the paper's size, and changed the name to The Philadelphia Inquirer. In the Civil War, the Inquirer's battlefield coverage garnered respect and popularity. By 1889, the paper was sold to James Elverson, who innovated the paper further, by cutting prices and increasing the paper's size again, utilized promotions and classified advertising, and added new sections, including a Sunday edition. Elverson even used the paper to campaign for public works. Elverson's son's tenure began in the 1910s, during which time the base of operations was moved to Broad Street. The paper thrived and circulation soared. But after Elverson the younger's death in 1929, the paper was sold, and through a series of other sales, was sold to Knight Newspapers. The paper's reputation from 1975 to 1990 flourished, as the paper's reporting garnered national awards. In recent times, cuts, a push to local coverage, and competition with internet sources have led to circulation drops and a sale to businessman Brian Tierney. Today, Inquirer figures estimate an average of two million readers both in print and in online editions, as the paper focuses on adapting to the changing needs of its readers.
Research: Sarah L. Hunter
Site Photos: Joseph E.B. Elliott
Newsroom 2009
Event Info
Saturdays & Sundays 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
May 30 - June 28, 2009
May 30 - June 28, 2009
The artist explores women’s issues, feminism and roles of women in the news industry as they have been and continued to be portrayed by The Philadelphia Inquirer. The newspaper’s archives extending back to 1829, serve as inspiration for four broadside prints that explored the emphasis and intention of stories by and featuring women. Visitors get to take home their own limited edition copy of the artists work.
Co-Producer: Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia
Webpage: http://www.preservationalliance.com
Support for development and planning of this project has been provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage through the Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative.
Artist
Aleksandra Mir
http://www.aleksandramir.info/Aleksandra Mir's works often take the form of social processes that are open for anyone who wishes to give the work meaning. The work of art is an exercise that operates in everyday life; a humanistic and playful organism with a large social appetite. The work's course of events is often started by Mir as a situation-bound intersection between specific events and the work's location. From this starting point the discussion is extended to more general conditions like traditions, norms and categorization.
