Chicago Standard Newspapers - ABOUT US

4/8/2002 Part of the BlackPressUSA Network <!-- // Begin IMAGE rollovers function newImage(arg) { if (document.images) { rslt = new Image(); rslt.src = arg; return rslt; } } function changeImages() { if (document.images && (preloadFlag == true)) { for (var i=0; i<changeImages.arguments.length; i+=2) { document[changeImages.arguments[i]].src = changeImages.arguments[i+1]; } } } var preloadFlag = false; function preloadImages() { if (document.images) { // name of variable does not matter blank = newImage("Images/Blank.gif"); arrow = newImage("Images/menu/Arrow.gif"); arrow2 = newImage("Images/menu/Arrow2.gif"); arrowClear = newImage("Images/menu/ArrowClear.gif"); preloadFlag = true; } } preloadImages(); // end IMAGE rollovers // --> HOME NEWS EDITORIAL LIFESTYLE SPORTS ABOUT US NETWORK SITES ABOUT US Chicago Standard Newspapers/South Sububan Last Updated: 12/29/2001 6:59:57 PM BRIEF HISTORY OF STANDARD NEWSPAPERSChicago Standard Newspaper & Chicago South Suburban StandardThe history of the Standard Newspapers can be divided into two periods: 1979-1986 as a bi-weekly and 1986 to present as two weekly publications, the Chicago South Suburban Standard and the Chicago Standard Newspaper. The South Suburban Standard Newspaper was conceived late in 1978 as a response to a void in the gathering of newsworthy events in the predominantly Black communities and other communities where Blacks and other minorities lived. The white majority daily and weekly newspapers simply relegated the African American communities to the crime blotter, obituary and church sections, and on occasions, sports. We knew there was more to Black life and culture than the distortion that was beamed throughout the area and we decided to do something about it. On January 6, 1979 the South Suburban Standard was launched as a bi-weekly publication of 8 pages. This paper was started with nothing but an idea, commitment, blood, guts, and a great deal of sweat equity. The paper had a staff of two; Lorenzo andPat, my wife along with two young children. Our initial circulation was 3,500 and all of our work was done on an old coffee table in the family room with a newly purchased IBM Selectric II Composer which cost $6,000. Early in 1980, we converted the familyroom into a news production center, photo lab, and purchased some used file cabinets, and a desk.By 1983 we brought a big ticket item, a Compugraphic Editwriter 7500 which cost us nearly $25,000 in all. This was our largest gamble to date. Our circulation was now 6,300 and we had grown to 12 pages. Revenue was picking up, but not enough to cover the balance of the IBM Selectric and later the loan that we borrowed for the Compugraphic. However, we survived. Expansion was needed by the end of 1983 and talk of a weekly was a necessity if the Standard was going to be competitive with the other newspapers in the South Suburban area. In 1984 on our fifth anniversary, the South Suburban Standard and the newly created Chicago Standard News were launched as semi-weekly publications. The South Suburban Standard continued to expand in the south suburbs with a circulation of 14,500 while the Chicago Standard Newspaper with its circulation of 5,000 was concentrated on the South and Far South West sides of the city. With the acquisition of some national advertising, the papers grew slowly but surely until today it is firmly rooted into the various communities that it serves. In 1986, the Standard Newspapers began to print on a weekly basis. It had outgrown its birthplace inside the home of its owners who purchased a building located at 615 Halsted, Chicago Heights, Ill. The building was converted into a newspaper office complex and serves as the center of operations for the Standard. In 1987, the Standard Newspapers were accepted as full members in the National Newspaper Publishers Association and in 1990, the Standard was one of the host papers for the Association's 50th anniversary held in the city of Chicago. Today, we have an efficient news and sales operation on the premise at 615 Halsted which houses a computer complex which is equipped with the latest hardware and software in the publishing business. We are the only newspaper in Chicago Heights. The white owned paper has been bought out by a Chicago daily. We are serving the Black communities in the area and not a day or week passes when we are asked to come to special meetings, appear on community programs, serve as resource specialist, print letters to the editor, and utilize our papers as a platform to air the issues of the day. Today, we are a fully computerized, desktop publishing operation with a verified circulation of 15,000 for the South Suburban Standard and 16,000 for the Chicago Standard News. We hope to continue improving our product and keeping our record intact of not missing a printing since our inception. Let it be said that we are the voice of the African-American community in Chicago's south suburbs and the city’s south side. SEARCH Click here for anAdvanced Search Contact Us: Copyright 2001 All Rights Reserved :: Legal and Privacy Policy