Pasadena Star-News

History and ownership

The Star-News has a recorded history stretching back to the late 19th century. Over the decades it has changed ownership several times, reflecting broader consolidation in the U.S. newspaper industry. In 1956 Ridder Newspapers acquired the title and Bernard J. Ridder became publisher. Ridder later merged with Knight to form Knight Ridder in 1974. The paper was sold in 1989 to an enterprise associated with publisher William Dean Singleton; the Thomson Corporation obtained majority control the following year. In 1996 the Star-News became part of the MediaNews Group and joined the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, aligning it operationally with other regional papers.

Coverage, format and features

The Star-News appears as a local daily offering a mix of reporting and opinion. Typical sections include local news, metro reporting, business, sports, arts and community features. It aims to provide beat reporting on city government, schools and neighborhood issues, supplemented by commentary and lifestyle pieces. The newspaper has also produced special publications and community-oriented magazines to highlight local culture and events.

Sister publications and affiliations

• Member of the Los Angeles Newspaper Group and the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper Group.
• Associated and regionally grouped with the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and the Whittier Daily News.
• Maintains a web presence; readers often consult the paper’s online edition for updates and archives (Pasadena Star-News website).

Notable facts and local ties

The Star-News operated from a long-standing building at the corner of Colorado Boulevard and Oakland Avenue in Pasadena. That structure has since been repurposed for other local uses, including educational and fitness facilities such as Technique at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and 24 Hour Fitness. The newspaper has also issued supplemental publications, for example a community magazine known as Rose Magazine, aimed at cultural and lifestyle topics of local interest.

As a local institution, the Pasadena Star-News exemplifies the role of municipal newspapers in documenting civic life, providing watchdog reporting, and offering a forum for public discussion within a medium-sized American city.