Omar Bennett
The Lawton Constitution, one of the oldest publications in Southwest Oklahoma, has had a rich history since its establishment in 1903 as the pioneer paper of Comanche County. Over the years, the daily newspaper has changed hands several times, most recently in 2012 when it was sold by Don and Steve Bentley to the Burgess brothers, Bill and Brad, who are lawyers and businessmen in Lawton. The new owners, proud of their roots in Lawton, expressed their intention to continue the legacy of the publication while also bringing new ideas to the table. The staff's excitement about these prospective changes hints at a positive reception to the new ownership, but the reaction of the Lawton community at large to these developments remains unknown.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ownership | Sold by Don and Steve Bentley to the Burgess brothers in 2012 |
| Sold by the Burgess brothers to Southern Newspapers, Inc. in 2018 | |
| Pride | The Burgess brothers grew up reading the Constitution and feel a sense of pride in their hometown |
| New Ideas | The new owners plan to continue the previous owners' work but also have new ideas |
| History | Established in 1903 as the successor to the Elgin Eagle |
| Merged with The State Democrat in 1907 to become the Lawton Constitution-Democrat | |
| Resumed publication as The Lawton Constitution in 1911 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The Lawton Constitution's ownership change in 2012
The Lawton Constitution, a daily newspaper published in Lawton, Oklahoma, changed ownership in 2012 after more than a century under the ownership of the Bentley family. John Shepler initially bought the paper in 1910, and it remained with successive generations of his family until his great-grandsons, Don and Steve Bentley, sold it on March 1, 2012. The new owners were another pair of brothers, Bill and Brad Burgess, lawyers, and businessmen in Lawton who owned several technology and real estate companies. They had no prior media experience but were excited about the opportunity, according to Mike Owensby, the general manager of The Lawton Constitution. The Burgess brothers said they planned to continue the work of the previous owners while also bringing new ideas to the table, which excited the staff.
The Lawton Constitution was first published in 1904 and is one of the oldest publications in Southwest Oklahoma. The Burgess brothers grew up in Lawton and felt a strong sense of pride in their community. They assured staff members that it would be "business as usual" and expressed their eagerness to take on the responsibility of such a longstanding publication in their hometown.
While the reaction to the sale from the previous owners, Don and Steve Bentley, is unknown as they were unavailable for comment, the change in ownership was met with excitement and optimism from the staff of The Lawton Constitution. The staff looked forward to the new ideas that the Burgess brothers planned to bring while also continuing the legacy of the publication.
However, according to a review on Indeed.com, the change in ownership and the new direction of the paper were not well-received by customers. The review mentions an "overwhelming consensus" of unhappiness with the changes, and the reviewer's personal opinion is that the new ownership is not as customer-friendly as the previous one. The reviewer also mentions issues with how carriers are treated and expresses a negative view of the circulation manager's people skills. This review highlights a contrast in perceptions, as the staff anticipated a positive direction, but at least a portion of the customers expressed dissatisfaction with the changes.
The Living Constitution: Should We Update It?
You may want to see also
The Lawton Constitution's history
The Lawton Constitution, the pioneer paper of Comanche County, was established in 1903 as a successor to the Elgin Eagle newspaper. The paper had both daily and weekly editions, with the daily edition published every day except Sundays, and the weekly edition issued on Thursdays. In its early years, the paper had a circulation of around 500 for the daily edition and 1,625 for the weekly edition, which increased to 2,267 the following year.
In 1905, the Constitution Company began publishing the paper, with J. Roy Williams serving as editor, and S. K. Rush and H. M. Tilton listed as managers. James H. Timmons later took over as manager from volume three onwards. John N. Shepler purchased the paper in 1910, becoming the editor and remaining in the position until at least 1911. The paper stayed in the Shepler family for generations until John's great-grandsons, Don and Steve Bentley, sold it on March 1, 2012.
The Lawton Constitution was then sold to brothers Bill and Brad Burgess, who are lawyers and businessmen in Lawton. The brothers intended to continue the work of the previous owners while also bringing new ideas to the publication. The Burgess brothers grew up in Lawton and felt a strong sense of pride in their community. They also owned several technology and real estate companies.
In April 2018, the Burgess brothers sold the Lawton Constitution to Southern Newspapers, Inc.
Race Subordination: Was it Recognized by the US Constitution?
You may want to see also
The Lawton Constitution's successors
The Lawton Constitution, one of the oldest publications in Southwest Oklahoma, has had several successors since its establishment in 1903 as the successor to the Elgin Eagle newspaper.
The Lawton Constitution was established in 1903 and began publishing in 1904. In 1905, the Constitution Company published the paper, with J. Roy Williams serving as editor and S. K. Rush and H. M. Tilton as managers. James H. Timmons later took over as manager. In 1907, the paper merged with The State Democrat to become the Lawton Constitution-Democrat, with T. M. Bixby as editor. The paper resumed publication under its original name, The Lawton Constitution, in 1911.
In 1910, John Shepler bought the Lawton Constitution, and it remained with successive generations of his family until 2012. On March 1, 2012, John Shepler's great-grandsons, Don and Steve Bentley, sold the paper to brothers Bill and Brad Burgess, who are lawyers and businessmen in Lawton. The Burgess brothers grew up in Lawton and felt a strong sense of pride in their community. They also owned several technology and real estate companies. While they planned to continue the work of the previous owners, they also intended to bring new ideas to the publication.
In April 2018, the Burgess brothers sold The Lawton Constitution to Southern Newspapers, Inc., marking another succession in the ownership and management of the historic publication.
Executive Power: Controlling the Legislative Branch
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Lawton Constitution's circulation numbers
The Lawton Constitution, one of the oldest publications in Southwest Oklahoma, has had a long and varied history of ownership since its establishment in 1903 (or 1904). Circulation numbers for the publication are hard to come by, but we do know that from 1906 to 1907, the daily edition of the newspaper had a circulation of 500, while the weekly edition had 1,625 subscribers. The following year, the weekly edition's circulation rose to 2,267.
The Lawton Constitution was initially established as a successor to the Elgin Eagle newspaper. In 1905, the Constitution Company published the paper, with J. Roy Williams serving as editor, and S. K. Rush and H. M. Tilton as managers. In 1907, the paper merged with The State Democrat to become the Lawton Constitution-Democrat, which was published daily and weekly with T. M. Bixby as editor.
In 1910, John Shepler bought the Lawton Constitution-Democrat, and the paper resumed publication under its original name, 'The Lawton Constitution', in 1911. The paper remained with successive generations of the Shepler family until it was sold by John Shepler's great-grandsons, Don and Steve Bentley, to brothers Bill and Brad Burgess in 2012. The Burgess brothers, who are lawyers and businessmen in Lawton, were proud to take over the legacy of one of the oldest publications in the region. They grew up reading the Constitution and felt a strong sense of pride in their hometown of Lawton.
The new owners, the Burgess brothers, planned to continue the work of the previous owners while also bringing new ideas to the table. However, it is unclear what impact, if any, these changes had on the circulation numbers of the publication. In April 2018, the Burgess brothers sold the newspaper to Southern Newspapers, Inc., marking another change in ownership for the historic publication.
Founding Fathers: Democracy's Friend or Foe?
You may want to see also
The Lawton Constitution's cost
The Lawton Constitution is a daily newspaper published in Lawton, Oklahoma. The paper was first established in 1903 as the successor to the Elgin Eagle and has been through several ownership changes since then.
In its early years, the Lawton Constitution cost four dollars per year for a daily subscription and one dollar per year for a weekly subscription. From 1906 to 1907, the daily paper had a circulation of 500, while the weekly edition had 1,625 subscribers. In 1907, the paper merged with The State Democrat to become the Lawton Constitution-Democrat, and the subscription price dropped to three dollars per year. By the following year, the weekly edition's circulation had increased to 2,267.
In 1910, John Shepler bought the paper, and it remained with his family until March 2012, when his great-grandsons, Don and Steve Bentley, sold it to brothers Bill and Brad Burgess, who are local lawyers and businessmen. The Burgess brothers expressed their pride in owning a publication they grew up reading. They also shared their excitement about bringing new ideas to the table while continuing the work of the previous owners.
The Lawton Constitution changed hands again in April 2018 when the Burgess brothers sold it to Southern Newspapers, Inc. While the specific costs of these transactions are not publicly available, the sales prices likely reflected the value and legacy of this longstanding publication in Southwest Oklahoma.
Trump's Constitution: A Vision for America's Future?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The Lawton Constitution is a daily newspaper published in Lawton, Oklahoma. The newspaper was established in 1903 as a successor to the Elgin Eagle and has been published since 1904.
The Lawton Constitution was initially owned by John Shepler, who bought the paper in 1910. It remained with successive generations of the Shepler family until his great-grandsons, Don and Steve Bentley, sold it to brothers Bill and Brad Burgess in 2012. The brothers then sold the paper to Southern Newspapers, Inc. in April 2018.
The Burgess brothers planned to continue the work of the previous owners, Don and Steve Bentley, while also bringing new ideas to the publication.
