History Of The Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal, published by Dow Jones & Company, is a renowned English daily publication bringing important news to millions around the nation, only tying with USA Today for being the most widely circulated newspaper in the States.

But where did this newspaper giant, which offers insights and articles on local and international business and finance, get its start? In 1882, Charles Dow along with Edward Jones and Charles Bergstresser, founded Dow Jones & Company in the heart of New York City. The small Customers' Afternoon Letter was converted by Edward Jones in the Wall Street Journal, making its publication debut in 1889.

In 1902, company control was purchased by Clarence Barron. Under this man's guidance and clearly spectacular business skills, the Wall Street Journal boomed in circulation from 7,000 to a 50,000 by the 1920s. Though Barron died in 1928, the newspaper remained in descendants hands until 2007.

Because of its prominence in the financial news world, the Wall Street Journal has remained steady through the decades, even moving right through the Great Depression. The Journal became a prominent figure in the 1940s as the US boomed in industrial prosperity. It was in this time also that the newspaper began to take shape into the publication we know today.

Bernard Kilgore, who became managing editor in 1941 and CEO of the company in 1945, helped increase sales and circulation even more. By the time of Kilgore's passing in 1967, the Wall Street Journal had increased in circulation to 1.1 million. In 1947, by Kilgore's expertise, the newspaper won its first Pulitzer Prize.

Over the last two decades, with the increase of technology, decrease in newspaper readership, and rising newspaper costs, the Wall Street Journal has had to find other ways to retain it's popularity and importance. In 1996, an online version of the journal was launched. In 2007, there were noted to be nearly one million paid subscribers to the website, which has since been expanded to include foreign language editions as well.

Even with the currently struggling economy, the Wall Street Journal is able to maintain readership and prominence in the American society. And it appears that no matter what financial crisis or other national struggles may be presented, this journal will continue to be one of the top publications in our nation for many more decades to come.