A new documentary, "Final Edition: Journalism According to Jack and Jim Knight," premieres Monday, Oct. 26, at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium at the Akron-Summit County Public Library, 60 S. High St., Akron.
The premiere date is the birthday of the late Jack Knight. A discussion and reception follows the documentary showing. All of the events are free and open to the public. Parking in the adjoining deck after 6 p.m. is also free.
Origins in Akron
John (Jack) and Jim Knight were Akron brothers and prominent national figures who owned and ran the Beacon Journal newspaper in the 1900s. They eventually created the Knight-Ridder Newspapers Inc. empire of 31 daily and 26 nondaily newspapers in 28 U.S. markets, including the well-known Detroit Free Press, Miami Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer, and San Jose Mercury News. The brothers also founded the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, now based in Miami.
UA documentaries on PBS
“Final Edition: Journalism according to Jack & Jim Knight,” will be broadcast on Western Reserve Public Media (PBS 45 & 49) on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 10 p.m.
In addition, Ghoulardi fans will want to tune in to the documentary, “Turn Blue: The Short Life Ghoulardi,” on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 9 p.m. on Western Reserve PBS. Ghoulardi, played by Ernie Anderson, was a Cleveland counter-culture media celebrity who hosted WJW-TV’s late night horror movies from 1963 to 1966.
Produced and directed by Phil Hoffman, who teaches radio and television for the School of Communication, the documentary is the latest in a series of local history productions that Hoffman has created in cooperation with Western Reserve Public Media. This time the focus is on Anderson, who donned a fright wig, to become the favorite of area teens. In the process, Anderson created a local TV tradition that continues today with Hoolihan and Big Chuch and Little Jon.
Check program listings for when both programs are repeated.
The prize-winning newspaper group, at one time the nation's largest, was sold to McClatchy Company in 2006 and Knight-Ridder passed into history.
"Final Edition" tells the story of the Knight family, the Beacon Journal and the rise and fall of Knight-Ridder. The documentary was produced and written by Paul Jacoway of Paul R. Jacoway Productions of Akron and Dr. Kathleen Endres, distinguished professor of communication at The University of Akron.
Three years in the making and narrated by David Lieberth, deputy mayor of the City of Akron, the documentary features interviews with local newspaper writers Abe Zaidan and Michael Douglas, Beacon Journal Editor Bruce Winges, and Knight Foundation President Alberto Ibarguen.
The documentary was underwritten by a grant from the Ohio Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Contacts for media:
- Dr. Kathleen Endres at endres@uakron.edu or 330-972-6846
- Cyndee Ramsthaler at cyndee@uakron.edu or 330-972-5196