John Cowles Jr.

John Cowles Jr. (May 27, 1929 – March 17, 2012) was an American editor and publisher, son of John Cowles Sr. (1898–1983). Cowles sat on the boards of directors of the Associated Press and Columbia University's Pulitzer Prizes and had been CEO of Cowles Media Company, founded by his grandfather and until 1998 the parent of the Star Tribune.[1][2]

John Cowles Jr.
John Cowles Jr. in 1978
Born(1929-05-07)May 7, 1929
Des Moines, Iowa, US
DiedMarch 17, 2012(2012-03-17) (aged 82)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
NationalityAmerican
Alma materHarvard University
OccupationPublisher
SpouseSage Cowles
Children4

Biography

In 1960, he helped Minneapolis raise US$2.4 million to build the first Guthrie Theater and later helped the city build the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Cowles then supported the Guthrie's demolition in 2006 for the expansion of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden next door to the Walker Art Center.[3]

After serving as vice president and associate editor of the Minneapolis Tribune and the Minneapolis Star-Journal, in August 1960 Cowles Jr. assumed editorship of both papers.[4][5] He became president in 1968 and editorial chairman the following year. Cowles had a progressive political viewpoint, publishing editorials supporting the civil rights movement and liberal causes.[6]

In 1965, Cowles acquired half-interest in Harper's magazine which during his fifteen-year tenure lost readers and nearly US$2 million.[7][8]

In 1982 the afternoon Star was discontinued due to low circulation, and the staffs of the Star and Tribune were transferred to the merged Minneapolis Star and Tribune. Cowles Jr., fired publisher Donald R. Dwight. His handling of Dwight's termination led to his removal as editor in 1983, although his family retained a controlling financial interest in the newspaper.[6]

In a 2006 essay written at the University of Minnesota Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, Cowles wrote, "The nonprofit sector must reform itself, most notably by initiating some minimum federal standards of behavior and by limiting the lifespan of private foundations to 25 or 30 years so that emphasis is on accomplishment, not process and perpetuation."[3][7] He donated startup funds for MinnPost.com which was founded in 2007.[2]

Cowles died at home of lung cancer on March 17, 2012.[9] He was 82.

Notes
  1. "Media profiles". Ketupa.net. Archived from the original on 2007-08-30. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
  2. Wyant, Carissa (2007-08-27). "Cowles, Lynch back Web daily venture". Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. American City Business Journals, Inc. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
  3. Webb, Latasha (2001-11-07). "Guthrie Theater demolition plans fuel patron debate". The Minnesota Daily, via Internet Archive. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved August 4, 2019. and Gelfand, Lou (2006-07-09). "Nonprofits champion Cowles calls for limits on their lifetimes". Star Tribune. Avista Capital Partners. Retrieved 2007-09-01.
  4. "Minneapolis Man Gets Houston Post". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. September 20, 1960. p. 39. Retrieved June 14, 2014 – via NewspaperArchive.com.
  5. "The Press: Let History Try". Time. August 29, 1960. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  6. Royce, Gradon (March 19, 2012). "Publisher John Cowles Jr., who Shaped the Twin Cities for 50 Years, Dies". Minneapolis Star Tribune.
  7. "Harper's Bazaar". Time. Time Warner Inc. 1965-05-07. Archived from the original on February 20, 2008. Retrieved 2007-08-30.
  8. Manning, Robert (Fall 2000). "Harper's Magazine: A Survivor!". Nieman Reports, the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. 54 (3). Retrieved 2010-03-11. Review of Lapham, Lewis H. and Ellen Rosenbush, eds. (2000). An American Album: One Hundred and Fifty Years of Harper's Magazine Franklin Square Press. ISBN 1-879957-53-1
  9. Star-Tribune obituary (March 18, 2012)

Further reading

Obituaries

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