Stauffer Communications

Stauffer Communications was a corporation which until 1995 owned many media and other companies in Topeka, Kansas including the Topeka Capital-Journal and WIBW, WIBW-FM, and WIBW-TV.

The company was founded by Oscar Stauffer in 1930 as Stauffer Publications following stints at the Emporia Gazette and Kansas City Star. When Stauffer died at age 95 in 1982 the company had grown to 31 newspapers and broadcast companies in 11 states. [ [http://www.kspress.com/img/HOF/members/stauffer.html Kansas Press biography] ]

At the time of its sale its multi-state operations included 20 daily newspapers, 11 radio stations, 3 magazines, and the broadcast rights to Kansas City Royals baseball. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE3DA1438F935A25755C0A963958260 Media Concern Adds 12 Stauffer Papers - New York Times ] ] In 1995 it was bought by Morris Communications Corporation of Augusta, Georgia, for $275 million. As a condition of the sale, Morris had to sell Stauffer's television holdings. Most of the former Stauffer television holdings, including WIBW-TV, were sold to Benedek Broadcasting in 1996. Morris also sold off all of Stauffer's magazines and its insurance and alarm operations.

Mary Stauffer Brownback, a granddaughter of Oscar Stauffer, is married to Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS). [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4179/is_20070121/ai_n17147793 Wife says senator truly a family man | Topeka Capital-Journal, The | Find Articles at BNET.com ] ]

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