For 60 years Anaconda Co. was the press lord of Montana, owning seven dailies* in five of the state's major cities. Last week Anaconda's Board Chairman Clyde Weed announced that the company aimed to sell all seven papers. Behind the decision is the story of how Anaconda bought newspapers to consolidate its hold on Montana, came to discover that they were doing the company more harm than good.
The chain was forged in the turn-of-the-century war of the copper kings, when the company used its newspapers as ironfisted, copperplated propaganda sheets in its successful...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
