The Arizona Capitol Times is a non-partisan, weekly newspaper covering state politics and government published every Friday in Phoenix, Arizona. The paper focuses on the Arizona Legislature, the state's politicians, government agencies and elected leadership.
History
Arizona News Service, which publishes the Arizona Capitol Times, was founded by Ned Creighton in 1906 before Arizona became a state. The operation was run and expanded by his son Robert until 1970, when Robert's son, also Ned, assumed control of the business.
During the first four decades, the elder Ned Creighton ran Arizona News Service out of various buildings in downtown Phoenix, Ariz. In 1946, Robert Creighton convinced his father, who he had worked with during World War II, to jointly purchase a newspaper then called The Messenger, which was founded in 1900. They each chipped in $750 so they could buy the paper for $1,500.
In 1959, the name of the paper was changed from The Messenger to The Arizona Legislative Review to better reflect its content. During that time, the newspaper was largely a recital of bills in the Arizona Legislature and occasional news stories about Arizona politics. With the hiring of a reporter, the publication began to evolve in the late 1950s and 1960s. It started including more news stories and going beyond just functioning as a paper of record.
In 1982, The Arizona Legislative Review was renamed Arizona Capitol Times. During the early 1980s, Creighton's wife Diana joined the newspaper. She read and rewrote short versions of Arizona Attorney General opinions and developed an old-photograph feature - Times Past - that continues today. It is one of the paper's most popular features.
In 2005, Arizona News Service, which includes the Arizona Capitol Times, was purchased by Minneapolis-based Dolan Media Company, Inc. (Now known as The Dolan Company) (NYSE:DM).
Dolan Media went public in 2008 and in 2014 filed a prepackaged bankruptcy plan that it exited in June of the same year. Bayside Capital took over ownership in June 2014 until January 2016 when Arizona News Service and its sister publications across the country that include niche print, digital publications and events were purchased by New Media Investment Group, owners of GateHouse Media and Propel Marketing. Today they are owned by BridgeTower Media, the B2B media division of GateHouse Media.
Daily content
The Arizona Capitol Times covers state politics, government and business with a focus on the daily activities of the Arizona Senate, Arizona House of Representatives and the state's top elected officials, including the Governor's Office. The paper also publishes stories on elections, court rulings and the actions of local governments. The paper regularly features commentaries, letters to the editor, an event calendar, a people in the news page, a listing of state contracts, an Arizona news roundup page and political news from other states.
Weekly features
Cap Times Q&A A question and answer interview with a political or business figure who has recently made the news. Times Past: Stories from the state's - and sometimes the territory's - past. Entries typically include an old photograph of the subject and are written by state historians and other freelance writers. Focus: A section piece typically eight to 16 pages dedicated to a specific subject such as economic development, environment, healthcare, transportation, energy and much more. Stories are written in "enterprise" style - including in-depth analyses and an array of photos. Supplements: A stand-alone section piece typically eight to 24 pages dedicated to a specific subject such as education, community giving & volunteers, Going Green and much more. Stories are written in "enterprise" style - including in-depth analyses and an array of photos.