Adolph Ochs

Adolph Ochs

Adolph Simon Ochs (b. March 12, 1858–April 8, 1935) was an American newspaper publisher and former owner of "The New York Times" and "The Chattanooga Times" (now the Chattanooga Times Free Press).

Ochs was born to German-Jewish immigrants, Julius and Bertha Levy Ochs, in Cincinnati, Ohio. The family moved south to Knoxville, Tennessee due to his mother's sympathies during the Civil War. Julius sided with the Union during the war, but it didn't separate the household. Ochs began his newspaper career there at age 11, leaving grammar school to become a printer's assistant at the "Knoxville Chronicle". At the age of 19, he borrowed $250 to purchase a controlling interest in "The Chattanooga Times", becoming its publisher. In 1896, at the age of 36, he again borrowed money to purchase "The New York Times", a money-losing newspaper that had a wide range of competitors in New York City. In 1904, he hired Carr Van Anda as his managing editor. Their focus on objective news reporting, in a time when newspapers were openly and highly partisan, and a well-timed price decrease (from 3 cents per issue to 1 cent) led to its rescue from near oblivion. The paper's readership increased from 9,000 at the time of his purchase to 780,000 by the 1920s.

In 1884, Ochs married Effie Wise, the daughter of Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise of Cincinnati, who was the leading exponent of Reform Judaism in America and the founder of Hebrew Union College. His only daughter, Iphigene Bertha Ochs, married Arthur Hays Sulzberger, who became publisher of the "Times" after Adolph died. Her son-in-law Orvil Dryfoos was publisher from 1961–63, followed by her son Arthur Ochs "Punch" Sulzberger. Her daughter, Ruth Holmberg, became publisher of "The Chattanooga Times". Ochs' great-grandson Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. has been publisher of "The New York Times" since 1992.

In 1904, Ochs moved the "Times" to a newly-built building on Longacre Square in Manhattan, which the City of New York then renamed as Times Square. On New Year's Eve 1904, Ochs had pyrotechnists illuminate his new building at One Times Square with a fireworks show from street level.

One of his nephews, Julius Ochs Adler, worked at the "Times" for more than 40 years, becoming general manager in 1935, after Ochs died. Another, John Bertram Oakes, the son of his brother George Washington Ochs Oakes, became editorial page editor of the "Times"' editorial page in 1961, which he edited until 1976.

Efforts against Anti-Semitism

Ochs was active in the early years of the Anti-Defamation League, serving as an executive board member, and using his influence as publisher of the New York Times to convince other newspapers nationwide to cease the unjustified caricaturing and lampooning of Jews in the American press.

References

*"The Trust: The Private and Powerful Family behind The New York Times", Susan E. Tifft and Alex S. Jones, Little, Brown and Company, 1999.
*"History of the ADL: http://www.adl.org/ADLHistory/1913_1920.asp

External links

* [http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0312.html Obituary, NY Times, April 9, 1935, "Adolph S. Ochs Dead at 77; Publisher of Times Since 1896"]
* [http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/ochs.html Jewish Virtual Library - Adolph Ochs]
* [http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=O008 Tennessee Encyclopedia article]
* [http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2054 Article in FAIR by John L. Hess assessing career]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Adolph Ochs — (US amerikanische Briefmarke, 1976) Adolph Simon Ochs (* 12. März 1858 in Cincinnati; † 8. April 1935 in Chattanooga (Tennessee)) war ein amerikanischer Reporter bayerischer Herkunft und jüdischer Konfession, der im Jahre …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Adolph Ochs — Adolph Simon Ochs (né le 12 mars 1858– mort le 8 avril 1935) était le premier propriétaire du journal américain New York Times. Ses parents, Julius et Bertha Levy Ochs, étaient des immigrés juifs allemands installés à Cincinnati, dans l Ohio. La… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Adolph Simon Ochs — Adolph Ochs (US amerikanische Briefmarke, 1976) Adolph Simon Ochs (* 12. März 1858 in Cincinnati, † 8. April 1935 in Chattanooga (Tennessee)) war ein amerikanischer Reporter bayerischer Herkunft und jüdischer Konfession, der im Jahre …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Adolph Simon Ochs — Adolph Ochs Adolph Simon Ochs (né le 12 mars 1858– mort le 8 avril 1935) était le premier propriétaire du journal américain New York Times. Ses parents, Julius et Bertha Levy Ochs, étaient des immigrés juifs allemands installés à Cincinnati, dans …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Ochs — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Adam Ludwig von Ochs (1759–1823), kurhessischer General und Diplomat Adolph Ochs (1858–1935), US amerikanischer Reporter Ernst Ochs (1888–1961), deutscher Germanist und langjähriger Herausgeber des… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ochs (surname) — Ochs is a German language surname meaning ox , and may refer to: Adolph Ochs, newspaper publisher and former owner of The New York Times Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Craig Ochs, American Football quarterback Heinrich Ochs, German Knight s Cross holder… …   Wikipedia

  • Adolph — [ad′ôlf΄, ā′dôlf΄] n. 〚L Adolphus < OHG Adolf, Adulf, lit., noble wolf < adal, nobility + wolf, WOLF〛 a masculine name: equiv. L. Adolphus, Fr. Adolphe, Ger. Adolf …   Universalium

  • Ochs — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom.  Cette page d’homonymie répertorie des personnes (réelles ou fictives) partageant un même patronyme. Ochs est le patronyme de: Adolph Ochs (1858… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Adolph — (as used in expressions) Gjellerup, Karl Adolph Gropius, Walter (Adolph) Ochs, Adolph Simon Volcker, Paul A(dolph) …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • OCHS — OCHS, U.S. family of newspaper publishers. JULIUS OCHS (1826–1888), founder of the family, was an immigrant from Bavaria who went into business in Louisville, Kentucky, and then in Knoxville, Tennessee. He became a communal leader and served as… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”