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Philadelphia Inquirer

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The Philadelphia Inquirer


TypeDaily newspaper
Address801 Market Street
MapView on Google Maps
NeighborhoodCenter City
Phone(215) 854-2000
WebsiteOfficial site
Established1829
FounderJohn R. Walker and John Norvell
OwnerThe Lenfest Institute for Journalism
ProductsNews, journalism
StatusActive
The Philadelphia Inquirer(215) 854-2000801 Market StreetPhiladelphiaPAUS

The Philadelphia Inquirer is a daily newspaper serving Philadelphia and the surrounding region. Founded in 1829, it is one of the oldest continuously published daily newspapers in the United States and the largest American newspaper owned by a nonprofit organization. The Inquirer has won 20 Pulitzer Prizes, including three in the past decade, making it one of the most decorated newspapers in American journalism history.[1]

The newspaper is owned by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, a nonprofit organization that acquired the publication in 2016 from Philadelphia philanthropist H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest. This ownership structure—a for-profit newspaper owned by a nonprofit—has become a model for sustainable local journalism that has inspired similar arrangements in cities across the country.

History

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Founding

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The Philadelphia Inquirer was founded on June 1, 1829, by John R. Walker and John Norvell as The Pennsylvania Inquirer. The newspaper has published continuously for nearly 200 years, surviving the Civil War, two World Wars, the Great Depression, and the digital revolution that devastated many American newspapers.

Key Dates:

  • 1829 - Founded as The Pennsylvania Inquirer
  • 1860 - Name changed to The Philadelphia Inquirer
  • 1936 - Purchased by Moses Annenberg
  • 1969 - Walter Annenberg sells to Knight Newspapers
  • 1975-1990 - "Golden Age" under editor Gene Roberts
  • 2006 - Sold to Philadelphia Media Network
  • 2014 - Purchased by Gerry Lenfest
  • 2016 - Donated to The Lenfest Institute for Journalism

The Gene Roberts Era

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The Inquirer experienced its most celebrated period under executive editor Gene Roberts (1972-1990). During this "Golden Age," the newspaper won 17 Pulitzer Prizes—including six consecutive years of awards from 1975-1980—more than any other newspaper in America during that period.

Time magazine named The Inquirer one of the ten best daily newspapers in the United States. The newspaper's investigative reporting, international coverage, and literary journalism set new standards for American newspapers.

Pulitzer Prizes

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Awards

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The Philadelphia Inquirer has won 20 Pulitzer Prizes, placing it among the most decorated newspapers in American history.[2]

Recent Pulitzer Prizes:

  • 2014 - Criticism (Inga Saffron, architecture critic)
  • 2012 - Public Service (coverage of violence in Philadelphia schools)
  • 1997 - Explanatory Journalism

Historic Achievement: Between 1975 and 1990, The Inquirer won 17 Pulitzer Prizes, including awards for:

  • Investigative reporting
  • National reporting
  • International reporting
  • Feature writing
  • Editorial writing
  • Commentary
  • Criticism
  • Photography

The newspaper was also a 2022 Pulitzer Prize finalist for its coverage of Philadelphia's gun violence crisis.

Notable Coverage

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The Philadelphia Inquirer is known for:

  • Investigative journalism - Award-winning investigations into local corruption, institutional failures, and public interest issues
  • Local news coverage - Comprehensive reporting on Philadelphia city government, schools, crime, and community issues
  • Architecture criticism - Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage by Inga Saffron
  • Sports coverage - Deep coverage of Philadelphia's major sports teams
  • Political reporting - Coverage of Pennsylvania politics and national issues

Ownership

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The Lenfest Institute

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The Philadelphia Inquirer is owned by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing sustainable models for local news. The Inquirer itself operates as a for-profit public benefit corporation owned by the nonprofit institute.

This unique structure—the largest American newspaper owned by a nonprofit—was created in 2016 when Philadelphia philanthropist H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest donated the newspaper to the newly-created institute along with a $20 million endowment.

Ownership Structure

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The Inquirer's ownership structure is nuanced:

  • The Lenfest Institute for Journalism is a nonprofit organization
  • The Philadelphia Inquirer operates as a for-profit public benefit corporation
  • The nonprofit institute owns the for-profit newspaper

This arrangement allows The Inquirer to maintain editorial independence, including the ability to endorse political candidates (which pure nonprofits cannot do), while being supported by a nonprofit mission focused on public service journalism.

The Lenfest Institute provides funding, strategic support, and a public-interest ownership framework that prioritizes journalism over shareholder returns. This model has inspired similar nonprofit ownership structures at newspapers in Baltimore, Chicago, Salt Lake City, Lancaster, and other cities.

The Philadelphia Daily News

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The Philadelphia Daily News was a tabloid newspaper that operated alongside The Inquirer for decades. In 2020, the two publications were formally merged, with the Daily News ceasing to exist as a separate publication.

History:

  • The Daily News was founded in 1925
  • Known for its bold headlines, sports coverage, and working-class perspective
  • Shared ownership with The Inquirer since the 1970s
  • Merged with The Inquirer in 2020

Some Daily News features and columnists were absorbed into The Inquirer. The tabloid's distinctive voice is occasionally echoed in The Inquirer's coverage, but the Daily News brand no longer exists as a standalone publication.

Current Operations

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Publication Schedule

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Yes, The Philadelphia Inquirer publishes seven days a week, both in print and online at inquirer.com.

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Yes, The Philadelphia Inquirer continues to publish a daily print edition, though like most newspapers, its primary readership has shifted to digital. The print edition is available at newsstands, in stores, and through home delivery subscription.

Circulation

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The Inquirer's circulation has declined significantly from its peak in the 1990s, following industry-wide trends. The newspaper now focuses on digital subscriptions alongside its print offerings. Combined print and digital readership reaches hundreds of thousands of readers throughout the Philadelphia region.

Subscriptions

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Subscriptions are available at inquirer.com or by calling customer service:

Subscription Options:

  • Digital-only subscription (full website access)
  • Print + digital subscription (home delivery plus online access)
  • Sunday-only print subscription

The website offers various promotional rates for new subscribers.

Leadership

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Current Leadership (as of 2024):

  • Publisher: Elizabeth H. Hughes
  • Editor and Senior Vice President: Gabriel Escobar
  • Managing Editors: Charlotte Sutton, Patrick Kerkstra, Richard G. Jones, Michael Huang, Kate Dailey, Danese Kenon

See Also

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References

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  1. ↑ "The Philadelphia Inquirer". The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Retrieved December 22, 2025
  2. ↑ "The Philadelphia Inquirer". Wikipedia. Retrieved December 22, 2025
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