The Berkshire Eagle

Overview

The Berkshire Eagle is a daily newspaper published in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, covering all of Berkshire County and four nearby New York communities. It is considered the newspaper of record for Berkshire County. It is owned by a group of local investors operating as New England Newspapers Inc.

History

Traces to the Western Star, a weekly founded in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in 1789. The Berkshire County Eagle weekly launched in 1852 after several name and location changes; the first daily edition published May 9, 1892. Kelton B. Miller purchased the paper in 1891, beginning six decades of Miller family ownership; the family also acquired the Bennington Banner (1960), Brattleboro Reformer (1966 per one company history, 1969 per another) and Manchester Journal (1983). Beset by debt from a costly headquarters renovation, the Millers sold the Eagle and its three Vermont sister papers to MediaNews Group of Denver in 1995 for a reported $39 million. Alden Global Capital acquired MediaNews Group in 2013 under the Digital First Media umbrella. In April 2016, local investors Fredric D. Rutberg, John C. "Hans" Morris, Robert G. Wilmers and Stanford Lipsey bought New England Newspapers Inc. back from Digital First Media. In May 2021, the group sold its Vermont properties -- the Bennington Banner, Brattleboro Reformer and Manchester Journal -- to Vermont News and Media LLC, retaining The Berkshire Eagle to focus investment there.

Notable works

Won a Pulitzer Prize for editorials in 1973. Media critic Ben Bagdikian reportedly named it one of only three great newspapers in the world, alongside Le Monde and The New York Times. Won the New England Newspaper and Press Association's Newspaper of the Year Award for eight consecutive years, 2018-2025.

Key personnel

President and Publisher, New England Newspapers Inc.: Fredric D. Rutberg

Audience

Residents of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and nearby New York communities.

Location and contact info

Website
https://www.berkshireeagle.com