Chicago Tribune Memos and Other Bits

1970s Newsrooms go visual

History, 1974 Chicago Tribune Publishes Watergate Tapes in 1 Day, 1974

One of the moments of journalism history that I had a chance to live was the Chicago Tribune’s publishing of some of the Nixon White House tapes – the Watergate tapes – in 1974. It was also a moment where

Chicago Tribune Inter-Department Memo dated October 30, 1974, from Max McCrohon praising Howard Finberg's work in the graphics area

Memo, 1974 A Short Note About Graphics

This is about as short as a memo can get, and it is a favorite document in the collection. Written on a Chicago Tribune Inter-Department Memo form, dated October 30, 1974, from Max McCrohon to C. Kirkpatrick. Two lines. That’s

Typewritten 1974 Chicago Tribune staff report titled Proposals for Improving the Chicago Tribune and Attracting Younger Readers

Memo, 1974 Attracting Younger Readers: 1974 Tribune Report

This is a staff report from my early days at the Chicago Tribune, titled “Proposals for Improving the Chicago Tribune and Attracting Younger Readers.” It carries the names of nine staffers: Ovie Carter, Gary Deeb, Howard Finberg, Clarence Page, Don

History, 1975 Big City Newspaper: Chicago Tribune in 1975

The Chicago Tribune Marketing Department, sometime in 1975 [my guess] produced a guide to the newspaper for the educational services department of the company. It was a look, written for consumers [young ones] about how the Tribune was created —

Memo, 1975 Notes on Tribune Future, 1975

I wrote a memo about the future of the Chicago Tribune. It was part of a task force looking to redo the paper.

1980s Changing newsrooms

Memo, 1980 Chicago Tribune Newsroom Directory

Here’s the Editorial Department phone directory for the Chicago Tribune Staff in April 1980. The paper had an easy to remember phone number: 222-3232. And for Classified Ads: 222-2222.

Memo, 1982 Chicago Tribune Editorial Deadlines, 1982

The Chicago Tribune production deadlines for its 24-hour publishing/printing cycle in 1982. Some of the stories were on paper and some via an early computer [PPS] system.

1982 Chicago Tribune inter-department memo from Harriet Choice thanking Howard Finberg and the graphics department

Memo, 1982 A Thank You Note From the Travel Department

An inter-department memo from the Chicago Tribune, dated December 9, 1982, from Harriet Choice to Mike Argirion, with copies to Colleen Dishon and Jim Squires. It’s a note of appreciation for the work the graphics department was doing for the

History, 1985 Chicago Tribune Photo Request Form, 1985

An example of the Chicago Tribune’s photo request form used in 1985. Picture assignments were made through the picture assignment desk, either in the main city room or in the suburban Hinsdale, IL, bureau. Assignments were requested by either the

History, 1985 Chicago Tribune Photo Assignment Sheet 1985

This is an example of the workload of Chicago Tribune photographers in December, 1985. The Day Picture assignments on December 26, 1985 run from 7:00 am until 3:30. The notes on the disposition column show the photographer and whether the