
Omaha Daily Bee

The Omaha Daily Bee (And Omaha Sunday Bee) was a leading newspaper that was active in the late 19th and early 20th century. The paper's editorial slant frequently pitted it against the "Omaha Herald", the "Omaha Republican" and other local papers. After a 1927 merger, it was published as the "Bee-News" until folding in 1937.
History.
It was founded as a pioneer newspaper in Omaha, Nebraska on May 8, 1871, by Edward Rosewater a Jewish immigrant from Bohemia who supported abolition and fought in the Union Army. The "Bee" was Nebraska's first regional newspaper, and was regarded nationally for its advocacy and success. By 1875 the "Bee" had a circulation of 2,520 and by 1882 those circulation numbers increased to 6,100 daily copies. And while it was primarily a local paper the "Bee" also carried national and regional news in a simple eight column design.
The paper's slogan was "Industry, Frugality and Service." in 1888 Rosewater built the Bee Building to accommodate its presses, which were claimed to be the largest in the country. After his father carried the paper to national fame before his death in 1906, the paper began to slip under his son Victor Rosewater's control. The "Bee" was criticized for sensationalizing alleged attacks by black men in 1919 with headlines such as ""Frenzied thousands join the orgy of blood and fire" which escalated inter-racial hatreds that resulted in the Omaha Race Riot of 1919. It involved three deaths and thousands of dollars in property damages.
The newspaper was sold to millionaire Nelson B. Updike, a local grain dealer, in 1920. In 1927, Updike purchased the "Omaha Daily News" and merged his papers to form the "Bee-News". In June 1928 the "Bee-News" was sold to William Randolph Hearst. In October 1937, Hearst sold the paper to the "Omaha World-Herald" for $750,000, which promptly discontinued its publication.
According to a 1954 "World-Herald" report, "Edward Rosewater actually did not have journalism in mind when he launched the first edition of the Bee on June 19, 1871, to influence the public in favor of the ratification of a legislative bill originated by him, creating the Board of Education."
"Bee" and "Bee-News" alumni include Don Hollenbeck, who later worked for CBS News.