Patuxent Publishing Company’s History

In June of 1969 the Columbia Flier was born, on the second birthday of the “new town” that had become a focal point of the Baltimore/Washington corridor. The Flier’s first issue, complete with an ad as its cover, was a mere eight page, 7xl0-inch “shopper.” Delivered free to 2,000 households, editorial copy was limited to a calendar of events and an introduction by then owner and publisher S. Zeke Orlinsky.

Two years later, the irregularly published Flier went weekly. Its circulation had soared to 9,000, with households receiving news as well as advertising. In November of 1971, Jean F. Moon joined the Flier as a freelance writer. Sixteen months later, she was editor, and six months after that, she was named general manager. She became a minority partner in 1974 and remained with the company until 1995.

The Flier’s success was nothing short of remarkable. The paper ran 64 tabloid pages on its fifth birthday. The first 100-page issue came in May of 1976. Two years later, the staff moved to the Columbia Flier building. On November 1, 1978, Orlinsky and Moon sold majority control of the company to Whitney Communications Corporation, a New York-based firm. Exactly one year after the sale, Patuxent Publishing Company (PPC) purchased five newspapers. The acquisition—which included the Arbutus Times, Catonsville Times, Howard County Times, Northeast Booster and Northeast Reporter—more than doubled the company’s staff.

Eight months later, in July of 1980, the company purchased the Laurel Leader. In late 1984, PPC further strengthened its position in the Baltimore/Washington corridor by winning the contract to publish Soundoff!,the Ft. Meade-based newspaper serving the army personnel and civilians working on the base and at the National Security Agency (NSA).

Just one year later, PPC took another leap forward, purchasing a community telephone directory business. Currently, eight telephone books, dating as early as 1969, are published for the communities of Bowie, Carroll County, Catonsville, Crofton, Harford County, Howard County, Laurel, and Olney. In January of 1988, PPC moved into a new area of publishing with the purchase of Columbia Magazine, which was converted to a bimonthly publication.

The largest acquisition to date came in May of 1988 with the purchase of the Times Publishing Group, which added the Baltimore Messenger, The Jeffersonian, Owings Mills Times and Towson Times to PPC’s roster of community newspapers. Then in 1996, the North County News was added.

In September of 1997, PPC was sold to The Baltimore Sun Company, a subsidiary of The Times Mirror Company, the Fortune 500 Company based in Los Angeles. Patuxent Publishing Company and sister company, Homestead Publishing Company, together form the Baltimore Sun Community Newspaper Group. Homestead Publishing produces The Aegis, The Record, The Weekenders and APG News.

In the fall of 1998, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Towson Times, PPC introduced its newest publication, Towson Magazine. Then, in June of 2000, PPC, along with the entire Times Mirror Company, merged with the Tribune Company, a leading media company with operations in television and radio broadcasting, publishing, education and interactive ventures. In 2001, PPC acquired Maryland Family Magazine and the other publications of the former Alliance Media, Inc.

In 2004, PPC made a big step forward and acquired The Eldersburg Eagle and launched The Westminster Eagle. Shortly after, in January of 2005, PPC once again moved into a new area of publishing by purchasing ChesapeakeHome, a regional lifestyle magazine.

Today, PPC has approximately 275 employees who work out of the company headquarters in Columbia, as well as in offices in Catonsville, Laurel, Towson and Westminster.

For a more detailed description of PPC’s market areas, click on the Rates/Media Kits link and scroll down to the media kits section for individual product demographics

Contact Information

HOWARD COUNTY
Main Office
10750 Little Patuxent Parkway
Columbia, Maryland 21044

Publications
Columbia Flier, Howard County Times

Display Advertising
(410) 730-3620, Balt. line (410) 995-0250, D.C. line (301) 621-5218
Telefax (410) 997-0885
e-mail

Real Estate Advertising
(410) 730-3990, Balt. line (410) 995-1667, D.C. line (301) 621-5232
Telefax (410) 992-6861
e-mail

Classified Advertising
(410) 884-4600
Telefax (410) 992-6861
email

Legal Advertising
(410) 337-2455
Telefax (410) 825-4278
e-mail

Editorial
(410) 730-3620
Telefax (410) 997-4564
e-mail

BALTIMORE COUNTY
Baltimore County Office
409 Washington Avenue
Towson, Maryland 21204

Publications
Baltimore Messenger, The Jeffersonian, Northeast Booster, Northeast Reporter,
Owings Mills Times, Towson Times, North County News

Display Advertising
(410) 337-2455
e-mail

Real Estate Advertising
(410) 337-2455
Telefax (410) 296-2707
e-mail

Classified Advertising
(410) 321-0247
Telefax (410) 992-6861
e-mail

Legal Advertising
(410) 337-2455
Telefax (410) 825-4278
e-mail

Editorial
(410) 337-2400
Telefax (410) 337-2490
e-mail

Catonsville Office
757 Frederick Road Ste. 103
Baltimore, Maryland 21228
(410) 788-4500

Publications
Arbutus Times, Catonsville Times

Display Advertising
(410) 730-3620, Balt. line (410) 995-0250, D.C. line (301) 621-5218
Telefax (410) 997-0885
e-mail

Real Estate Advertising
(410) 730-3990, Balt. line (410) 995-1667, D.C. line (301) 621-5232
Telefax (410) 992-6861
e-mail

Classified Advertising
(410) 884-4600
Telefax (410) 992-6861
e-mail

Legal Advertising
(410) 337-2455
Telefax (410) 825-4278
e-mail

Editorial
(410) 788-4500
Telefax (410) 788-4103

CARROLL COUNTY
Carroll County Office
121 E Main Street
Westminster, Maryland 21157

Publications
The Eldersburg Eagle, The Westminster Eagle

Display Advertising
(410) 386-0334
Telefax (410) 386-0340
e-mail

Real Estate Advertising
(410) 730-3990, Balt. line (410) 995-1667, D.C. line (301) 621-5232
Telefax (410) 992-6861
e-mail

Classified Advertising
(410) 884-4600
Telefax (410) 992-6861
e-mail

Editorial
(410) 386-0334
Telefax (410) 386-0340

MONTGOMERY COUNTY & LAUREL/FT. MEADE

Laurel Editorial Office
615 Main Street
Laurel, Maryland 20707

Publications
Laurel Leader, Soundoff!

Display Advertising
(301) 621-5218, Balt. line (410) 792-4271
Telefax (301) 725-0930
e-mail

Real Estate Advertising
(410) 730-3990, Balt. line (410) 995-1667, D.C. line (301) 621-5232
Telefax (410) 992-6861
e-mail

Classified Advertising
(410) 884-4600
Telefax (410) 992-6861
e-mail

Editorial
(301) 725-2000
Telefax (301) 317-8736

DIRECTORY DIVISION

Patuxent Publishing Company publishes community telephone books in the Baltimore/Washington market. Eight directories, dating from as far back as 1969, serve the affluent communities in the suburbs of the nation's fourth largest consolidated marketplace. The directories have undergone size, format, and content changes, which have turned them into valuable resources to the communities they serve.

Directory Division
555 Main Street
Laurel, Maryland 20707

Publications
Bowie Community Telephone Book, Carroll County Community Telephone Book, Catonsville Community Telephone Book, Crofton Community Telephone Book,
Harford County Community Telephone Book, Howard County Community Telephone Book, Laurel Community Telephone Book, Olney Community Telephone Book

Advertising
(301) 725-2005, Balt. line (410) 792-4271
Telefax (301) 725-7344
e-mail

The contents of Patuxent Publishing Company: About Our Publications is copyright © Patuxent Publishing Company 2005. All Rights Reserved. No part of this web document or its images may be used or copied without written permission. Violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

PATUXENT PUBLISHING COMPANY
10750 Little Patuxent Parkway | Columbia, Maryland 21044
Phone (410) 730-3990 | Fax (410) 964-8324 | Email webmaster@patuxent.com