Show Me the Newspapers

Ancestry announced on Thursday a new website: Newspapers.com. Subscription rates are $80/year or $40/year for those who are already subscribing to Ancestry or Fold3. [Note: I rounded up 5 cents from the advertised prices.]

This inspired me to compare the newspaper selections at five major newspaper archival sites. I decided to focus on one state, fully realizing that the comparison was likely to differ somewhat depending upon which state I chose. However, I do not have the time to do this for every state. I chose the state I, personally, was most interested in. Missouri. My ancestors first moved to this state in the 1880s, and my wife's ancestors moved here a bit earlier.

I looked at the newspaper collections at Newspapers (N), Ancestry (A), NewspaperArchive (NA), GenealogyBank (GB), and ChroniclingAmerica (CA).  Of these five, Chronicling America is the only free offering, since it is a product of the Library of Congress. I have free access to NewspaperArchive through my library card. I also can access Ancestry's newspapers at my local library, but I can't access them from home without maintaining my subscription.

Utilizing the abbreviations above, I have noted where a title has shared coverage at a different site. If only a portion of the years are duplicated, I have indicated which years the other site has.  I've separated the titles each site has exclusively.

Note: There are some titles that look similar, but if a site listed them as separate, I assumed they were.

Newspapers.com (22 titles, 9 exclusive, 9 also at NewspaperArchive, 9 also at Ancestry, 5 at all three)

Exclusive

• Mexico Ledger (Mexico, Missouri)
• 1947 – 1977 (52,521 pages )
• Moberly Democrat (Moberly, Missouri)
• 1899 – 1922 (2,883 pages)
• Moberly Evening Democrat (Moberly, Missouri)
• 1899 – 1923 (13,901 pages)
• Moberly Morning Monitor (Moberly, Missouri)
• 1910 – 1916 (2,235 pages)
• Moberly Weekly Democrat (Moberly, Missouri)
• 1906 – 1909 (2,182 pages)
• Neosho News (Neosho, Missouri)
• 1953 – 1976 (7,194 pages)
• The Neosho Daily News (Neosho, Missouri)
• 1913 – 1976 (49,781 pages)
• The Neosho Times (Neosho, Missouri)
• 1913 – 1938 (10,553 pages)

Shared

• The Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune (Chillicothe, Missouri) [A 1920-1988]
• 1901 – 1988 (141,823 pages)
• Cole County Democrat (Jefferson City, Missouri) [NA]
• 1904 – 1905 (8 pages)
• The Daily Capital News (Jefferson City, Missouri) [A] [NA]
• 1937 – 1977 (52,108 pages)
• Daily Capital News and Jefferson City Post-Tribune (Jefferson City, Missouri) [NA]
• 1931 – 1933 (276 pages)
• Jefferson City Post-Tribune (Jefferson City, Missouri) [A] [NA]
• 1932 – 1967 (8,715 pages)
• Jefferson City Tribune-Post (Jefferson City, Missouri) [NA]
• 1927 – 1927 (333 pages)
• Joplin Globe (Joplin, Missouri) [NA] 
• 1921 – 1929 (27,082 pages)
• Magic City Free Press (Moberly, Missouri) [A] [NA]
• 1970 – 1974 (1,618 pages)
• Moberly Monitor-Index (Moberly, Missouri) [A]
• 1922 – 1964 (38,057 pages)
• Moberly Weekly Monitor (Moberly, Missouri) [A]
• 1929 – 1929 (552 pages)
• The News and Tribune (Jefferson City, Missouri) [A] [NA]
• 1933 – 1976 (6,729 pages)
• Sedalia Daily Democrat (Sedalia, Missouri) [A] [NA]
• 1871 – 1925 (4,698 pages)
• The Sedalia Democrat (Sedalia, Missouri) [A]
• 1949 – 1950 (6,455 pages )
• The Sikeston Herald (Sikeston, Missouri) [A]
• 1936 – 1960 (12,270 pages)

Ancestry.com (17 titles, 5 exclusive, 9 also at Newspapers, 6 also at NewspaperArchive, 5 at all three)

Exclusive

• Chillicothe Morning Constitution (Chillicothe, Missouri)
• 1889-1985
• The Chillicothe Constitution (Chillicothe, Missouri)
• 1901-1928
• The Constitution Tribune (Chillicothe, Missouri)
• 1985-1988
• Stars and Stripes Newspaper, WWI Edition, 1918-1919
• 1918-1919
• U.S., "Happy Days" Newspaper of the Civilian Conservation Corps, 1933-1940
• 1933-1940

[Note: I believe Ancestry lists these last two for every state.]

Shared

• Daily Capital News (Jefferson City, Missouri) [N] [NA]
• 1937-1977
• Sedalia Daily Democrat (Sedalia, Missouri) [N]
• 1871-1925
• Sedalia Democrat, The (Sedalia, Missouri) [N] [NA]
• 1949-1950
• Jefferson City Post-Tribune (Jefferson City, Missouri) [N 1932-1967] [NA]
• 1929-1974
• Joplin Globe (Joplin, Missouri) [NA]
• 1944-1958
• Magic City Free Press (Moberly, Missouri) [N] [NA]
• 1970-1974
• Moberly Monitor-Index (Moberly, Missouri) [N 1922-1964]
• 1922-1977
• Moberly Weekly Monitor (Moberly, Missouri) [N 1929]
• 1929-1932
• News and Tribune (Jefferson City, Missouri) [N 1933-1976] [NA]
• 1933-1977
• The Chillicothe Constitution Tribune (Chillicothe, Missouri) [N]
• 1920-1988
• The Maryville Daily Forum (Maryville, Missouri) [NA]
• 1940-1955
• The Sikeston Herald (Sikeston, Missouri) [N]
• 1936-1960

NewspaperArchive (31 titles, 21 exclusive, 9 also at Newspapers, 6 also at Ancestry, 6 at all three)

Exclusive

• Capital Daily News (1970)
• Jefferson City, Missouri
• Chillicothe Weekly Constitution (1902 - 1920)
• Chillicothe, Missouri
• Daily Capital News and Post Tribune (1931 - 1933)
• Jefferson City, Missouri
• Daily Democrat Tribune (1910 - 1924)
• Jefferson City, Missouri
• Daily Saint Charles Cosmos Monitor (1921 - 1953)
• Saint Charles, Missouri
• Democrat Tribune (1920 - 1922)
• Jefferson City, Missouri
• Jefferson City Daily Capital News (1918 - 1972)
• Jefferson City, Missouri
• Jefferson City Daily Tribune (1909)
• Jefferson City, Missouri
• Jefferson City Democrat Tribune (1915 - 1920)
• Jefferson City, Missouri
• Jefferson City Tribune (1909 - 1927)
• Jefferson City, Missouri
• Jefferson City Weekly Tribune (1909)
• Jefferson City, Missouri
• Joplin Daily Globe (1898 - 2012)
• Joplin, Missouri
• Joplin News Herald (1921 - 1970)
• Joplin, Missouri
• Joplin Sunday Globe (2010 - 2012)
• Joplin, Missouri
• Mexico School News Roundup (1954)
• Mexico, Missouri
• Missouri Gazette Public Advertiser (1822)
• St Louis, Missouri
• Missouri Republican (1823 - 1824)
• St Louis, Missouri
• St Louis Star Times (1945)
• St Louis, Missouri
• St Louis Weekly Globe Democrat (1896 - 1901)
• St Louis, Missouri
• St Louis World Fair (1904)
• St Louis, Missouri
• Weekly Democrat Tribune (1911 - 1914)
• Jefferson City, Missouri

Shared

• Cole County Democrat (1904 - 1909) [N]
• Jefferson City, Missouri
• Daily Capital News (1920 - 1977) [A 1930-1977] [N 1930-1977]
• Jefferson City, Missouri
• Daily Capital News and Jefferson City Post Tribune (1931 - 1933) [N]
• Jefferson City, Missouri
• Daily Democrat (1871 - 1999) [N 1871-1925] [A 1871-1925]
• Sedalia, Missouri
• Jefferson City News and Tribune (1933 - 1978) [N 1933-1976] [A 1933-1977]
• Jefferson City, Missouri
• Jefferson City Post Tribune (1927 - 1978) [A 1929-1974] [N 1932-1967]
• Jefferson City, Missouri
• Jefferson City Tribune Post (1927) [N]
• Jefferson City, Missouri
• Joplin Globe (1915 - 2012) [A 1944-1958] [N 1921-1929]
• Joplin, Missouri
• Magic City Free Press (1970 - 1974) [A] [N]
• Moberly, Missouri
• Maryville Daily Forum (1940 - 1955) [A]
• Maryville, Missouri

GenealogyBank (15 titles, 15 exclusive)

• Hannibal - Missouri Courier
• 1/18/1849 – 12/28/1854
• Kansas City - Kansas City Star
• 9/18/1880 – 12/31/1941
• Kansas City - Kansas City Times
• 5/1/1884 – 1/31/1896
• Kansas City - Rising Son
• 1/16/1903 – 12/28/1907
• Kansas City - Cosmopolitan
• 8/22/1914 – 11/15/1919
• Sedalia - Sedalia Times
• 8/31/1901 – 12/19/1903
• St. Louis - St. Louis Republic
• 5/1/1888 – 10/31/1900
• St. Louis - Daily Missouri Republican
• 3/1/1841 – 4/1/1888
• St. Louis - St. Louis Palladium
• 1/10/1903 – 10/5/1907
• St. Louis - Daily Commercial Bulletin
• 5/18/1835 – 12/31/1838
• St. Louis - Weekly St. Louis Pilot
• 1/6/1855 – 11/15/1856
• St. Louis - Missouri Gazette and Public Advertiser
• 3/23/1808 – 9/18/1818
• St. Louis - St. Louis Enquirer
• 3/17/1819 – 12/18/1824
• St. Louis - St. Louis Clarion
• 12/18/1920 – 4/2/1921
• Washington - Die Washingtoner Post
• 11/17/1870 – 11/14/1878

Chronicling America (57 titles, 57 exclusive)

• The Professional world.
• Columbia, Mo., 1901-1903
• The Cape weekly tribune.
• Cape Girardeau, Mo., 1914-1914
• Fair play.
• Ste. Genevieve [Mo.], 1872-1921
• The Jasper news.
• Jasper, Mo., 1901-1922
• The Holt County sentinel.
• Oregon, Mo., 1865-1880
• The Hayti herald.
• Hayti, Mo., 1909-1922
• The state republican.
• Jefferson City, Mo., 1890-1896
• The Missouri herald.
• Hayti, Mo., 1922
• The Cape County herald.
• Cape Girardeau, Mo., 1911-1914
• The Montgomery tribune.
• Montgomery City, Mo., 1900-1910
• The St. Joseph observer.
• St. Joseph, Mo., 1915-1922
• The Lincoln County herald.
• Troy, Lincoln County, Mo., 1866-1873
• The state journal.
• Jefferson City, Mo., 1872-1878
• The Kansas City sun.
• Kansas City, Mo., 1914-1920
• Boon's Lick times.
• Fayette, Mo., 1840-1848
• The Cape Girardeau Democrat.
• Cape Girardeau, Mo., 1891-1901
• Hannibal journal.
• Hannibal, Mo., 1853-1853
• The County paper.
• Oregon, Mo., 1881-1883
• The Holt County sentinel.
• Oregon, Mo., 1883-1921
• Osage Valley banner.
• Tuscumbia, Miller County, Mo., 1879-1881
• The Weekly tribune and the Cape County herald.
• Cape Girardeau, Mo., 1914-1918
• Monroe City Democrat.
• Monroe City, Mo., 1898-1919
• Kansas City journal.
• Kansas City, Mo., 1890-1899
• Glasgow weekly times.
• Glasgow, Mo., 1848-1861
• Western union.
• City of Hannibal, Mo., 1850-1851
• Hannibal journal.
• Hannibal, Mo., 1852-1853
• University Missourian.
• Columbia, Mo., 1908-1916
• The Saline republican.
• Marshall, Mo., 1898-1899
• Morgan County democrat.
• Versailles, Mo., 1903-1906
• Morgan County republican.
• Versailles, Mo., 1906-1914
• The Rich Hill tribune.
• Rich Hill, Mo., 1903-1910
• The tribune.
• Rich Hill, Mo., 1901-1902
• Mexico Missouri message.
• Mexico, Audrain County, Mo., 1899-1918
• The Jackson herald.
• Jackson, Mo., 1901-1910
• Glasgow weekly times.
• Glasgow, Howard County, Mo., 1866-1869
• The Howard union.
• Glasgow, Mo., 1865-1865
• The news boy.
• Benton, Scott County, Mo., 1894-1897
• Scott County kicker.
• Benton, Mo., 1901-1917
• The daily Missourian.
• Columbia, Mo., 1916-1917
• The Evening Missourian.
• Columbia, Mo., 1917-1920
• The Columbia evening Missourian.
• Columbia, Mo., 1920-1922
• Saturday morning visitor.
• City of Warsaw, Mo., 1848-1849
• The Sedalia weekly bazoo.
• Sedalia, Mo., 1877-1893
• Weekly graphic.
• Kirksville, Adair Co., Mo., 1880-896
• The Troy herald.
• Troy, Mo., 1873-1878
• Salt River journal.
• Bowling Green, Mo., 1839-1841
• The radical.
• Bowling Green [Mo., 1841-1845
• The St. Louis Republic.
• St. Louis, Mo., 1900-1906
• Kansas City daily journal.
• Kansas City, Mo., 1895-1897
• Sedalia weekly conservator.
• Sedalia, Mo., 1903-1908
• Democratic banner.
• Bowling Green, Pike County, Mo., 1845-1851
• Hannibal journal and western union.
• Hannibal, Mo., 1851-1852
• Richmond democrat.
• Richmond, Ray County, Mo., 1879-1888
• The Rising son.
• Kansas City, Mo., 1903-1907
• The Andrew County Republican.
• Savannah, Mo., 1871-1876
• The weekly tribune.
• Cape Girardeau, Mo., 1918-1919
• The Marshall republican.
• Marshall, Saline County, Mo., 1899-1914

Conclusions

1) Newspapers.com is definitely not merely a duplicate of the selection at Ancestry. Nor is it a duplicate of the selection at NewspaperArchive. There is overlap, but all three have unique coverage.

2) GenealogyBank and Ancestry are essentially tied with 15 titles in Missouri, not counting the two national titles at Ancestry. However, GenealogyBank's titles are all exclusive. And they have coverage in St. Louis and Kansas City the other sites don't have. I don't know if it holds up in other states, but in Missouri GenealogyBank seems to have an urban focus, while the other sites focus rurally.

3) If a researcher isn't utilizing ChroniclingAmerica - they are missing out on an excellent free resource.

4) Personally, I don't see a strong need to subscribe to Newspapers.com.  However, this choice is going to depend entirely on the newspapers of interest for each individual researcher.