A Guide to Hartford, Connecticut Newspapers

Hartford, Connecticut, like many other major cities in the United States, is home to several different newspapers. Some of these newspapers are produced daily, some weekly, and some are published bi- weekly, or monthly. Among these newspapers are the Hartford Courant, which is “America’s Oldest Continuously- Published Newspaper”, the Hartford Advocate, a free weekly arts and entertainment guide and the Greater Hartford News, a free weekly newspaper which focuses on local community issues.

While several other smaller newspapers are also regularly published in Hartford, Ct, the three afore- mentioned publications are among the most widely- read of all local newspapers. Some of the other newspapers that are regularly published in Hartford, Ct are; the Hartford Undercurrent, a free, bi- weekly political and counter- cultural paper, the Hartford Business Journal and the Hartford Inquirer, a free publication that features news and issues pertinent to many inner- city residents. Presented here, is a guide to the three most widely- read local newspapers in Hartford, Connecticut.

The Hartford Courant, which is ” America’s Oldest Continuously Published Newspaper”, is the most widely- read newspaper in Hartford and the entire state of Connecticut. Published seven days a week, this newspaper’s weekday editions feature several different sections. These include the ‘front’, or main news section, which features local, national and International news, plus the Op- Ed and Letters to the Editor pages. A local section, which features items of community interest, calendars and health information, plus the obituary pages is a daily feature in this Hartford, Ct newspaper. A very good business section and local classified ads, plus informative sports and lifestyle pages and a large comics section are other regular features of this newspaper.

Special once- a – week sections such as “CAL”, a weekly arts and entertainment guide, LIFE (R) Magazine and great automotive and food sections are well- written and enjoyable to read. The Sunday edition of the Hartford Courant is chock- full of all the daily features, but also includes color comics, USA Weekend Magazine, a real estate, and large classified ad sections, a television guide, plus many advertising circulars. The Hartford Courant newspaper has a daily circulation of 200,000 and almost 300,000 on Sundays. Normal retail price for the Hartford Courant is 0.50c daily and $1.50 on Sundays.

Hartford, Connecticut’s largest and most frequently- read “Alternative” newspaper, the Hartford Advocate bills itself as Hartford, Ct’s “News and Arts Weekly”. This hip, informative newspaper is distributed free- of- charge weekly to commercial establishments, colleges and workplaces and can be found in many newspaper- vending boxes throughout Hartford County. The Hartford Advocate features regular political columns by highly- seasoned and intelligent writers, as well as local news exposes.

Letters to the Editor, local strange crime reports, humorous true- stories and “News Of The Weird” (R) are popular regular features in this Hartford, Connecticut newspaper. Art listings, book, film and CD reviews, cartoon strips, an astrology column and movie and theater listings are also constant features in the Hartford Advocate. A local music column, interesting classified ads, including a large section devoted exclusively to adult- oriented material, a local bar column, an excellent automotive column and competent dining reviews normally provide entertaining reading in this newspaper. Other interesting items featured in the Hartford Advocate are; very good local restaurant listings, a sudoku puzzle, a sex- advice column and the Boston Globe Crossword Puzzle.

The Greater Hartford News, or the “Hartford News”, as it is commonly known, is a small, weekly newspaper that is distributed free- of- charge throughout the city of Hartford, Connecticut. Calling itself “Hartford’s Only City- Wide Newspaper”, the Greater Hartford News features local community news items and calendars of local events. Well- written regular political columns and an excellent senior- citizen- oriented column are highlights of this newspaper. Legal notices, art and library news and local classified ads are regular features in the Greater Hartford News. Additionally, a substantial section of this newspaper is printed in Spanish and features items of interest to Hartford, Connecticut’s large Hispanic community.