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{{Short description|Daily newspaper based in Helena, Montana}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2012}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox newspaper
| name = Independent Record
| image = 
| caption = 
| type = [[Daily newspaper]]
| format = [[Broadsheet]]
| foundation = August 2, 1867, as ''The Daily Herald'' and October 12, 1867, as ''The Weekly Independent''
| ceased publication = 
| owner = [[Lee Enterprises]]
| publisher = Dave Worstell
| editor = Thomas Martinez
| language = English
| circulation = 14,083 Daily
| circulation_date = 2023
| circulation_ref = <ref name="Lee Enterprises' 10-K annual filing">{{cite web|url=https://investors.lee.net/static-files/d97194ec-e9c5-4e1c-8c74-a05e37542331 |title=Form 10-K|author=Lee Enterprises |website=investors.lee.net |access-date=February 29, 2024}}</ref>
| headquarters = [[Helena, Montana|Helena]], [[Montana]]
| publishing_country = United States
| ISSN = 2326-9588
| eISSN = 2326-9596
| oclc = 11978496
| website = {{URL|helenair.com}}
}}

The '''''Independent Record''''' (often abbreviated to '''''IR''''') is a daily [[newspaper]] printed and distributed in [[Helena, Montana]]. The newspaper is owned by [[Lee Enterprises]].<ref>[http://www.lee.net/aboutlee/ "About Lee"]. [[Lee Enterprises]]. Retrieved November 12, 2011.</ref>

== History ==
[[File:1870+ Front-page banners of early newspapers in Helena, Montana.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5| Early Helena newspapers included The ''Daily Independent'' and ''The Helena Weekly Independent''.]]
The roots of the ''IR'' lie in two newspapers that were founded in 1867, ''The Daily Herald'' of [[Helena, Montana|Helena]] and ''The Weekly Independent'' of [[Deer Lodge, Montana|Deer Lodge]].

''The Daily Herald'' started publishing in Helena on August 2, 1867.<ref>{{cite web |title=About The Daily herald. [volume] (Helena, M.T. [i.e. Mont.]) 1867-186? |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85053243/ |website=Chronicling America |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=22 October 2020}}</ref> ''The Weekly Independent'' started publishing in Deer Lodge on October 12, 1867,<ref>{{cite web |title=About The weekly independent. [volume] (Deer Lodge City, Mont.) 1867-1875 |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84027525/ |website=Chronicling America |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=22 October 2020}}</ref> and then moved to Helena in March 1874,<ref>{{cite web |title=About The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943 |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025308/ |website=Chronicling America |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=22 October 2020}}</ref> and began publication as ''The Daily Independent'', and then, in 1875, as ''The Helena Independent''.<ref>{{cite web |title=About The Daily independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1874-1875 |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85053100/ |website=Chronicling America |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=22 October 2020}}</ref>

The ''Herald'' later merged with ''The Montana Daily Record'', which was founded in August 1900.<ref>{{cite web |title=About The Montana daily record. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1900-1916  |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025307/ |website=Chronicling America |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=22 October 2020}}</ref> The new publication was renamed ''The Montana Record-Herald''.<ref>{{cite web |title=About The Montana record-herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1916-1943 |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85053101/ |website=Chronicling America |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=22 October 2020}}</ref> Additionally, on November 22, 1943, another merger followed: this time with ''The Helena Independent'', to become the ''Independent Record''.<ref>{{cite web |title=About The independent-record. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1943-current |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85053105/ |website=Chronicling America |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=22 October 2020}}</ref>

After over thirty years of ownership by the [[Anaconda Copper Mining Company]], the ''IR'' was sold to Lee Enterprises in 1959.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 2, 1959 |title=Eight Montana Newspapers Bought by Lee Organization |work=Livingston Enterprise |pages=1}}</ref> The ''IR'' converted from [[hot metal typesetting|hot metal]] to [[phototype]] in 1973, and in 1975, installed one of the first newsroom computer systems. In the summer of 2002, a new press plant was opened and housed in a new {{convert|30000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} printing and distribution center.

Starting July 11, 2023, the print edition of the newspaper will be reduced to three days a week: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Also, the newspaper will transition from being delivered by a traditional newspaper delivery carrier to mail delivery by the U.S. Postal Service.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-06-11 |title=Your expanded Helena Independent Record coming soon |url=https://helenair.com/your-expanded-helena-independent-record-coming-soon/article_a6e0485d-95e3-5522-a455-dc1c3f6ad25e.html |access-date=2023-06-24 |website=The Independent Record |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Montana Free Press]], an [[investigative journalism]] organization based in Helena, Montana

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website}}
* {{LCCN8|sn85053105|chronicling=yes}}

{{Lee Enterprises}}
{{Newspapers in Montana}}

[[Category:Newspapers published in Montana]]
[[Category:Lee Enterprises publications]]
[[Category:Helena, Montana]]
[[Category:1867 establishments in Montana Territory]]
[[Category:Daily newspapers published in the United States]]
[[Category:Newspapers established in 1867]]


{{Montana-newspaper-stub}}