Kay Fanning

Katherine "Kay" Fanning (October 18, 1927 – October 19, 2000) was an American journalist and newspaper editor and publisher. She was editor and publisher of the Anchorage Daily News. In 1983, she became editor of the Christian Science Monitor in Boston, Massachusetts, becoming the first woman to edit an American national newspaper. She was the president of the American Society of News Editors from April 1987 to April 1988.

Biography Born Katherine Woodruff, she was the only child of a "small-town banker" in Illinois. Sent to private school, she later graduated from Smith College. After college, she returned to Illinois and soon met Marshall Field IV, heir to a large publishing business. She soon got a part-time job at the Anchorage Daily News, her first job, but in a field she felt close to, having been married to a newspaper publisher for 13 years, and having had some experience at her college newspaper. Her early experience writing at the paper gave her a wide variety of assignments and topics, from dog sled races to tragedy to controversies, such as birth control. As a single mother, finding time to write was difficult and Fanning settled on writing from 3:00 to 7:00 in the morning.

In spring 1966, newspaper editor Larry Fanning came to visit. Formerly managing editor at the San Francisco Chronicle and later, editor at the Chicago Daily News, where he worked for Field's ex-husband. The two quickly married. Larry Fanning came to investigate the possibility of purchasing the Anchorage Daily News, the owners of which were nearing retirement. Both Kay Fields and Fanning grew interested in the idea, and though the financial prospects did not look good, they were not dissuaded, seeing the public service possibilities of the newspaper, wanting to provide an alternative voice and feeling that it would become a family venture involving her children, as well. After some difficult negotiations, they were able to buy the newspaper in September 1967.

Under the Fannings, the newspaper continued to have financial problems, but they hired a number of young journalists and directed the focus of the newspaper toward more investigative journalism. Fanning stayed at the Anchorage Daily News until 1983, when she moved to Boston to work at the Christian Science Monitor and became the first woman to edit an American national newspaper. then in its second year and costing the church millions of dollars. Fanning also criticized restructuring that she said would give the business manager direct control of the Monitor's editorial content and with the cuts in funds and page count would mean "the serious weakening of [the Monitor's] editorial substance". The resignations were announced at a staff meeting, where it was reported Fanning's remarks drew applause.

Personal life Fanning had three children with her first husband, Marshall Field IV, a son, film producer and entrepreneur Ted Field, and two daughters. She was married to her second husband, Larry Fanning, in late summer, 1966. 1996 Yankee Quill Award Inducted into the Alaska Women's Hall of Fame