Nelson Paul Poynter was the owner of the St. Petersburg Times, in Florida,
which for years has enjoyed the reputation as one of the best newspapers in the United
States. Poynter was born in 1903 in Sullivan, Ind., where his father owned several
newspapers. In 1912, his father, Paul, bought the St. Petersburg Times and turned it into a
family business.
As a young man, Poynter began gaining experience in the newspaper business. He
worked as a reporter, editor, advertising salesman and ad director at different newspapers.
In 1947, when Poynter bought controlling interest in the newspaper, the Times began its
rise toward excellence. He based his enterprises on "standards of ownership," defining
ownership as a "sacred trust and a great privilege" in which the owner had responsibilities
to the community.
For Nelson Poynter, the standards meant honesty, integrity, aggressive
service and financial independence. It also meant high standards for staff and......
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