List of Newspapers in Washington

In the Evergreen State of Washington, where towering evergreens meet innovative urban hubs like Seattle and tech-driven economies, newspapers remain essential for delivering local news, investigative reporting, and community connection. From the rainy streets of Seattle to the apple orchards of Yakima and the volcanic landscapes near Mount Rainier, Washington newspapers cover a wide range of topics: tech industry developments, environmental issues like salmon recovery and wildfire management, politics in Olympia, outdoor recreation, and sports rivalries involving the Seahawks, Mariners, and college teams at UW and WSU. If you're searching for "Washington newspapers list," "Washington state news sites with URLs," "daily newspapers in Washington 2026," or "best local papers in WA," this SEO-optimized guide provides a complete Washington all newspaper list with URLs, drawing from reliable sources like the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association (WNPA), Washington State Library, and Wikipedia compilations.

Washington's media ecosystem includes major dailies with national reach, regional papers serving metro areas, and hundreds of community weeklies that focus on hyper-local stories in the state's 39 counties. With a population exceeding 7.8 million, the state supports diverse outlets, many under ownership groups like McClatchy (for some), Sound Publishing (community papers), and independents. Print circulation has declined—e.g., Seattle Times daily around 50,000-100,000 range in recent years—but digital platforms thrive, with sites like seattletimes.com and heraldnet.com attracting millions of monthly visitors. This article explores history, categories, major titles with URLs, regionals, digital innovations, and future trends, making it your go-to resource for "Washington media directory" or "WA local news URLs" in 2026.

The Rich History of Newspapers in Washington

Washington's journalistic legacy dates back to the territorial era, before statehood in 1889. The first newspaper, The Columbian (1852 in Olympia), served as a voice for settlers in the Washington Territory, promoting growth and debating issues like Native American treaties and slavery. Early papers were often partisan, aligned with Democratic or Republican factions, and focused on land claims, mining booms, and railroad expansion.

The late 19th century saw explosive growth with the arrival of railroads and population influxes. Seattle's Post-Intelligencer (1863, later merged) and Seattle Times (1891) emerged as rivals, covering the Klondike Gold Rush and city development. Spokane's Spokesman-Review (merged titles from 1883) became a powerhouse in eastern Washington. Smaller towns spawned weeklies tied to lumber, fishing, and agriculture.

The 20th century brought professionalization and challenges. During the Great Depression and WWII, papers promoted war efforts and rationing. Post-war suburbanization boosted community journalism; Sound Publishing grew to own dozens of titles. The 1990s-2000s digital shift accelerated with online editions, while consolidation reduced competition—e.g., the P-I ceased print in 2009, becoming online-only briefly.

Investigative work shone through: The Seattle Times won Pulitzers for coverage of Boeing scandals, police accountability, and environmental stories. Community papers preserved local history, from Native American issues to immigrant communities. Digitization efforts, like Washington Digital Newspapers (over 600,000 pages from territorial times), and Chronicling America preserve this heritage.

In 2026, Washington's press navigates economic pressures, misinformation, and broadband gaps in rural areas, but innovations in podcasts, newsletters, and reader-supported models sustain quality journalism.

Categories of Washington Newspapers

Washington newspapers categorize by frequency, scope, and audience. Dailies cover statewide/metro news, weeklies dominate rural and suburban areas, and digital platforms aggregate content. Ownership includes Sound Publishing (many community papers), McClatchy, Adams Publishing, and independents. Most are English, with some bilingual or ethnic editions.

Major Daily Newspapers in Washington

These reach broad audiences, often with strong digital presence.

The Seattle Times

• Description: Washington's largest, Pulitzer-winning, covers Seattle metro, tech, politics, sports.
• Location/Area Served: Seattle/Puget Sound
• Key Notes/Ownership: Independent

The News Tribune

• Description: Tacoma and South Sound focus, crime, education, military (JBLM).
• Location/Area Served: Tacoma/Pierce County
• Key Notes/Ownership: McClatchy

The Olympian

• Description: State capital coverage, legislature, environment.
• Location/Area Served: Olympia/Thurston County
• Key Notes/Ownership: McClatchy

The Bellingham Herald

• Description: Whatcom County, border issues, Western Washington University.
• Location/Area Served: Bellingham
• Key Notes/Ownership: McClatchy

Kitsap Sun

• Description: Kitsap Peninsula, naval base (Bangor), ferries.
• Location/Area Served: Bremerton/Kitsap County
• Key Notes/Ownership: Gannett

The Daily Herald

• Description: Snohomish/Island counties, Boeing, community news.
• Location/Area Served: Everett
• Key Notes/Ownership: Sound Publishing

Tri-City Herald

• Description: Tri-Cities (Kennewick, Pasco, Richland), Hanford site, agriculture.
• Location/Area Served: Tri-Cities
• Key Notes/Ownership: McClatchy

The Spokesman-Review

• Description: Eastern Washington hub, Spokane metro, Inland Northwest.
• Location/Area Served: Spokane
• Key Notes/Ownership: Cowles Company

Yakima Herald-Republic

• Description: Yakima Valley, agriculture, wine country.
• Location/Area Served: Yakima
• Key Notes/Ownership: Carpenter Media Group

The Columbian

• Description: Clark County, Vancouver/Portland metro adjacency.
• Location/Area Served: Vancouver
• Key Notes/Ownership: Carpenter Media Group

The Daily World

• Description: Grays Harbor, coastal issues.
• Location/Area Served: Aberdeen
• Key Notes/Ownership: Sound Publishing