The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has quite the history of innovation and public service as it has grown over the years. Its founding publisher, Amon G. Carter Sr., was a renowned booster of Fort Worth and West Texas, with the Star-Telegram sporting the largest circulation of any paper in Texas. In 1922, the paper began the first Fort Worth radio station, WBAP, “We Bring a Program,” and also established the first television station in the southern half of the United States in 1948, and brought in color in 1954. In 1982, the Star-Telegram founded the oldest continually operating online news service in the country, Star-Text. That history of innovation and service continues today with the production of the most relevant news products serving the interests of Fort Worth and the surrounding area. These include the dfw.com arts and entertainment site and DFW Varsity, dedicated to providing in-depth high school sports coverage, including a 2016 video documentary series, TitleTown, TX. The media company also has a long history of giving back to the community. Founded in 1912 by the newsroom, the Goodfellow Fund, provides clothing and shoes for underprivileged children in Tarrant County through an annual fund drive during the holiday season.
In 2020, McClatchy transitioned to private ownership when it was acquired by Chatham Asset Management. The Chatham acquisition marked the beginning of a new era of opportunity for McClatchy, strengthening the Company's financial position and enabling it to build on its 150-plus year history of independent, community-focused journalism by investing in local newsrooms.