Newspaper Publisher Donald E. Newhouse Dies at 96

Donald E. Newhouse, a longtime newspaper publisher who led one of the nation's largest family-controlled media companies and served as chairman of The Associated Press board, died Tuesday at his home in New Jersey. He was 96.

Newhouse spent nearly 50 years overseeing the newspaper division of Advance Publications, the company founded by his father, Samuel Irving Newhouse Sr., in 1922. He served as president of the Star-Ledger in Newark, New Jersey, and was head of Advance's newspaper group, which at its peak included 35 titles. His older brother, S.I. Newhouse Jr., oversaw the company's Condé Nast magazine division until his death in 2017.

Colleagues remembered Newhouse as a private but supportive leader who championed ambitious journalism. Anna Wintour, global editorial director of Vogue and Condé Nast’s chief content officer, said he was scrupulous about not interfering in editorial business but invariably offered judicious advice when asked. Louis D. Boccardi, retired president and CEO of the AP, said Newhouse was an extraordinary chairman whose voice was often the wisest in the room.

Newhouse was known for a hands-off approach, granting publishers autonomy while providing...