The South Bend Tribune is a newspaper distributed in the Michiana (Indiana, United States) region. There are five editions for distribution in southwestern lower Michigan, Mishawaka (Mishawaka, Indiana) (2 editions), Marshall County (Marshall County, Indiana), and the South Bend (South Bend, Indiana) Metro area. The South Bend Tribune has a daily circulation of 70,703 and Sunday circulation of 93,364.

Alfred B. Miller and Elmer Crockett founded the Tribune in 1872 in South Bend, a manufacturing center on the St. Joseph River (St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)) in northern Indiana.

The Tribunes reputation as a conservative (conservatism in the United States), Republican (Republican Party (United States))-leaning editorial voice put it at a disadvantage in competition with the more Democrat (Democratic Party (United States))-leaning News-Times.

A popular legend has it that Franklin Schurz Sr., the publisher and a nephew of Alfred Miller, took polka lessons, then sponsored weekly polka nights on South Bends Polish west side. The social events were a huge hit and helped establish inroads for the newspaper in the immigrant community.

Such community outreach and the newspapers aggressive reporting helped push the Tribune past the News-Times, which went out of business in the 1950s.

Franklin Schurz Sr. served as editor and publisher of the Tribune through its periods of highest growth. With his prominent place in the business community, he helped chart a new direction for the local economy after Studebaker closed in 1963 and other factories scaled back production.

Descendants of the founders have served as editor and publisher for 124 of the newspapers 136 years. Franklin Schurz Jr. succeeded his father after the Tribunes centennial in 1972; the current editor and publisher, David Ray, is a great-grandson of Elmer Crockett.

Like other newspapers, the Tribune has had challenges keeping its circulation numbers up. From a peak of more than 130,000 Sunday readers in the 1970s, Sunday circulation has dipped below 100,000. From more than 100,000 daily subscribers, the recent numbers are now closer to 70,000.

As a result, the Tribune is attempting to reach more readers through new web-based products and specialty magazines.

The Tribune once served towns ranging from as far east as Angola, Indiana, to Rensselaer, Indiana on the west. It now serves 11 counties?nine in north-central Indiana and two in south-central Michigan.

Because the University of Notre Dame is within the South Bend city limits, the Tribune receives some of its renown for its sports coverage. During the 1960s and 1970s, for example, when the Fighting Irish (Notre Dame Fighting Irish) football teams were among the nations elite, sports editor emeritus Joe Doyle was a close confidant of coach Ara Parseghian. Forrest "Woody" Miller covered Irish mens basketball for decades, including the glory days of coach Digger Phelps.

The key executives are Editor and Publisher David Ray, Vice President and General Manager Steve Funk, Managing Editor Tim Harmon, Vice President of Administration Ed Henry, Advertising Director Carol Smith, Vice President of Finance Mark Hocker, Subscriber Services Director Kevin Shaw, Production Director Steven Weisser, Director of Information Services Charlene Smith and Marketing Director Terry Bauer.

The Tribunes online publications include: * * * * * * * *