The Morning Call The Morning Call is a daily newspaper based in Allentown , Pennsylvania , in the United States . The newspaper is owned by the Tribune Company , whose other publications include the " Chicago Tribune " , " Los Angeles Times " and " Baltimore Sun " . " The Morning Call " serves a nine - county region of eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey and is the largest circulation newspaper of the Lehigh Valley , the third most populous region of Pennsylvania . It once ranked among the nation ' s top 100 largest - circulation newspapers , with circulation of 109 , 000 daily readers and 148 , 000 Sunday readers . As of October 2010 , circulation is now 94 , 859 daily readers and 121 , 168 Sunday readers . History . " The Morning Call " traces its beginnings to May 26 , 1883 , when Samuel S . Woolever started " The Critic " , a Saturday evening weekly . " The Critic " became a morning newspaper in late 1883 , switched to a Sunday weekly a year later and resumed daily publication as the " Daily Morning Critic " in 1887 . Woolever sold the " Critic " to a group of partners in 1894 , and on January 1 of the following year , the paper appeared under the name " The Morning Call " for the first time . David A . Miller , a reporter for the " Critic " , and his brother Samuel began investing in the newspaper around this time . By 1904 , the two brothers had bought out the last of the original partners . In 1906 , the " Call " joined the Associated Press , adding national and world news coverage to its pages . The early part of the century was a lively era for newspaper publishing . Besides the " Call " , Allentown ' s daily papers included the " Daily City Item " , " Allentown Democrat " and " Chronicle and News " , an evening newspaper that dated to 1870 . Within a little more than a decade , the local newspaper scene would change considerably . In 1920 , Harry C . Trexler , the region ’ s top industrialist , put together an investors group to acquire " The Call " . Through a series of mergers , Allentown Call Publishing Co . was formed , leaving the " Chronicle and News " as the " Call " ' s primary rival . The next year , 1921 , the newspaper began publishing a Sunday edition , the " Sunday Morning Call " . After Trexler ' s death in 1933 , David Miller , who still held a financial interest in the paper , resumed control , along with two other partners . In 1935 , the " Call " took over the " Chronicle and News " . Three years later , in 1938 , the Sunday edition was renamed the " Sunday Call - Chronicle " , and the following year , the " Chronicle and News " became " The Evening Chronicle " . The Miller family continued to oversee the newspapers for the next four decades . Following David Miller ' s death in 1958 , his sons , Donald P . and Samuel W . , succeeded him as publishers . Samuel died in 1967 , and soon afterwards , Donald ’ s son , Edward D . Miller , joined him in running the papers . However , the " Chronicle " was discontinued in 1980 , its 90th year , and Edward left the business the following year . Call - Chronicle Newspapers , Inc . , was sold in 1984 to the Times Mirror Company , one of the country ' s top five newspaper companies . In 2000 , the Tribune Company acquired Times Mirror and with it , " The Morning Call " . The newspaper teams with the polling institute of Muhlenberg College to publish its surveys of preferences and trends among Pennsylvanians . Price . " The Morning Call " store and distribution box prices are : $ 1 . 50 Daily , $ 2 . 50 Sunday .