photodude
January 25, 2022, 12:27 pm
12.9k Views
28 Comments
By Photodude
The last SB News-Press paper we received was Saturday, 22 January. Both their main phone line and the circulation phone line are continuously busy. When I get circulation (805-966-7171) to ring, it just rings and rings. Nobody ever answers.
Has the News-Press gone out-of-business?
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people still buy that rag? i haven’t picked up a copy since Wendy bought the place in 2000. Here are her accomplishments with our paper…in case you all forgot:
2016, staff at the newspaper had dropped from 200, from when she purchased the newspaper, to 20.
In 2006, McCaw was accused of interfering with the newsroom editorial judgment at the News-Press. Five editors and a columnist resigned over the controversy. A number of other publishers and editors have resigned since she purchased the paper in 2000 over differences with McCaw
On October 7, 2016, the Santa Barbara News-Press was the first newspaper in the United States to endorse Donald Trump for president during the 2016 elections. It was one of only six newspapers in the country to do so. According to biographer Sam Tyler, there was no question McCaw was “behind the endorsement.
In April 2017, a federal judge ordered McCaw to offer reinstatement and around $2 million in back pay to former columnist Richard Mineards
In July 2018, after several administrative and court decisions against McCaw and the News-Press, the National Labor Relations Board announced it would seek $2.2 million on behalf of dozens of newsroom employees who were mistreated by McCaw. McCaw would be ordered to pay $936,000 to “make employees whole” for illegally hiring nonunion temporary workers, $705,000 in back pay for two employees whom she illegally laid off or fired, and $222,000 for employees whose merit pay she illegally suspended.
Maybe these are some reasons why she can’t even get a paper boy to throw her “news” papers at driveways. final nail in the coffin.
It’s sad that our two printed news options (news press and independent) are just total train wrecks.
Please be patient SBNP reader. I think it’s Wendy’s week to deliver the paper.
Not to mention all the absolute BS she gets up to in her personal life, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on lawyers to prevent legally mandated beach access near her property.
The standard “Fly away issue”…
SB would benefit from the Newspress meeting a swift demise. I stayed at a local hotel a few years ago and they had copies of the Newspress delivered to my room. What an utter embarrassment for this community.
We all lose though if the only printed worded in town is the independent…
Indy and MJ is all we have. News-Press has been a zombie for years.
Duke, what’s wrong with the Independent? Looks great to me.
In other words, the Washington Post employs real journalists.
Yes same here. I got a rapid response by email and was told the delivery system was being changed that had caused the interruption. I like to support a printed paper, I read them all and find them all biased. All our news is managed , were such a political community.
Eastbeach – Yes, I knew Bezos owned the Post, and has for a few years. As I haven’t seen any major changes in its coverage, that is why I sent Bezos the note encouraging him to buy the news Press.
I enjoy scan-reading the Independent, but it was formed to voice one POV, and it does, and it’s target audience is much younger than me. The Newspress has the opposite POV, but it’s the personal view of the owner and she’s not honest, maybe not sane. Hard to tell with some people. I go online for actual news.
This is third hand information, from a friend of a friend. They got through on the phone and were told the paper was sold. That’s all the woman on the phone would say. As a side note, I wrote a letter to Jeff Bezos over a year ago, urging him to buy the paper. Wouldn’t it be great if he did?
It would be great if it sold, but I don’t really trust Bezos to run an unbiased paper.
You think Bezos would treat the employees of his paper any better than he treats his employees at Amazon?
Patrick – Delivered. The good ‘ol days when a bundle of papers were dropped off in our front yard by a News Press district manager. They would then be folded and placed in a canvas bag. The bag was placed on a rack attached to sit above the rear wheel and frame of a bike. Then drive off to deliver. While riding, reach back for a paper that would then be tossed into the yard of a subscriber. The paper back then wasn’t going to be blown anywhere, especially the Sunday edition.
The independent isn’t a news organization…it’s a one sided opinion rag. We all lose if we end up in an echo chamber.
Bezos doesn’t run it, but he already owns the Washington Post (of Woodward and Bernstein fame). They always publish a disclaimer if the story involves Bezos and has published stories both “good and bad” about him. Unlike the SBNP, there is a firewall between the owner and publisher/editors.
KEYT did an interview with someone who went to the NP building because she couldn’t get through.
I thought it had a funny punchline:
https://keyt.com/news/santa-barbara-s-county/2022/01/26/new-vendor-stalls-deliveries-for-santa-barbara-news-press-subscribers/
Also, SB City staff reportedly has been trying to reach the News Press/Wendy to discuss De la Guerra plaza plans and cannot get a call back:
“The elephant under the rug, of course, is the News-Press building — which helps anchor the plaza — and its owner, Wendy P. McCaw, whose hostility to the occupants of City Hall has been exceeded only by the steadfastness of her refusal to engage. A number of questions were asked about “the due diligence” undertaken by City Hall in getting McCaw — whose property will undeniably be affected by any of the proposed changes — on the phone. “I continue to do outreach to the News-Press,” stated city planner Brad Hess, who is bird dogging this project. “All I can say — it hasn’t been reciprocated.”
https://www.independent.com/2022/01/20/spitting-into-the-winds-of-santa-barbara-history/
It’s all just so darn community minded…
It would be naive to think Wendy would choose a credible individual or news organization, when the option of a right wing corporate propaganda media monger who has been buying local papers for the sole purpose of controlling content.
Yes, it’s as bad as it sounds.
She can dump the NP and still forward her political agenda
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/18/technology/timpone-local-news-metric-media.html
I’m surprised there is not a single mention of Noozhawk in this thread, as an alternative. It’s much better news than, well, any other daily. Much better than KEYT.
(I won’t touch their editorial policy…)
Re: The Independent, (which I’ve been reading since it was The News and Review, wow am I old), describes itself as “the leading source for news, arts & entertainment, and lifestyle coverage in the greater Santa Barbara area.”
Of course, “leading source” is their own judgment, but when you consider their triple focus, it’s pretty accurate. Also, they’ve always been the go-to arts and entertainment source, and they’re only a weekly. They’re not trying to be like a daily *news* paper; they have a different focus.
Noozhawk is full of religious pap and “business oriented” (i.e. “ignore COVID”) drivel.
I agree completely. That’s why I said I would not touch their editorial policy. And why I haven’t contributed money to them. But it IS a good news site.
I haven’t read the News Press in almost 2 decades, but would they cover jail/sheriff issues like this? (I don’t know, it’s possible they did. But I have doubts. If I’m wrong, just share the link. )
Noozhawk, regardless of its editorial policy, did. That’s the sign of an informative news site.
https://www.noozhawk.com/article/santa_barbara_main_jail_custody_death_sheriff_office
I re-read the above article while reading this one: https://www.noozhawk.com/article/criminal_justice_advocates_hold_vigil_outside_county_courthouse
This article conveys crucial information for citizens. It has nothing to do with the opinion material I find offensive at the publishing news site.
https://www.noozhawk.com/article/four_cities_questions_costs_for_contract_law_enforcement_services_20220129
I’ve wanted to donate to Noozhawk. This conversation has been helpful in clarifying my thoughts. I’m going to get over my qualms and do so. They employ and publish good journalists and their articles. I will, of course, make my thoughts about their editorial policy clearly known along with my “donation” which is not a subscription.
There’s a comment above from a current News Press subscriber who just cancelled who didn’t agree with the paper but didn’t want to cancel because they support journalism. There is SO much good journalism out there! I intended to reply that sometimes a boycott is necessary. It goes both ways — sometimes supporting good journalism is necessary.
Support what you support — as much as you can with money.
Sure, it would be great. I subscribe to WaPo.
But “third hand information”?! NO Thank You.
Philosophically and politically, this all fits in with honoring Gary K. Hart.
(I assume Edhat will post this news.)
I am emotional because I am old enough to remember. To remember common goals and efforts. To remember Mr. Hart in person, and his work.
My true deep condolences to his family, so many of us so appreciate him!
https://www.noozhawk.com/article/lawmaker_gary_hart_remembered_education_ethics_santa_barbara