---
[ ARCHIVE ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/archive)
# Only One Newspaper Publisher for Southern California?
June 04 2015
Written by Joel Fox.
[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)
MEDIA-The publisher of the Los Angeles Times took over the San Diego Union Tribune last month and that seemed to confirm a projection I heard not long ago from someone high up in the newspaper industry: In the not too distant future, there will be only one newspaper ownership in Southern California.
It’s all about the adverse trends that newspapers are suffering in the emerging digital world. According to the [Pew Research Center](http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/05/22/the-declining-value-of-u-s-newspapers/), “Steep revenue and circulation declines across the newspaper industry have left many newspapers struggling. Over the past decade, [weekday circulation has fallen 17%](http://www.journalism.org/2015/04/29/newspapers-fact-sheet/) and ad revenue more than 50%.”
The economics indicate that many newspapers will battle to survive opening the possibility that the largest whale in the newspaper sea would gobble up the other fish in the area.
Assuming that comes to pass, a question arises if newspapers under one management remain independent? That is the goal according the new owners of the San Diego paper. Take a look at the announcement that appeared in the Los Angeles Times after the merger.
Two independent voices is the claim according to the announcement. It is important that distinct voices remain. One board overseeing the major newspapers in the state’s two largest cities should not dictate singular editorial judgment. If the prediction of only one newspaper publisher for all of Southern California newspapers comes to be, the concern will be even greater.
Some may ask, “What does it matter?” Newspaper and editorial influence has been on the wane for a long time. Few people read editorials. The same concern was raised when multiple publications in major cities began to disappear and now most cities have but one major daily.
Yet, the editorial content and the way it is presented does matter. The numbers of newspapers are down, it is true, but so is the percentage of voters. Those who do vote are influenced by editorials, if not directly, then in the multiple contacts by campaigns that use the editorials in advertising to reflect independent analysis. While that influence of editorial comment may have faded from the glory days of newspapers, it is still relevant and important.
{module \[1177\]}
One has to look at the promise of independence for different newspapers with a jaundice eye. Already the San Diego paper has seen some layoffs. Efficiency experts could suggest a reduction of employees by condensing or even eliminating editorial staffs.
Different voices increase the opportunity for serious debate within the marketplace of ideas. If newspaper ownership is consolidated with a loss of distinct voices, a vacuum in that marketplace of ideas would be filled with many smaller but, hopefully, influential voices, both print and digital.
*(Joel Fox is the editor of Fox and Hounds and President of the Small Business Action Committee. This column was posted first at [FoxandHoundsDaily.com](http://FoxandHoundsDaily.com))*
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 13 Issue 46
Pub: Jun 5, 2015
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/115 "Brian Goldsmith Vertical R. Col")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/107 "LA DWP | Save $4K, Green | Priority Ad")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/114 "McKinney Campaign")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/98 "Donna Tryfman - HS1-1")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/97 "Home - LA DWP #2 (Pay Water Bill Help)")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/111 "David DeJute Campaign")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/112 "Anna Reitano Vertical R. Col")
## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays
First Name
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/113 "Rhonda Haymon campaign")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/110 "Something You Should Know")
---
## Featured CityWatch Stories
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/election-2024/33624-prosecutor-democrat-city-attorney-mckinney-makes-his-case-to-los-angeles-voters)
### [Prosecutor, Democrat, City Attorney? McKinney Makes His Case to Los Angeles Voters](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/election-2024/33624-prosecutor-democrat-city-attorney-mckinney-makes-his-case-to-los-angeles-voters)
ELECTION 2026 - The race for LA City Attorney has been laced with political accusations and allegations that when close…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/la-watchdog/33544-the-la-watchdogs-2026-voters-guide-2)
### [The LA Watchdog’s 2026 Voter Guide](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/la-watchdog/33544-the-la-watchdogs-2026-voters-guide-2)
LA WATCHDOG - My recommendations are influenced by the need for truly balanced budgets, fiscal responsibility, long ter…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33626-the-fools-blame-game)
### [The Fools’ Blame Game](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33626-the-fools-blame-game)
THE VIEW FROM HERE - Angelenos do not use elections to plot a wiser course of conduct for Los Angeles, but rather they…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33619-california-film-tax-credits-arent-enough-the-guilds-need-to-change-too)
### [California Film Tax Credits Aren’t Enough. The Guilds Need to Change Too.](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33619-california-film-tax-credits-arent-enough-the-guilds-need-to-change-too)
LONNIE’S VIEW - California used to be the center of the movie and television universe. If you wanted to make movies, yo…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/voices/33648-heres-what-zionisms-got-to-do-with-it)
### [Here’s What Zionism’s Got To Do With It](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/voices/33648-heres-what-zionisms-got-to-do-with-it)
ICAN - The anonymous website “BHUSD Watch” recently published a long, detailed article about the current BHUSD board an…
---
## [ ARCHIVE ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/archive)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/archive/15339-early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles)### [Early Intervention and Jobs are Key to Stemming Chronic Homelessness in Los Angeles](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/archive/15339-early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles)
### [Tucker Carlson and Gay Rightwinger Blame California Wildfires On Hiring LGBTQ People](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/archive/18755-tucker-carlson-and-gay-rightwinger-blame-california-wildfires-on-hiring-lgbtq-people)
### [Anti-LGBTQ Veep Just Can’t Stop Talking about Mayor Pete](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/archive/17690-anti-lgbtq-veep-just-can-t-stop-talking-about-mayor-pete)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/archive/15316-news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties)### [NEWS PULSE: ‘Corrupt System’ Reason for Not Voting in 2018 … Majority Wants More Than Two Parties](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/archive/15316-news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/archive/10245-dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles)### [Dead Dog Set on Fire … Sparks Fears for Strays in Los Angeles](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/archive/10245-dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles)