• Do you think the firings were justified?
-- Yes. Two of the eight reporters were terminated for bias reporting. They had been warned for years and refused to get the bias out of their stories. In 2005 the paper hired independent consultants to perform a market research study on what our readers thought about the quality of the News-Press. Over 64% thought that the local news reporting, not the editorial section, was biased. Mrs. McCaw ordered that it be remedied but Mr. Roberts did nothing. When he quit, the new editor cracked down on bias across the paper. Two were fired the other six were warned in December 2006 with the entire staff that disloyal conduct would not be tolerated. These six, in violation of state law, hung a disloyal sign disparaging the paper from a freeway bridge. We actually received calls from irate motorists who felt the display was disloyal and dangerous to the driving public as a distraction. The six were interviewed, admitted they did it and were fired on the spot. No business can keep employees that denigrate the product or service produced. They are receiving a paycheck from that business and the business deserves their loyalty. .
• What would the fired or resigned reporters have to do to get their jobs back?
-- Besides disparaging the newspaper and trying to cause financial damage some of the reporters have made repeated public statements expressing their hatred towards Mrs. McCaw. I don't think under any circumstance a former employee who goes to those lengths to disparage the paper and the owner can ever expect to work again for that employer.
• Do you think local media has been fair and unbiased in their coverage of the News Press controversy?
-- From the onset much of the local media has shown a biased position in covering this story. Competitors to the News-Press have seized this as an opportunity to increase their circulation and advertising revenue by reporting only one side of the story.
General News Press
• What do you think the responsibility of a local paper is?
-- To report local news, unbiased, accurately and honestly.
• What do you think the responsibility of a reporter is?
-- To follow the guidelines of the publication they work for and report the news.
• Why do you think people read the News Press?
-- The News-Press has, for 152 years, been the newspaper of record for Santa Barbara. It continues to be the source for local, unbiased news and insightful editorials.
• What is the News Press' toughest competition?
--The Internet. It is hard to compete with "free" news. But we believe that the Internet can offer both free and premium service news. In that regard, the News-Press has been pioneering new web technologies in order to provide the community with news online, when they want it, how they want it. In April of last year we launched News-Press TV with local video news reports, live lifestyle programs, fundraisers, real estate and soon local sports.
• Do you think paper news is dying?
-- Newspapers are in transition. We have a strong subscriber base who we are dedicated to that has a tradition and ritual in reading a physical newspaper. But we are mindful that there is a generation that is web savvy and uses desktops, laptops and mobile phones to get their news. We are also dedicating ourselves to these readers and believe in the coming months new developments at newspress.com will be compelling and exciting.
• Why does the News Press charge for Internet subscriptions when papers like the New York Times and LA Times don't?
-- Giving away the news cannibalizes the print product. Local Internet advertising does not pay for reporters or operating costs. We believe that a mix of free news with premium services is the right combination.
• What was the News Press' reason for publishing the Jerry Roberts child porn story?
-- The child pornography discovered on Mr. Robert's computer was the subject of a case filed in the Santa Barbara Superior Court. Once the papers were filed they were public and to not report on it would be censoring the news.
• What do you think about it not having a byline?
-- It was a story that several writers had contributed to. As if often the case in such stories, the byline used is "staff reports".
• When do you think articles should have a byline?
-- Whenever the work is that of an individual reporter.
Wendy McCaw
• As co-publishers, have there ever been any disagreements between you and Wendy?
-- No, we are, as they say in the newspaper business, on the same page!
• Why do you think Wendy purchased the News Press?
-- I believe she purchased the News-Press because she wanted the paper to remain in local ownership. As we have seen with other media that has long distance owners, they are not always aware of the local issues.
Just Arthur
• How would you describe your responsibilities with the Santa Barbara News Press?
-- I deal with the daily management of the paper. That includes meeting with department heads, long range planning, addressing opportunities and implementing company goals.
• What did you think of the News Press as a paper before Wendy took over?
-- I have been a subscriber of the News-Press since I first came to Santa Barbara in 1973. The paper has had it's ups and downs over the years but I believe that today the paper is better than it has been in a long time and that it will continue to improve with dedicated staff, new columns, insightful editorials and great photography.
• Did you notice a change after she took over?
-- Yes. The first thing she did was to bring back the historic masthead, about seven years ago. The design and layout is better, in my opinion, than it was under the New York Times ownership. The editorials are far more compelling than I ever remember them being in the past. Inside the company, the moral and enthusiasm and work product is much better than it was two years ago.
• Has your relationship with Wendy affected your opinion of the paper?
-- I admire her and I admire the paper.
Wendy is dedicated to Santa Barbara, it's environment, our historic architecture, the wildlife that lives here and the open spaces we must preserve. Her donations to the many non-profits she supports locally have made a difference in our quality of life. I am only sad that so many attacks on her and her resources have forced her to spend money defending herself. Money which would otherwise be benefiting those in need.
• Has the controversy at the News Press affected your career as a food critic?
-- No. My web site, Nippers.com has a strong following of subscribers and my weekly radio show on AM 1290 has both a good listenership and viewership on News-Press TV.
• Are there any questions you wish the local media would ask you?
Yes, here are just a few:
-- Why did Mr. Tyler not fact check his film as we had offered to do?
-- Why was Mr. Tyler so anxious to get his film finished when the issues are still in the courts?
-- Why didn't Mr. Tyler mention the judgement against the Independent that the News-Press was awarded in the copyright case?
-- Why did Mr. Tyler's film falsey portray that Mrs. McCaw issued the gag order that caused the reporters to quit when in fact it was a memo issued by Mr. Roberts?
-- Why did Mr. Tyler's film portray that Mrs. McCaw fired Mr. Roberts knowing that he had cancer, when she did not fire him (he quit and gave the paper a letter of resignation) and no one was aware of his purported health issues?
-- Why did Mr. Tyler allow statements that said that I had no newspaper experience when in fact I have been in publishing since 1978 and have worked for the San Francisco Chronicle, The San Francisco Examiner and the San Antonio Express-News among many other publications over the past thirty years?
By the way, my answer to all the questions above is that the film Mr. Tyler produced is not a documentary but a clear example of propaganda.
Arthur von Wiesenberger
Co-Publisher
The Santa Barbara News-Press
P.O. Box 1359
Santa Barbara, CA 93102
Tel: (805) 564-5174
www.newspress.com
