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Santa Clara Focus – Opinion

****OPINION****

Santa Clara Focus

By Robert Haugh

Do the 49ers “own” the Santa Clara WEEKLY?

Over the years, have the 49ers slowly bought out the only newspaper in Santa Clara?

Dating back to 2010, the Weekly had a financial relationship with the 49ers – nearly every week a large 49ers ad appeared – I remember – I worked there. In addition, the 49ers recently purchased a full page ad just weeks ago.

Associate Editor Carolyn Schuk was very proud of the 49ers’ sponsorship of an event she held for her non-profit Santa Clara Performing Arts Foundation – There’s even a story in the Weekly: http://www.santaclaraweekly.com/2013/Issue-32/santa_clara_performing_arts_foundation_to_honors_sc_ballet_founder_49ers.html

So are the 49ers financial or political allies with the Santa Clara WEEKLY and their staff? It sure looks that way …

Does the Santa Clara Weekly still have financial connections to the 49ers?

We inquired directly with Publisher Miles Barber and Carolyn, asking them whether they received funds from the 49ers or related entities in the past four years. None have responded to my requests for written comment. It’s somewhat ironic that they won’t comment when they expect others to do so. But I’ll print anything they want to say.

Is Miles Barber Santa Clara’s Donald Trump?

 Miles has become very Trump-like in his column.  This week, he degraded several Santa Clara Council women, saying they “can’t spell their own names” … This is unprofessional and childish … or Trump-like. “This crap about dark money in Santa Clara is a smoke screen to cover the Mayor’s arm twisting and fund raising antics from several high-profile developers,” he added.

Barber himself is a registered lobbyist for a high-density development project on El Camino: the Mariani’s Inn property. It’s not the Trump Towers but it’s got lots of neighborhood and City Hall opposition.

Robert Haugh’s column will appear on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

7 comments

  3. My neighbor used to work for the 49ers on Stadium Builder License sales. They are a cut throat group when it comes to money. Its easy to believe that they would try to buy a local paper or a city council or anything else they can get their big hairy NFL arms around.

    Reply

  4. Businesses are owned by their customers? Who owns Santa Clara News Online? How do you profit from writing your stories? Will this blog disappear when the election is over?
    The Weekly has advertisers who pay money to have an advertisement printed so we can see who some of their clients are but what do we know about this blog? Only, I suppose, what you’ll tell us. But right now we don’t know. Maybe it’s Dark Money?
    Halloween is right around the corner.
    Barber also pointed out that Gillmor is desperate indicating that it’s his opinion that she’s bet her political career on the coming election. By the sounds of it and what’s been going round town, I’d say the Mayor’s antics have already lost her respect, what little she may have had.
    49ers or Police Union and Developers. The citizens in Santa Clara don’t need special interests or to be scared into voting for one candidate or another.

    Reply

    • Santa Clara News online is owned solely by me, Robert Haugh. I will not accept paid editorial from anyone. I have zero financial contributions at this point in this endeavor to publish news in and around Santa Clara. I won’t comment on the advertising in the Weekly, as those business owners choose to spend a lot of money for advertising that doesn’t get to many potential customers. I am, of course, looking at ways of funding my time and energy – such as online advertising and classified ads – or perhaps a digital edition of Santa Clara News with video and web site links integrated. I’ve been a journalist for quite some time – it’s a passion. I can guarantee you I won’t disappear. I’m not like another publication that was done about 12 years ago to try and sway an election. I’m back living in Santa Clara after time living elsewhere. I had personal set backs – including a major car accident in which I suffered several weeks with whiplash. I’m here to stay whether readers like it or not. And just like Miles has his opinion, I do as well. However, this site is dedicated to providing news on local government, sports, schools/education, arts & entertainment and more. I hope you’ll stick with me as Santa Clara News Online grows!!!

    • Thanks for your efforts and your passion. Sites like this need to encouraged because print is dying and in someplaces it’s already dead. A paper like the SC Weekly or the Cupertino Courier that gets delivered for free on the doorstep doesn’t have many readers. I had a retail client who did a study that the Weekly had about a 300 true readers based on open rates for unsolicited communication like direct mail or at-door advertising. You may have exceeded that number already. A good digital product grows fast and is more sustainable than print publications these days.

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