The Press Democrat

History

On January 2, 1896, the first edition of The Evening Press was published in Santa Rosa, California. The newspaper was founded by Ernest L. Finley, Grant Richards, and Charles O. Dunbar, who on October 7, 1897, merged their Evening Press with Thomas Thompson's Sonoma Democrat (originally created as a voice for the Democratic Party). The paper bought the Santa Rosa Republican in 1927.

Finley eventually acquired sole ownership and published the paper until his death in 1942. The paper was then passed on to his widow Ruth Woolsey Finley, daughter Ruth Finley Person and son-in-law Evert B. Person. In 1948, the Republican was consolidated into the Press Democrat.

After Mrs. Finley died in 1985, Evert Person sold the paper to The New York Times Company. The sale included The Healdsburg Tribune. At that time the Press Democrat had a daily circulation of 73,000. In 2001, company bought the Argus-Courier, and in 2012 sold its regional papers to Halifax Media.

Later that year, Sonoma Media, a local investment group formed to buy the Sonoma Index-Tribune, purchased the Argus-Courier and The Press Democrat from Halifax*.* The ownership group included former congressman Douglas H. Bosco, Jean Schulz, the widow of Peanuts comic strip creator Charles M. Schulz, and Norma Betz Person, widow of The Press Democrat former publisher Evert Person.

In 2019, Sonoma Media Investments acquired the Sonoma County Gazette of Forestville, a monthly newspaper. In 2025, the business sold its papers to MediaNews Group.

Gaye LeBaron

The most popular feature in The Press Democrat for many years was Gaye LeBaron's community column, according to a readership survey. LeBaron produced more than 8,000 columns between 1961 and her semi-retirement in 2001, writing on human interest, cultural events, ethnic history and local politics.

Awards and honors

The Press Democrats staff was the winner of the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting for "[f]or lucid and tenacious coverage of historic wildfires that ravaged the city of Santa Rosa and Sonoma County." Former staff photographer Annie Wells also won the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography "for her dramatic photograph of a local firefighter rescuing a teenager from raging floodwaters."

The newspaper was also the 2004 recipient of the George Polk Award for Regional Reporting, given annually by Long Island University to honor contributions to journalistic integrity and investigative reporting.

References

References

1. "Audit Bureau of Circulation". Audit Bureau of Circulation's eCirc numbers for figures reported 3/31/2007.
2. (January 9, 1896). "Santa Rosa "Evening Press."". The Weekly San Diegan-Sun.
3. (January 17, 1896). "Notice". The St. Helena Star.
4. (September 27, 1897). "Newspaper Change". Petaluma Daily Morning Courier.
5. (October 9, 1897). "Notice". The Sacramento Union.
6. (22 October 2021). "Sonoma County marks 165 years of local newspapers". The Press Democrat.
7. (September 14, 1927). "Santa Rosa Republican Sold to Morning Paper". Riverside Daily Press.
8. Slater, Herbert W.. (October 25, 1942). "Ernest L. Finley Claimed By Death". The Press Democrat.
9. (May 17, 1985). "Ruth Person, pianist, newspaper officer, dies". The Press Democrat.
10. (February 28, 1985). "Press Democrat sold to New York Times". Petaluma Argus-Courier.
11. (September 5, 2001). "New York Times Co. buys Petaluma Argus-Courier". Petaluma Argus-Courier.
12. (December 22, 2011). "NY Times plans for sale of Argus". Petaluma Argus-Courier.
13. Hansen, Jamie. (November 15, 2012). "Argus sold to local group". Petaluma Argus-Courier.
14. (1 November 2012). "Local group to buy The Press Democrat, affiliated publications".
15. (8 November 2012). "It's official: Press Democrat sold to local group".
16. Swindell, Bill. (2019-12-30). "Press Democrat owner adds to media holdings, acquiring monthly hyperlocal publication". The North Bay Business Journal.
17. Bandlamudi, Adhiti. (2025-05-02). "Santa Rosa’s Press Democrat Was Just Sold. Locals Are Concerned For the Paper’s Future".
18. Tesconi, Tim. (18 March 2001). "Voice of the Community". The Press Democrat.
19. Silverstein, Louis. (1990). "Newspaper Design for The Times". Van Nostrand Reinhold.
20. (2018). "The 2018 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Breaking News Reporting {{!}} Staff of The Press Democrat, Santa Rosa, Calif.". The Pulitzer Prizes.
21. (1997). "1997 Pulitzer Prizes".
22. (April 19, 2006). "Long Island University Announces Winners of 2005 George Polk Awards". Long Island University.