San Francisco Bay Guardian
Encyclopedia
The San Francisco Bay Guardian (also known as The SF Bay Guardian, Bay Guardian, and the Guardian) is a free alternative newspaper published weekly in San Francisco, California. The paper is owned mostly by its publisher, Bruce B. Brugmann
.
The Bay Guardian, launched in 1966, is known for reporting, celebrating, and promoting left-wing and progressive
issues within San Francisco and (albeit rarely) around the San Francisco Bay Area
as a whole. This usually includes muckraking, legislation to control and limit gentrification
, and endorsement of political candidates and other laws and policies that fall within its political views. It also has comprehensive movie and music reviews, an annual nude beaches issue, and an annual sex issue. The Bay Guardian is one of several alternative newspapers in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, including the SF Weekly
(its major competitor), East Bay Express
, and Berkeley Daily Planet
.
to force Brugmann to offer a labor contract. Brugmann retained a few management staff and hired scab
replacements. In August, César Chávez
offered to mediate the strike, but Brugmann refused. Finally, in 1977, another election was called, but this time votes by replacement workers carried the day and the new staff voted not to join a union.
lawsuit against its local rival, the SF Weekly
, based on allegations the Weekly undercut The Guardian by selling display advertisements below cost while supporting itself on cash infusions from its parent, Village Voice Media, in an effort to force the Guardian into bankruptcy. In May, 2008 the judge in the case awarded punitive damages
, raising the jury's $6.3 million award to $15.9 million, and issuing an injunction
prohibiting the SF Weekly from selling advertisements below cost.
Bruce B. Brugmann
Bruce B. Brugmann is editor and publisher of the San Francisco Bay Guardian, a weekly alternative newspaper published in San Francisco. He co-founded the newspaper with his wife, Jean Dibble, in 1966.Brugmann was born in Rock Rapids, Iowa...
.
The Bay Guardian, launched in 1966, is known for reporting, celebrating, and promoting left-wing and progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
issues within San Francisco and (albeit rarely) around the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
as a whole. This usually includes muckraking, legislation to control and limit gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
, and endorsement of political candidates and other laws and policies that fall within its political views. It also has comprehensive movie and music reviews, an annual nude beaches issue, and an annual sex issue. The Bay Guardian is one of several alternative newspapers in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, including the SF Weekly
SF Weekly
SF Weekly is a free alternative weekly newspaper in San Francisco, California. The newspaper, distributed throughout the San Francisco Bay Area every Wednesday, is published by Village Voice Media, a 16-paper alt weekly newspaper chain that also includes the New York City Village Voice and the Los...
(its major competitor), East Bay Express
East Bay Express
The East Bay Express is an Oakland-based weekly newspaper serving the Berkeley, Oakland, and East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area...
, and Berkeley Daily Planet
Berkeley Daily Planet
The Berkeley Daily Planet was a free weekly newspaper published in Berkeley, California.The paper was politically progressive, and offered endorsements of progressive and liberal to left leaning candidates....
.
Best of the Bay
The Guardian publishes an annual "Best of The Bay" issue that lists the best restaurants, business, and activities in the Bay Area, based on a readers' poll and staff recommendations. Published annually since 1974, The Guardian claims that its "Best Of" issue was the first annual guide of its kind and was copied by other publications.Goldie Award
The Guardian gives the "Goldie Award" annually for excellence in the arts and similar areas.Publications
In 1971, the published The Ultimate Highrise, on the costs of development to the city. In 1975, they published San Francisco Free & Easy: The Native's Guidebook with a revised edition in 1980, edited by William Ristow.1970s unionization attempt
The Guardian put down an attempt by its employees to unionize in the 1970s. In 1975, Guardian staffers, with the aid of Newspaper Guild Local 52 and International Typographical Union Local 21, signed union cards to seek higher wages and benefits. The paper had previously won a legal settlement and moved to a new building. Nevertheless, publisher Bruce Brugmann claimed there were not enough funds to increase pay or benefits. The day after Thanksgiving, he fired five senior staffers who had helped organize the union effort. Newspaper staffers voted to join the Newspaper Guild and, on June 15, 1976, they called a strikeStrike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
to force Brugmann to offer a labor contract. Brugmann retained a few management staff and hired scab
Strikebreaker
A strikebreaker is a person who works despite an ongoing strike. Strikebreakers are usually individuals who are not employed by the company prior to the trade union dispute, but rather hired prior to or during the strike to keep the organisation running...
replacements. In August, César Chávez
César Chávez
César Estrada Chávez was an American farm worker, labor leader, and civil rights activist who, with Dolores Huerta, co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers ....
offered to mediate the strike, but Brugmann refused. Finally, in 1977, another election was called, but this time votes by replacement workers carried the day and the new staff voted not to join a union.
Lawsuit against Weekly
In March, 2008 The Guardian won a predatory pricingPredatory pricing
In business and economics, predatory pricing is the practice of selling a product or service at a very low price, intending to drive competitors out of the market, or create barriers to entry for potential new competitors. If competitors or potential competitors cannot sustain equal or lower prices...
lawsuit against its local rival, the SF Weekly
SF Weekly
SF Weekly is a free alternative weekly newspaper in San Francisco, California. The newspaper, distributed throughout the San Francisco Bay Area every Wednesday, is published by Village Voice Media, a 16-paper alt weekly newspaper chain that also includes the New York City Village Voice and the Los...
, based on allegations the Weekly undercut The Guardian by selling display advertisements below cost while supporting itself on cash infusions from its parent, Village Voice Media, in an effort to force the Guardian into bankruptcy. In May, 2008 the judge in the case awarded punitive damages
Punitive damages
Punitive damages or exemplary damages are damages intended to reform or deter the defendant and others from engaging in conduct similar to that which formed the basis of the lawsuit...
, raising the jury's $6.3 million award to $15.9 million, and issuing an injunction
Injunction
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. A party that fails to comply with an injunction faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
prohibiting the SF Weekly from selling advertisements below cost.