3825 S. Higuera Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-7438 805-781-7800 www.SanLuisObispo.com The Paper The Community

A small vineyard in the community of Paso Robles.

The Paper

Motto: People you know, the paper you trust.

Founded: Descended from three newspapers founded in 1869 and 1905 and merged in 1939. Joined Knight Ridder in 1997. Joined McClatchy in 2006 with McClatchy's acquisition of Knight Ridder.

Key Executives:
Joseph M. (Chip) Visci, President Publisher
Sandra Duerr, Vice President and Executive Editor
Cheryl Cuming, Director of Advertising
Don Dodds, Director of Production
Devon Goetz, Director of Human Resources
Bruce Ray, Chief Financial Officer
Paul Taylor, Director of Circulation

Newsroom Hiring Contact: Managing Editor Tad Weber: 805-781-7906 or e-mail tweber@thetribunenews.com.

General Hiring Contact: Director of Human Resources Devon Goetz at 805-781-7805 or e-mail dgoetz@thetribunenews.com.

Distinction: Oldest business in San Luis Obispo

Market: San Luis Obispo County

Circulation Area: San Luis Obispo County

Customers: Subscribers are likely to be well-educated, affluent, slightly older and more white collar than the market average.

Site: The main production site was built in 1933. It is 47,000 square feet and is located in the city of San Luis Obispo. The Tribune's North County office is located in historic downtown Paso Robles. The Cambrian and Sun Bulletin, The Tribune's two weekly newspapers, are located in Cambria and Morro Bay.

Readership: 102,800 daily; 101,700 Sunday

Circulation: 38,458 daily; 43,417 Sunday

Size: Averages 48 pages daily; 86 pages Sunday

Single-Copy Sales: 3,976 daily; 5,238 Sunday

Carrier Force: Independent contractors

Production: Managing Editor's ALS used for page make-up; Kodak CtP Trendsetters with Southern Litho plate processors and Nela in-line plate bender; 14-unit Goss Urbanite press with 6 Jardis paster units; GMA SLS 2000 12:2 inserter; Mueller-Martini stitcher-trimmer; AccraPly Post-It Note applicators

Technology: Editorial content paginated using QuarkXPress and classifieds output using Digital Technology International (DTI) software. There are more than 75 Macintosh computers and 150 PCs on the Ethernet Local and Wide Area Networks utilizing TCP/IP protocal. QuarkXPress, InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator are used in the creation of the newspaper. An AS/400 system running Integrated Newspaper Systems Inc.'s (INSI) software holds the circulation database. The advertising database is on a Sun Unix system running Publishing Business Systems' (PBS) Media Plus. Two Sun Unix systems run Digital Technology International (DTI) software holding the classified databases. Human Resources and payroll are on McClatchy's PeopleSoft and Kronos systems. PeopleSoft is used for all finance and budget applications.

Web Site: www.SanLuisObispo.com

Employees: 241

Newsroom Staff:
Reporters/writers: 20
Editors: 10
Copy editors: 7
Photographers: 3
Graphic Artists: 4

Major Awards:

2006

California Newspaper Publishers Association, Better Newspaper Contest Second place, general excellence for papers with circulations between 25,001 and 75,000. That's among the highest honors bestowed by the statewide organization. The Tribune received two first-place awards for its arts and entertainment coverage and for its front page.The Tribune received a second-place award for its sports coverage/Sports section. The Tribune received four Certificates of Merit: For business or financial story, the cost of housing by Ermina Karim; page layout and design; illustration or info graphic for The Tour of California bike race through San Luis Obispo County; and local spot news story for coverage of a Denny's shooting. The Cambrian, a weekly newspaper published by The Tribune, won second place for Best Front Page/Tabloid for weeklies with circulations under 4,300. The Cambrian won two Certificates of Merit: Public Service for the newspaper's campaign alerting residents to check for faulty fluorescent-light ballasts in wake of a restaurant fire; and Investigative or Enterprise for reporting for continuing coverage of the Community Center of Cambria's sudden closure of its youth center after the nonprofit ran out of money. Associated Press Sports Editors Honorable Mention for The Tribune's Sports section in the under-40,000 circulation size category. Society for News Design The Tribune won five awards -- two for sections and three for individual pages. The Tribune was the only winner in California in its circulation category (under 50,000). Only one other American newspaper -- the Hartford Courant -- was awarded a prize for its A Section. The Tribune was the only under-50,000 circulation paper in the international competiton to win awards for the A and Sports Sections. The five awards went to The Tribune's A section; Sports section; News page for the A1 "Are your children safe online?"; Sports page for "Turin '06," the cover of The Tribune's Olympics section; and Features page for a Ticket section cover, "The Bob and Tom road show." Associated Press Executive News Council for California and Nevada Contest The Tribune received two awards in this annual competition. Circulation category 25,000 to 74,000: First place, business news, Ermina Karim, for her package documenting how the cost of housing is driving workers out of San Luis Obispo County. Second place, spot news photography, Jayson Mellom, fire coverage.

2005

Inland Press Association Photographer Jayson Mellom's image of the dramatic rescue of a woman in a flooded creek during a winter storm won first place for spot news photography in the circulation category 25,000 to 75,000 Reporter Nathan Welton won third place for explanatory reporting for his three-part series that tracked a local volunteer’s effort to donate 5,000 shoes to children in Nicaragua The Cambrian (weekly) won second place in the Nation’s Best Non-Daily Newspaper contest in the under-5,000 circulation category American Association of Sunday and Features Editors City Editor (then columnist) Silas Lyons won third place for general commentary in the circulation category of up to 75,000 for an evocative column about his sister graduating from college Associated Press Sports Editors The Tribune´s daily and Sunday Sports sections were ranked among the top 10 in the country among newspapers of its circulation size The Tribune´s sports section was selected as one of the top 10 in the daily and Sunday categories for newspapers in the under-40,000 circulation division Society for News Design Todd Dybas won an award of excellence for sports page design for the cover of the Olympics special section California Newspaper Publishers Association The Tribune received three awards at the annual Better Newspapers Contest in its circulation category of 25,000 to 75,000, including first place for overall lifestyle coverage Silas Lyons won first place for writing Second place for overall sports coverage The Sun Bulletin (weekly) won first place for spot news photography and second place for page layout and design in the circulation category of under 4,300 The Cambrian (weekly) won second place for public service in its circulation category of under 4,300 Associated Press Executive News Council for California and Nevada Contest The Tribune received three awards in its circulation category of 25,000 to 74,000 including a second place for local column won by Silas Lyons Jayson Mellom won second place for feature photo for "Dog psychologist" David Middlecamp won second place for business photo for "Skin Deep"

Major Advertisers: Gottschalks, Centex Homes, Mervyn's, Century 21 Hometown Realty, Rite Aid, Orchard Supply, The Tachi Palace Casino, Longs Drugs, Verizon Wireless, Big 5 Sporting Goods, Cingular Wireless, Midland Pacific Builders, Cost Plus World Market, Kohl's, Ralph's, Wal-Mart, Idler's Appliance Stores.

Creative Ventures: The Tribune Online

Special Publications: The Tribune offers an array of weekly, monthly and annual special advertising sections. To target the real estate market, The Tribune publishes Real Estate Weekly on Saturday and Showcase on Sunday, as well as Real Estate Monthly, distributed in the paper and on racks countywide. "Vintages" -- a glossy magazine published bi-annually with a searchable online directory of all county wineries -- covers the wine industry on the Central Coast. The Tribune publishes more than 50 annual special sections, including Living Here, Cambria Directory, Bridal & Healthcare Guide, The Mid-State Fair Guide, Book of Lists, Success, Playing Here, Active Living, Central Coast Holidays, and The Downtown Gift Guide. For a copy of the complete list of special advertising sections with deadlines and publication dates, contact The Tribune's advertising department at 805-781-7844.

Well-Known Newsroom Personalities: Local columnists: Phil Dirkx, Bill Morem, Bob Cuddy and Lon Allen.

Community Involvement: The newspaper supports numerous community events and organizations, including the Mid-State Fair, Arroyo Grande Strawberry Festival, The City to the Sea Mini-Marathon, The Harbor Festival, Mozart Festival, San Luis Obispo County International Film Festival, The Amgen Tour of California, Paso Robles Wine Festival, Atascadero Wine Festival, in addition to many other smaller community events. The Tribune is also very involved with organizations such as United Way, The San Luis Obispo Literacy Council and The American Red Cross. And many of its employees support the community as members of local service clubs such as Rotary.

The Community

The Market: San Luis Obispo County is located on California's Central Coast, approximately halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

County Population: 257,621 (2006 estimate)

Population Growth Rate: Up 4.43% (2000-2006)

Ethnic Makeup: 82.3% Non-Latino white; 17.7% Latinos; 2.88% Asians; 2.04% African Americans; 0.2% Pacific Islanders; 0.96% American Indians; and 3.76% multi-ethnicities.

Median Age: 37.78 years

Average Income: $66,703

Median Home Price: $549,000 (2006)

Climate: San Luis Obispo County enjoys moderate and sunny weather year round, making it a popular vacation destination.

Major Employers/Industries: The largest private firm in San Luis Obispo County is Pacific Gas & Electric, followed by Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center and Mid-State Bank. The top 10 employers are: the county government; Cal Poly; PG&E; Cal Poly Foundation; California Men's Colony; Atascadero State Hospital; Lucia Mar Unified School District; San Luis Coastal Unified School District; Sierra Vista Regional Hospital; Atascadero Unified School District; Paso Robles Unified School District. The top industries are tourism, agriculture, small retail and light manufacturing and construction.

Major Retailers: Gottschalks, Target, Kmart, Longs Drugs, Wal-Mart, Mervyn's, Sears, Rite Aid, Sav-On, Big 5 Sporting Goods, Vons, Albertsons, Food 4 Less, Staples, Ralphs, Ross, Cost Plus World Market, Office Max, Marshall's and Sports Authority

Higher Learning: Cal Poly, Cuesta College

Culture: The Performing Arts Center located on the Cal Poly campus, San Luis Obispo Symphony, San Luis Obispo Little Theater, Melodrama, International Film Festival, Mozart Festival, Children's Museum, San Luis Obispo Art Museum, Arroyo Grande Performing Arts Center

Major Annual Events: Mozart Festival; Mid-State Fair; Mardi Gras; I Madonnari Italian Street Painting; Wildflower Triathalon; Pismo Beach Street Rod Custom Car Show; City-to-Sea Mini Marathon; Morro Bay Harbor Festival; Paso Robles Wine Festival; International Film Festival; Lighted Boat Parade; Arroyo Grande Strawberry Festival; Central Coast Wine Classic; and Live Oak Music Festival

Tourist Attractions: San Luis Obispo and San Miguel missions; Hearst Castle (San Simeon); Paso Robles and Edna Valley vineyards and wine-tasting; Pismo Beach; Morro Rock; Madonna Inn; Avila Beach; San Luis Obispo Farmer's Market; and Charles Paddock Zoo

Night Life: Clubs, restaurants and theaters

Sports: Cal Poly and Cuesta college teams, local high schools and amateur teams

Claim to Fame: The Tribune was the first newspaper to report that a Japanese submarine sank U.S. oil tanker off the California coast on Dec. 23, 1941. The story was then suppressed by the secretary of war after it was also printed in The Cambrian and San Francisco Call.

Famous Citizens: Newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst; fitness guru Jack LaLanne; former Reagan National Security Advisor and Interior secretary William Clark; Cal Poly sports stars John Madden, Ozzie Smith, Bobby Beathard and Chuck Liddel

Trivia: James Dean died in an automobile accident in San Luis Obispo County. Clark Gable married Lady Sylvia Stanley, widow of Douglas Fairbanks, in San Luis Obispo. The Frisbee was invented here, and Jamba Juice started here.

Area Information:
San Luis Obispo County Visitors & Conference Bureau
1037 Mill Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
800 634-1414
www.SanLuisObispoCounty.org

San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce
1039 Chorro Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
805-781-2670
www.SLOChamber.org

Recent Issues of the Newspaper:
The Tribune
3825 Higuera Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-7438
805-781-7878
www.SanLuisObispo.com

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