San Francisco Chronicle

The San Francisco Chronicle is a major daily newspaper serving the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California. It is the only major daily newspaper that covers both the city and the county of San Francisco. For over 150 years, the publication has acted as a primary source of information for the region.

The newspaper has evolved from a small local start-up into a significant media entity owned by the Hearst Corporation. Its history reflects the growth and changing technology of the American West.

The newspaper began on January 16, 1865, under the name The Daily Dramatic Chronicle. It was founded by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young using a borrowed $20 gold piece.

The publication underwent several name changes during its early years. In 1868, it became The Daily Morning Chronicle. On August 15, 1869, it adopted its current name. By September 9, 1872, the paper began publishing on a daily schedule. The Chronicle grew alongside the city of San Francisco. By 1880, it had the largest newspaper circulation on the West Coast of the United States.

As the business grew, the Chronicle required larger headquarters. The brothers first operated out of a building at the corner of Bush and Kearney Streets. They later commissioned a new headquarters at 690 Market Street. This building, located at the corner of Third and Kearney Streets, was San Francisco's first skyscraper. It was completed in 1889 and was part of an area known as Newspaper Row. The building was damaged during the 1906 earthquake. However, it was rebuilt under the direction of William Polk. This structure, known as the "Old Chronicle Building," is now a historic landmark used as the Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences.

In 1924, the newspaper moved to a new headquarters at 901 Mission Street. This building was designed by architects Charles Peter Weeks and William Peyton Day. They used the Gothic Revival architectural style for the design. In 1968, much of the Gothic Revival detailing was removed when the building was re-clad in stucco. This Mission Street location remained the headquarters for the Chronicle through at least 2017.

The paper's leadership also saw periods of significant change. Between World War II and 1971, editor Scott Newhall used a provocative approach to news. His era included investigative reporting and famous columnists like "Dear Abby."

Competition between newspapers shaped the Chronicle's business model for decades. In the mid-20th century, the Chronicle and the San Francisco Examiner competed fiercely for readers. This competition led to a Joint Operating Agreement in the summer of 1965. Under this agreement, the two papers were managed by the San Francisco Newspaper Agency. The Chronicle became the city's sole morning daily, while the Examiner became an afternoon paper. The agreement required that revenue be split equally. This meant the Chronicle, which had a circulation four times larger than the Examiner, actually helped subsidize its rival.

The Hearst Corporation eventually took full control of the Chronicle in 2000 after buying it from the de Young family for $660 million.

The rise of the internet brought new ways to deliver news. In 1994, the newspaper launched SFGate.com, which was the first large market newspaper website in the world.

It was co-founded by Allen Weiner and John Coate. The site, originally called "The Gate," included content from the newspaper and other sources. It even won a Pulitzer Prize for the political cartoons of Mark Fiore. In 2013, the company launched SFChronicle.com. This allowed the company to separate the SFGate and Chronicle brands into two different entities. While print circulation has fallen in the 21st century, the paper remains a major digital presence.

The Chronicle is also known for its unique branding and visual styles. The sports section, called Sporting Green, is printed on green-tinted paper. The Sunday arts and entertainment section, known as Datebook, is printed on pink-tinted paper in a tabloid format. The newspaper even uses a unique rating system for movie reviews. Instead of stars, they use a cartoon icon called the "Little Man." This character is shown in different poses to represent a viewer's reaction. He might be jumping and applauding for a great film, or he might be asleep in his seat for a poor one. In 2009, the paper also became the first in the United States to print on high-quality glossy paper.