Paul Kozakiewicz: Newspapers Flourish in Garden of the Future

May 1, 2012 - it was a great day for the First Amendment.

Representatives from the city's flowering newspaper industry were gathered for the fifth annual Excellence in Bay Area journalism awards ceremony at the Mark Hopkins Hotel.

The print media had blossomed in the last decade, thanks to the foresight and actions taken by a handful of San Franciscans dedicated to preserving the values of the nation's forbearers.

"God knows what propaganda we were fed back when we had very few voices in the local media," said Riled Public, a friend from high school.

There are five daily and eight weekly or thrice-weekly newspapers distributing in San Francisco, bringing city residents a diverse group of opinions on a host of topics, including extensive coverage of San Francisco politics. Most of the publications are delivered door-to-door.

One candidate for best newspaperman at the awards ceremony was Jack Davis, a political advisor until the early 21st century, whose publication "City Hangman" took no prisoners. Sponsored with full page ads promoting Jack Daniel's whiskey, "City Hangman" took an unabashed look at city life.

Another publishing titan, Clint Reilly, founded the thrice-weekly "Take Back San Francisco" in 2004. That paper changed its name to "Protect San Francisco" several years later when Reilly's candidate for mayor won.

"But what about the old timers?" Public asked. "The publications that made it all possible."

"That's why we're here today," I said, "to honor the true geniuses of yesterday."

Florence Fang, matriarch of the Fang family was getting a lifetime achievement award for the numerous contributions and innovations attributable to Florence and her inspirational sons, James, Ted and Douglas.

"It seems like only yesterday that we were down to two daily newspapers and a couple of rag-tag weeklies," Fang said. "I'm just glad I could be a part of this great movement."

The Fangs had shown the way. By using their publications to unabashedly support politicians that supported them and by bashing unmercifully political opponents, the Fangs showed how public policy could be manipulated to achieved personal ends. For instance, a million dollars in low-interest loans from the mayor's office and a monopoly, for all practical purposes, to publish the city's legal advertising notices for another million a year or so.

Additionally, the Fangs accomplished what few others could do. They persuaded some "friends" and members of the public to pay for a free publication.

Soon the model was replicated everywhere, not only in San Francisco but across the nation. A new expression even popped up in the English lexicon: to be identified as a "friend or Fang."

But the night of tributes belonged not only to the Fangs, but to the mighty Hearst Corporation as well.

"We owe it all to the fine example set by the Hearst Corporation," Fang said.

Moving for its own economic interests, the leaders at the Hearst Corporation conducted a legal and political charge to get a $660 million deal completed to purchase the SF Chronicle in 1999. A judge found that Hearst executives knew of a plan to "horsetrade" with SF Mayor Willie Brown to gain political favors in return for favorable opinion-page coverage.

"Who's this?" Public asked as a new speaker approached the podium.

"Tim White, who blew the whistle in court. He reportedly got $6 - $10 million for swallowing his pride and walking away, but look at him now," I said.

White cleared his throat.

"The Hearst people and the Fangs used to fight like cats and dogs," he said. "But eventually they realized they were very much the same. Like looking in a mirror."

Hearst executives even decided to give the Fang family millions to keep their old newspaper, the SF Examiner, alive.

The publishing boon for political and economic benefit was a stroke of genius. It didn't matter whether or not the publications were profitable, a publisher could take advantage of other perks, such as government contracts or political "juice," on behalf of a candidate. Having politicians on-line turned out "to be a good thing," as one candidate testified at a board meeting.

"But don't the people care? Aren't they more cynical than they were?" Public asked.

"No, that's the beauty of the situation," I said. "The public is so numb and turned off that many of them no longer bother to read. And many of those that do read are so cynical they don't know what to believe."

"But what about the forests of trees that are cut down to supply the paper for all these newspapers,?" Public asked.

"Recyclables, my man. The city easily reached its mandate from the state to recycle 60 percent of its waste stream by 2008 with the amount of newsprint being recycled. This was just the tip of the iceberg of what became possible for elected officials."

The marriage between the newspapers and elected officials was consummated - politicians looked good, or at least better, than if they didn't "play the game" and newspapers got a return on its investment - in one way or another.

But there was no time for reflection on the beauty of the evolution of journalism because press icon Warren Hinckle was being wheeled up to the podium.

The attack-dog tactics used by Hinckle in the last part of the 20th century and first part of the 21st made him one of the most influential newsmen in San Francisco. Hordes of young journalists crowded the stage in the hopes that Hinckle would spot them an autograph.

"I want to thank all of you who have supported the Argonaut," Hinckle said of his weekly newspaper. "I was only able to fight for the causes of the people because of your donations and advertising support."

At the end of the celebration Public was moved to tears.

"God Bless America," he said. "And thank you for American heroes."