The San Francisco Chronicle, Once Imperiled, is Profitable — and Growing its Digital Business

When newspapers took a nosedive in the late 2000s, it appeared as if the San Francisco Chronicle might be one of the industry’s biggest casualties. The paper reportedly was bleeding at least $50 million per year from its parent Hearst, a situation worsened by protracted labor negotiations, declining print revenue and a big newsroom payroll.

A lot has changed since then. Hearst withdrew its threat to close or sell the newspaper after taking steps to rein in spending. The Chronicle has a new editor in chief, Audrey Cooper, and a new publisher, Jeff Johnson. And, since 2013, the Chronicle no longer operates in the red.