Oakland Tribune

The paper had news stories and 43 advertisements.
Staniford, the editor and Dewes, the printer, were credited with producing a paper with fine typographical look and editorial nature. The first editoral stated, "There seems to be an open field for a journal like the Tribune in Oakland, and we accordingly proceed to occupy it, presenting the Tribune, which is intended to be a permanent daily paper, deriving its support solely from advertising patronage."
Later that year, Staniford sold his half interest to Dewes; then, Dewes sold a half interest to A.B.

The Tribune moved, January 30, 1875, to 911 Broadway and Gibson sold his half interest to the paper to A. In 1876, Dewes and Nightingill, found a buyer for the Tribune.
The William Dargie Era
The Tribune became a major paper under William Edward Dargie (1854-1911), who acquired the paper July 24, 1876.

Harmon, Jr., Secretary.
The Tribune was a solid Republican newspaper under Dargie and (later) the Knowlands. Dargie was a news innovator in several ways: 1876, wire service dispatches; 1877, a book and job department added; 1878, when the Bell Telephone System arrived in Oakland, one of the first telephones was installed at the Tribune- Number 46; 1883, a Saturday edition was introduced; 1887, special editions; 1888, an extra for the presidential election.
On August 28, 1891, the name Oakland Tribune was officially adopted.

Prior names include Oakland Daily Tribune, the Oakland Evening Tribune and the Oakland Daily Evening Tribune. double cylinder press.
The Tribune was a charter member of the Associated Press upon its founding in 1900.
Among Dargie's hires, at the turn of the century, was Jack Gunin, a one-eyed lensman, the first full-time photojournalist in the Western United States.
Early in 1906, the Tribune printed a Sunday edition, making it a full seven-day newspaper.
The Tribune and the 1906 Earthquake
The newspapers of San Francisco were destroyed in the fire and earthquake of April 18, 1906.The Tribune printed many "extras." Dargie loaned the presses and the famous edition, San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle-Call was printed at the Oakland Tribune. Schmitz, declared the Oakland Tribune the official San Francisco newspaper.
The circulation grew as displaced San Franciscans moved to Oakland and Alameda County.

Bruno Albert Forsterer (1869-1957), served the newspaper as publisher and general manager. Forsterer would serve the Knowlands and the Oakland Tribune.
The Knowland Family Era


The Tribune Tower was the headquarters of the Oakland Tribune from 1924 until 2007.

After five-terms in the United States House of Representatives, Joseph R.

Knowland (1873-1966) purchased the Oakland Tribune from Dargie's widow, Hermina Peralta Dargie. In his first edition as publisher of the Oakland Tribune, November 14, 1915, he wrote, "It is perfectly understood that what the Tribune does, rather than what it promises, will determine the true measure of its worth; and with understanding, the Tribune, under its new control, girds to its work."
Knowland moved the Tribune to a new location at 13th and Franklin Streets on March 25, 1918.

The Tribune would make many political careers, most famous were Knowland's own son William F. Knowland and Earl Warren.
In 1921, Knowland started radio station KLX and his newspaper library.The publishing corporation held interests in KLX , part owner of a paper mill in Tacoma, Washington and subsidiary businesses, U-Bild, Tower Graphics and Tribune Features, Inc.
In the mid-1930's J.R. He had a direct wire link for international news from London, England.

The logo changed with the times: the Tower, transport ship and steam locomotive; in later years, the Tower, the Bay Bridge, larger transport ship, diesel engine, the china clipper and later, a jet airplane.
On September 1, 1950, the Tribune became the sole Oakland daily newspaper, with the demise of its competitor, William Randolph Hearst's Oakland Post Enquirer.
In 1960, Joseph R. Knowland (1908-1974), was named editor; he had shared being assistant publisher with his brother, Joseph Russell "Russ" Knowland, Jr.

Russ Knowland's 1961 death made his brother Bill sole successor to their father.
On February 1, 1966, Joseph R. As the city of Oakland became more ethnically and politically diverse in the 1960's and 1970's, the Tribune was unable to respond quickly enough to the demographic changes (and the political and social unrest exemplified, among other factors, by the University of California, Berkeley, student uprisings and the Black Panther movement).
The Tribune's readership declined after the early 1960's as a large portion of the paper's traditional subscription base relocated to the newly developing suburbs south and east of Oakland.

In southern Alameda County, the readership went to Floyd Sparks's Hayward Daily Review and in Contra Costa County to Dean Lesher's Contra Costa Times.
In 1973, Bill Knowland wrote in Fortune magazine, "Any city needs a means of commnuication between the diverse members of its community. Communication is essential."
Bill Knowland's personal life would soon affect the Oakland Tribune.Two days after the Tribune celebrated its 100th anniversary on February 21, 1974, William F. Jewett (1929-1988) became president of The Tribune Publishing Corporation.
The California Press Association honored Joseph W.

Neuharth, Gannett CEO, used the Tribune as a pilot project with a new morning paper called Eastbay Today, which served as an early prototype of Gannett's later national paper USA TODAY. The Tribune was switched from its traditional role as an evening paper to a morning paper.

Maynard (1937-1993) editor.
The Maynard Era
In 1983, the Tribune was purchased, for $17 million, in a loan, from Gannett to Robert C. Maynard helped restore the paper's reputation but the Tribune still was plagued by financial difficulties.

As a result, the Tribune is no longer considered the dominant East Bay newspaper, as it has been the past.
The Tribune Tower was severely damaged in the Loma Prieta earthquake of October 17, 1989; it was closed and dark for many years.
The Oakland Tribune shares a masterhead with its "sister" publications: Hayward Daily Review, The Argus, Alameda Times - Star, Tri-Valley Herald, San Mateo County Times, and the Marin Independent Journal.
The editorial staff of the ANG Tribune had offices at Jack London Square in the years following the Loma Prieta earthquake and today, some of the editorial have been returned to the old newspaper building; the landmark Tribune Tower clock has been relighted. The ANG official web site is InsideBayArea.com for the online Oakland Tribune; the website is shared with other ANG/MediaNews newspapers.
On May 20, 2007, the Oakland Tribune moved to new offices on Oakport Street, across interstate 880 from the Oakland Coliseum.This ended a long tenancy of the downtown Tribune tower, which will still remain due to its landmark status.
On August 2, 2007, Oakland Post editor and former (1993-2005) Tribune journalist Chauncey Bailey was murdered in a targeted hit on his way to work.