Day of Design: 20 Years of Newspaper Design

The Press Democrat

Santa Rosa, Calif.

The Press Democrat is a daily newspaper published in Santa Rosa, Calif. It has the largest circulation in the California North Bay.

It was founded in 1897 by Ernest L. Finley when he merged his Evening Press and Thomas Thompson’s Sonoma Democrat (originally created as a voice for the Democratic Party). Finley also bought the Santa Rosa Republican in 1927 and merged it with the Press Democrat in 1948. It is currently owned by Halifax Media Group, after being purchased from The New York Times.

Source: Wikipedia

Read a 1993 design note from The Press Democrat
THEN

1993

96,000 circulation

95 staff

1993 Frontpage
The Press Democrat front page from Feb. 10, 1993
NOW

2013

53,026 circulation

N/A staff

The Press Democrat front page from Feb. 10, 2013 (Or Feb. 8 page)