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Contact Information
The Press Democrat's general number is 707-546-2020.
To report a news tip, call The Press Democrat newsroom at 707-546-2020,
800-675-5056, or (after business hours) 707-526-8585.
The mailing address is:
The Press Democrat
427 Mendocino Ave.
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
For more detailed contact information by department, please select from the following list:
Newsroom
Online staff
Editorial, Forum staff
Advertising, Classified
Marketing
Circulation
The Press Democrat's main offices are located at 427 Mendocino Ave. in downtown Santa Rosa. The offices are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m (Pacific Time). Monday through Friday.
Additionally, The Press Democrat has bureaus in Petaluma and Ukiah. The Petaluma bureau is located at 1333 North McDowell Blvd., Ste. B, at Scott St., and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m (Pacific Time). Monday through Friday. The Ukiah bureau, at 445 N. State St., is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m (Pacific Time). Monday through Friday.
The Press Democrat's printing facility, located in Rohnert Park, is not open to the public.
The very first newspaper in Santa Rosa, the forerunner to what is now The Press Democrat, was begun in 1857, just three years after Santa Rosa was chosen as the seat of Sonoma County and just seven years after California became a part of the United States. Called the Sonoma Democrat, this newspaper was a four-page weekly. Its name reflected the 19th century journalistic tradition where papers existed as house organs of political parties. Publisher Alpheus Russell created the newspaper originally to be a voice of the Democratic party to help elect James Buchanan as U.S. President. The motto beneath the masthead read "By Industry We Thrive."
A year later Russell sold his infant newspaper and left the area. Several years later Thomas Thompson, who had published a daily in Petaluma, bought the Sonoma Democrat, changing its masthead to "The World is Governed Too Much."
Thompson played a major role in politics in Santa Rosa, the state, and later as U.S. Amabassador to Brazil. He sold the Sonoma Democrat in 1897 to Ernest L. Finley, owner of The Evening Press. He finally merged the two papers and renamed the new publication The Press Democrat. Finley also bought The Santa Rosa Republican, the paper's long-time competitor, in 1927.
Ernest Finley's wife, Ruth, was very much a part of the affairs of the newspaper. She encouraged him, also, to establish radio station KSRO in 1936. Control of the newspaper and radio station passed to Ruth at his death in 1942.
Mrs. Finley, described as a gentle, soft-spoken woman, co-published the two newspapers along with her son-in-law, Evert Person, for the next 31 years. During that time circulation of the newspaper rose from 10,000 to 55,000 subscribers. In 1948 the Santa Rosa Republican and The Press Democrat were merged. The Republican was renamed The Evening Press and continued as the afternoon edition. The morning edition continued as The Press Democrat. In 1951 The Evening Press died and The Press Democrat became the sole evening edition.
At Mrs. Finley's death in 1973, ownership of The Press Democrat passed to her son-in-law and daughter, Evert and Ruth Person.
In 1985, shortly before Ruth Person died, the Persons sold The Press Democrat to The New York Times Company. In August 1985, three months after its takeover of the newspaper, The New York Times Company began construction on a $31 million, 78,000 square foot Rohnert Park production plant. Just one year later, the new Press Democrat rolled off the brand new 4-story presses and the community was urged to "Take A New Look."
Today, with a readership of about a quarter million adults, The Press Democrat is the largest newspaper between San Francisco and the Oregon border.
Even now, the paper remains a reflection of the community it serves, through its Celebrate Community program and through additional contributions to area charities such as Starcross Community (funding for work with AIDS babies), the Holiday Spirit Drive for Coalition Against Hunger, the Helping Hand Fund and the United Way, as well as acting as a major sponsor of the Volunteer Center for the annual Human Race event.
The Press Democrat is also active in contributing to numerous education and other organizations such as the Sonoma State University Press Democrat Youth Service Award for high school seniors, awarded for youth service work.
Additionally, the company participates in community events and agencies such as the 4th of July Celebration of Sonoma County and the Sonoma County Family YMCA.
Unlike most other major newspapers, The Press Democrat has literally grown up with the area it serves. As Northern California continues to develop into the 21st century, so too will The Press Democrat.
