As of July 21, the Santa Barbara News Press, in business for over 150 years, is no more. It had been through a series of controversies over the tumultuous 23 years it was owned by multimillionaire Wendy McCaw, whose divorce was among the most expensive in U.S. history. Ampersand Publishing, which McCaw owns, says it cannot pay its debt, and it has laid off its employees and liquidated its real estate.
150 years of journalism gone overnight in Santa Barbara
After over 150 years, the Santa Barbara News Press filed for bankruptcy on July 21, 2023, laying off employees and shutting their doors. Photo by Shutterstock.
