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SIGN OUR SUPPORT STATEMENT *see below

We, the readers and residents of Monterey County, are concerned about the future of
the Herald.

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"I applaud the efforts of Newspaper Guild members at the Monterey County Herald and the San Jose Mercury News to promote a transition and sales plan that will preserve the integrity of the papers and the Guild. As a resident of Monterey County for 30 years, I have seen owners come and go from the Herald and the Mercury. The constant has been the dedication of the newspapers' employees including reporters and all other workers whose teamwork, professionalism, and collaboration produce the daily papers. It is the local engagement and continuity of the workforce which ultimately serves the readers. With every turnover of staff and reporters comes a loss of history and a more superficial coverage of local and regional events. I encourage other readers, community leaders, and advertisers to join in support of the Guild members in their effort to preserve journalistic integrity and continuity in our communities."

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Save the Herald

Cal-Am, a multi-national corporation, distributes water in the Monterey Peninsula. Who keeps track of their operations? Cities approve new taxes. Who will get the most money? A new golf course is proposed in Del Monte Forest. Whose interests are at play?

The Monterey County Herald and its employees are committed to bringing you the best information about issues you care about the most: whether it is water, the environment or school sports.

And now, employees at the Herald worry that a new employer could decimate the newspaper's staff and force cutbacks on local coverage of important issues.

A high stakes game of wheeling and dealing has once again placed the Monterey County Herald on the auction block. The Herald has been sold and its new owner, the McClatchy Co., has announced it intends to sell the newspaper, as well as 11 others across the country.

At issue is a sale to either an owner who is simply interested in increasing profits or an ownership group that will uphold the principles of great journalism while establishing an employee-friendly work environment that will assure stability.

Employees worry that the next buyer will be yet another large mega-media outlet that does not understand our community and will simply come to Monterey County for its profit potential. Possible buyers include media companies renowned for their slash-and-burn approach to community newspapers.

We are proud of our service to Monterey County and we believe we can improve, but the result of a "scorched earth" ownership of The Herald will be a decimated news staff unable to provide more than cursory coverage of issues that matter.

We believe that newspaper owners must balance their expectations for profits with their civic obligation to provide robust news coverage. We are guided by the belief that a vibrant daily newspaper is indispensable to the health and prosperity of a community.

We at The Herald are working with a buyer who values our work and is willing to match our long-standing commitment to quality journalism. We ask readers, leaders and advertisers in Monterey County to insist that any prospective owner meet the community's equally high expectations.

Monterey County deserves a daily newspaper equal to the ambitions and accomplishments of its readers.

Save the Herald

* If you are having trouble signing our support list, click here Support@SaveTheHerald.com.      Thanks