Editor awarded legal costs in News Press case

07 February 2010 |permalink | email article

Jerry Roberts, former editor of the Santa Barbara News Press, has been awarded $748,022 by an arbitrator to cover his legal expenses in a years-long battle with News-Press owner Wendy McCaw, his former employer.

The arbitrator rejected all claims by McCaw’s publishing company that Roberts violated his employment contract after his 2006 resignation by talking about McCaw’s alleged interference in the newsroom. His decisive action sparked a mass defection from the paper, and remaining employees later voted in bring in a union.

Deborah Rothman, the arbitrator, was harshly critical of McCaw’s action in the newsroom and in dealing with Roberts. Although he was not granted damages the case represents a landmark victory for the rights of journalists.

Roberts is a former managing editor of the San Francisco Chronicle. With Phil Trounstine, a former political editor of the San Jose Mercury, he is co-founder and editor of Calbuzz, an authoritative blog on California politics.

UPDATE: In a letter to friends and family, Roberts wrote: “The good news is that we’ve won. The bad news is that because of McCaw’s unlimited resources...it’s not over yet.”

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