The times are changing, none more generationally than at The Seattle Times, this city’s sole surviving daily newspaper. In November, publisher and CEO Frank Blethen announced significant news. After serving four decades, Frank is stepping aside in favor of his son Ryan Blethen.
On January 1, Ryan will become the fifth generation of Blethens to head The Seattle Times, the paper founded by his great-great-grandfather Alden Blethen in 1896. The Times remains one of the few family-owned newspapers still standing in this nation’s fraught media sector.
Ryan’s succession as publisher has been heralded by many readers, a sign that The Times will continue as a stabilizing force for the city and the state. Ryan will not only lead The Seattle Times, but also the Walla Walla Union Bulletin and the Yakima Herald Republic as dependable, go-to sources of news. After stepping down, Frank will continue as board chair while the Times chief financial officer, Alan Fisco, will become CEO and work closely with Ryan.
News of Ryan’s elevation as publisher brought back memories for me, a Seattle Times retiree. I recall how Frank Blethen had once made a practice of introducing fifth generation Blethens to the Times. As offspring of Frank and his cousins — Bob, Bill, and John — reached maturity, each rotated through the organization. They might spend a week working in the newsroom and other weeks in advertising, distribution, the library, photography lab, and at the printing plant.
It was back during Ryan’s training week in the Seattle newsroom that I got to know him. I just happened to walk past the assignment desk when the managing editor said, “This week we’ve got Ryan Blethen. It’s a hectic week and I can’t think where to assign him.” At the time, I was writing a four-days-a-week city column and was forever looking for newsy items. I told the editor: “Look no further. I’ve always longed to have a leg man for my column. I’d love to have Ryan’s help.”
After we had a short “get-to-know-you” chat, Ryan set out to “find” news items for the column. I directed him to the immediate South Lake Union neighborhood. I suggested dropping by the “nines,” a favorite lunch spot across Fairview North from the Times. Ryan was away for a couple of days and came back with a full notebook. Obviously, he has that indefinable something: a nose for news.
At week’s end, my only regret was that Ryan was sent off on other assignments and I never again had help gathering column material. Still there can’t be many columnists who can brag about having once had a budding publisher as a leg man.
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I hope the next generation of Blethens finds a way to be more in touch with actual Seattleites! Glad to have legacy print media in Seattle still, but the misalignment with the local ethos leaves a vacuum for alt publications like The Stranger to play an outsized role in politics and culture.
I have not understood why so many people think the Seattle Times is out of touch with the values of this city and region. The endorsements are overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates; heck, they endorsed very liberal Bill Bradley for President in the Democratic Primary/Caucus of 2000 over Al Gore, and even more liberal Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton in 2016. Yes, the Seattle Times has been a vigorous supporter of moderate Seattle City Councilmembers, but if people would actually read why they endorsed various candidates, it usually comes down to who they think is going to be effective, rather than straight ideology. But on ideology, the Seattle Times has been, for decades, an outspoken and vigorous fighter for public schools, parks and open space, Affirmative Action (remember when they contributed more than $250,000 to fight Initiative 200?), wildlife and environmental issues, and protection for trees.
You have not understood? Maybe I can help. Frank Blethen hates progressive taxation that affects the rich, he hates unions, and he works to undermine public education by consistently pimping for the charter school charlatans and racketeers. His newspaper’s editorial policy, which he directs, reflects that. None of his positions on these issues poll positively in Seattle. And if this year’s electoral defeats of Bruce Harrell, Sara Nelson, Ann Davison, Adonis Ducksworth, Chad Magendanz, Kevin Schilling, Amy Walen, and Carol Rava, all of whom the Times endorsed, don’t illustrate my point, I don’t know what might.
The 2-3-4 Bar and Grill (on Fairview at Thomas) continues to be missed by those of us who remember old “South Lake Union.” The new South Lake Union is more than welcome, but some spots are still missed.
I fondly remember the 2-3-4 on Fairview, Steve, and the Troy Laundry with those marvelous mounds of purple towels in back.