California Newspapers - Daily & Weekly Publications Directory

1,400+

Total Newspapers Published

30+

Major Daily Newspapers

58

Counties Served

175+

Years of History

About California Newspapers: California has one of the most extensive newspaper networks in the United States with over 1,400 publications serving its diverse population of 39 million residents. The state's newspaper industry includes major metropolitan dailies like the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle, ethnic newspapers in dozens of languages, college newspapers at prestigious universities, and hundreds of community weeklies covering all 58 counties.

Major Daily Newspapers

Los Angeles Times

Location: El Segundo (Greater Los Angeles)

Circulation: 79,100 print + 500,000 online subscribers

Coverage: Southern California, statewide, national

Founded: 1881

The Los Angeles Times is the sixth-largest newspaper in the United States and the largest in the Western United States. Known for its investigative journalism and deep local coverage, the Times has won multiple Pulitzer Prizes. The newspaper covers Greater Los Angeles, Southern California, and provides extensive national and international news coverage. Owned by biotech billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong since 2018.

Website: latimes.com

San Francisco Chronicle

Location: San Francisco

Circulation: 164,800 daily

Coverage: San Francisco Bay Area, Northern California

Founded: 1865

Northern California's largest newspaper since 1865, the Chronicle is noted for its extensive regional reporting and multiple Pulitzer Prizes. Covers the tech industry, Bay Area politics, culture, and local news. The paper has been the flagship of the San Francisco newspaper market for over 150 years and provides comprehensive coverage of Silicon Valley, Oakland, and the entire Bay Area region.

Website: sfchronicle.com

Orange County Register

Location: Santa Ana

Circulation: 122,000 daily

Coverage: Orange County

Founded: 1905

Orange County's largest independent daily newspaper, focusing on local and regional news throughout Orange County. Part of the Southern California News Group owned by MediaNews Group. Covers Anaheim, Irvine, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, and all Orange County communities with comprehensive local government, business, and community news.

Website: ocregister.com

San Diego Union-Tribune

Location: San Diego

Circulation: 121,300 daily

Coverage: San Diego County

Founded: 1868

San Diego's leading broadsheet since the 19th century, offering comprehensive coverage of local, regional, and national news. The name derives from the merger of the San Diego Union and San Diego Evening Tribune in 1992. Covers military news, border issues, local government, business, and tourism. Owned by MediaNews Group since 2023.

Website: sandiegouniontribune.com

The Mercury News

Location: San Jose

Circulation: 93,300 daily

Coverage: Silicon Valley, South Bay

Founded: 1851

Serving Silicon Valley since 1851, The Mercury News covers tech industry news, business, and local affairs. Remains the region's primary broadsheet for Santa Clara County and San Jose. Provides extensive coverage of major tech companies, startups, venture capital, and innovation in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Website: mercurynews.com

The Sacramento Bee

Location: Sacramento

Circulation: 90,200 daily

Coverage: Sacramento region, Northern Central Valley

Founded: 1857

As the capital's flagship paper since 1857, the Bee serves the greater Sacramento area and northern Central Valley. The flagship of the nationwide McClatchy Company, it provides comprehensive coverage of state government, politics, and local news. Known for its political reporting and coverage of California state legislature.

Website: sacbee.com

La Opinión

Location: Los Angeles

Circulation: 116,200 daily

Coverage: Southern California (Spanish-language)

Founded: 1926

The largest Spanish-language daily newspaper in the United States. Since 1926, La Opinión focuses on Latino communities throughout Southern California. Provides news, sports, entertainment, and community information tailored to Spanish-speaking residents. Covers immigration, Latin American news, and issues affecting Hispanic communities.

Website: laopinion.com

The Press-Enterprise

Location: Riverside

Circulation: 92,700 daily

Coverage: Inland Empire (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties)

Founded: 1878

Based in Riverside, the Press-Enterprise covers the Inland Empire region of Southern California. Serves Riverside and San Bernardino Counties with local news, business coverage, and community events. Part of the Southern California News Group.

Website: pe.com

The Modesto Bee

Location: Modesto

Circulation: 56,700 daily

Coverage: Central Valley

Founded: 1884

Founded in 1884 and covering the Central Valley, the Bee is central California's primary daily broadsheet. Part of the McClatchy Company, it covers Stanislaus County and surrounding agricultural regions with local news, farming issues, and community events.

Website: modbee.com

Press-Telegram

Location: Long Beach

Circulation: 41,000 daily

Coverage: Long Beach metro area

Founded: 1897

Serving the Long Beach metro area as part of the Southern California News Group. Provides daily community and regional news coverage for Long Beach, the seventh-largest city in California, and surrounding communities.

Website: presstelegram.com

Additional Daily & Regional Newspapers

Los Angeles Daily News

Location: Los Angeles (San Fernando Valley)

Daily newspaper focusing on the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles. Part of Southern California News Group.

The Fresno Bee

Location: Fresno

Central Valley daily newspaper serving Fresno County. Part of the McClatchy Company, covering agriculture, local government, and community news.

The Bakersfield Californian

Location: Bakersfield

Daily newspaper serving Kern County and Southern Central Valley. Independent family-owned newspaper covering oil industry, agriculture, and local news.

East Bay Times

Location: Walnut Creek

Serving Alameda and Contra Costa Counties in the East Bay region. Covers Oakland, Berkeley, and East Bay communities.

The Desert Sun

Location: Palm Springs

Daily newspaper serving the Coachella Valley and desert communities. Part of Gannett network, covering Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and resort areas.

Santa Rosa Press Democrat

Location: Santa Rosa

Daily newspaper serving Sonoma County and North Bay region. Covers wine country, local government, and regional news.

Ventura County Star

Location: Camarillo

Daily newspaper covering Ventura County. Part of Gannett network, serving Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, and coastal communities.

Pasadena Star-News

Location: Pasadena

Daily newspaper covering Pasadena, San Gabriel Valley, and nearby communities. Part of Southern California News Group.

San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Location: West Covina

Serving communities throughout the San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County.

Daily Breeze

Location: Torrance

Daily newspaper serving the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, including Torrance, Redondo Beach, and Manhattan Beach.

Monterey Herald

Location: Monterey

Daily newspaper covering Monterey County, including Monterey, Salinas, and Carmel. Serves Central Coast region.

Santa Cruz Sentinel

Location: Santa Cruz

Daily newspaper serving Santa Cruz County and coastal communities. Covers local government, UC Santa Cruz, and beach communities.

Weekly & Alternative Newspapers

LA Weekly

Location: Los Angeles

Alternative weekly newspaper covering Los Angeles arts, entertainment, music, food, and culture. Free distribution throughout LA area.

SF Weekly

Location: San Francisco

Alternative weekly covering San Francisco arts, culture, politics, and entertainment. Free publication with focus on local issues.

San Diego Reader

Location: San Diego

Free alternative weekly focusing on San Diego culture, entertainment, dining, and local news. Comprehensive events calendar and music coverage.

East Bay Express

Location: Oakland

Alternative weekly serving Oakland and East Bay communities. Covers local politics, arts, food, and cultural events.

OC Weekly

Location: Orange County

Alternative weekly newspaper covering Orange County culture, music, entertainment, and local issues.

Sacramento News & Review

Location: Sacramento

Alternative weekly covering Sacramento arts, entertainment, politics, and local culture. Free distribution throughout region.

College & University Newspapers

The Daily Californian

School: University of California, Berkeley

Founded: 1871

Status: Independent student-run

One of the oldest college newspapers in the country, established in 1871. The Daily Cal became independent from UC Berkeley in 1971 and is published by the Independent Berkeley Students Publishing Company. Completely self-funded through advertising revenue with no university support. Award-winning publication recognized by California College Media Association, Associated College Press, and Society of Professional Journalists.

Website: dailycal.org

The Stanford Daily

School: Stanford University

Founded: 1892

Status: Independent student-run

Student-run independent daily newspaper serving Stanford University since the university was founded in 1892. Became independent in 1973 with the founding of The Stanford Daily Publishing Corporation. Known for investigative journalism including 2022-2023 reporting on research integrity that led to the university president's resignation. Distributed throughout campus and Palo Alto.

Website: stanforddaily.com

Daily Bruin

School: UCLA

Student newspaper of the University of California, Los Angeles. Provides daily coverage of campus news, sports, arts, and opinion for the UCLA community.

Daily Trojan

School: USC

Student newspaper of the University of Southern California. Covers USC campus news, Trojan athletics, entertainment, and Los Angeles news.

The Guardian

School: UC San Diego

Student newspaper serving the UC San Diego community. Covers campus news, research, student life, and local San Diego events.

The Aggie

School: UC Davis

Student newspaper of UC Davis covering campus news, agriculture research, student government, and local Davis community events.

New University

School: UC Irvine

Student newspaper serving UC Irvine. Covers campus news, Anteater sports, Orange County events, and student issues.

The Highlander

School: UC Riverside

Student publication covering UC Riverside campus news, student life, and Inland Empire community events.

Ethnic & Multilingual Newspapers

California has an extensive network of over 300 ethnic and multilingual newspapers serving diverse communities in languages including Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Armenian, Tagalog, Russian, and many others.

Spanish-Language Newspapers

With Latino residents comprising 41% of California's population, Spanish-language newspapers have a significant presence:

  • La Opinión (Los Angeles): Largest Spanish-language daily in the United States, circulation 116,200
  • Hoy (Los Angeles): Spanish-language daily newspaper
  • El Mensajero (San Francisco): Weekly Spanish-language newspaper serving Bay Area
  • La Prensa San Diego: Bilingual weekly covering San Diego's Hispanic community

Chinese-Language Newspapers

Serving California's large Chinese-American population:

  • World Journal (Monterey Park): Major Chinese-language daily established 1976, largest Chinese newspaper in North America
  • Sing Tao Daily: Chinese-language newspaper with California editions
  • Chinese Daily News: Serving Chinese communities in Southern California

Other Language Publications

  • Korean-language newspapers: Multiple dailies and weeklies serving LA and Bay Area Korean communities
  • Vietnamese newspapers: Serving Orange County and San Jose's large Vietnamese populations
  • Armenian publications: Serving Glendale and Los Angeles Armenian communities
  • Tagalog newspapers: Serving Filipino-American communities statewide

Frequently Asked Questions

The Los Angeles Times is the largest newspaper in California and the sixth-largest in the United States. With a print circulation of 79,100 and over 500,000 online subscribers, the Times is the largest in the Western United States. Founded in 1881, the newspaper has won multiple Pulitzer Prizes for its investigative journalism and comprehensive coverage. The San Francisco Chronicle is the largest newspaper in Northern California with a circulation of approximately 164,800 daily readers.

Over 1,400 newspapers have been published in California throughout its history. This includes active daily newspapers, weekly community papers, student publications, ethnic media, and defunct publications. Currently, California has 30+ major daily newspapers, hundreds of weekly community newspapers, dozens of college newspapers, and over 300 ethnic and multilingual publications serving all 58 counties. The state's newspaper industry is one of the most extensive in the United States, serving a population of 39 million residents.

The first newspaper in California was The Californian, printed in Monterey on August 15, 1846 by Rev. Walter Colton and Robert Semple during the Mexican-American War. Among newspapers still publishing today, The Mercury News traces its origins to 1851, making it one of the oldest. The Sacramento Bee was founded in 1857, the San Diego Union-Tribune in 1868, the Los Angeles Times in 1881, and the Modesto Bee in 1884. The San Francisco Chronicle, founded in 1865, has been Northern California's flagship newspaper for over 150 years.

Yes, California has an extensive network of Spanish-language newspapers. La Opinión, based in Los Angeles, is the largest Spanish-language daily newspaper in the United States with a circulation of 116,200. Other major Spanish-language publications include Hoy (Los Angeles daily), El Mensajero (San Francisco weekly), and La Prensa San Diego (bilingual weekly). With Latino residents comprising approximately 41% of California's population as of 2024, there are over 900 Spanish-language newspapers and magazines nationwide, many concentrated in California. These publications serve as vital sources of news, community information, and cultural content for Spanish-speaking residents throughout the state.

California newspapers are owned by several major media companies. MediaNews Group (owned by Alden Global Capital) operates approximately 200 publications including the Southern California News Group papers (Orange County Register, San Diego Union-Tribune, Press-Enterprise, Los Angeles Daily News) and Bay Area News Group papers (Mercury News, East Bay Times). McClatchy Company owns The Sacramento Bee, The Fresno Bee, and The Modesto Bee. The Los Angeles Times has been owned by biotech billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong since 2018. Hearst Corporation owns the San Francisco Chronicle. Many smaller community and ethnic newspapers remain independently or family-owned, though consolidation has reduced the number of independent newspaper owners over the past two decades.

California's newspaper industry has experienced significant contraction over the past two decades. The state has lost about one-third of its newspapers since 2005 due to declining advertising revenue, competition from digital platforms, and corporate consolidations. Industry revenue has declined at a rate of 2.7% annually over the past five years. Less than one-third of US journalists (29%) now work in the newspaper field as of 2024, compared to 71% in 2005. The Los Angeles Times saw its daily print circulation drop 25% from nearly 106,000 in 2023 to 79,000 in 2024, the largest year-on-year decline among major newspapers. Despite these challenges, California maintains one of the most extensive newspaper networks in the United States, adapting to digital platforms while continuing to serve local communities.

California's major universities have award-winning student newspapers with long histories. The Daily Californian at UC Berkeley, established in 1871, is one of the oldest college newspapers in the country and has been editorially and financially independent since 1971. The Stanford Daily has published since Stanford University was founded in 1892 and became independent in 1973. Other major college newspapers include the Daily Bruin (UCLA), Daily Trojan (USC), The Guardian (UC San Diego), The Aggie (UC Davis), New University (UC Irvine), and The Highlander (UC Riverside). These student publications provide professional journalism experience and many alumni go on to careers at major news organizations. The Daily Californian and Stanford Daily are notable for being completely self-funded without university financial support.

California newspapers are published in dozens of languages reflecting the state's diverse population. Major language groups include Spanish (the largest with over 900 publications statewide), Chinese (including Mandarin and Cantonese), Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog (Filipino), Armenian, Russian, Japanese, Hindi/Urdu, Thai, and Persian. The Library of Congress catalogs historical and current newspapers in Chinese dating back to 1854. California has at least 300 ethnic and multilingual media outlets serving non-English primary audiences with culturally relevant news, community events, and advocacy on issues like immigration, education, and local politics. This multilingual press plays a vital role in keeping diverse communities informed and connected.

California's major cities have alternative weekly newspapers covering arts, entertainment, culture, and local issues. LA Weekly serves Los Angeles with coverage of music, film, food, and urban culture with free distribution throughout the metro area. SF Weekly covers San Francisco arts, culture, and politics. The San Diego Reader provides extensive entertainment coverage and events calendars. The East Bay Express serves Oakland and East Bay communities with alternative news and cultural coverage. OC Weekly covers Orange County's music and entertainment scene. Sacramento News & Review focuses on the capital region's arts and politics. These free alternative weeklies complement daily newspapers by providing in-depth arts coverage, investigative features on local issues, and comprehensive entertainment listings.

Community newspapers in California can be found through several networks. The Southern California News Group publishes hyper-local community weekly newspapers throughout Orange County, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles Counties. MediaNews Group operates community papers in both Southern California and the Bay Area. Many independent weekly newspapers serve specific cities and towns throughout the state with circulations typically between 5,000 and 50,000 copies. These community papers focus on local government, schools, sports, and neighborhood news. They are often available for free at local businesses, libraries, and community centers, or by subscription. Check your city's chamber of commerce or local library for information about newspapers serving your specific community.

Related Resources

Last updated on November 27, 2025