Ventura County Star

The Ventura County Star (Marked online as VC Star) is a daily newspaper published in Camarillo, California and serves all of Ventura County.

Ventura County Star
Ventura County Star's former headquarters (before May 2018)
Owner(s)Gannett
Founded1925
LanguageEnglish
Headquarters771 E. Daily Dr
Camarillo, California
Websitevcstar.com

History and ownership

It was founded in 1925 by the John P. Scripps Newspaper Group, which merged with E. W. Scripps in 1986. Around 1936, the Star acquired the Ventura Free Press (which was founded in 1875), and began publishing as the Ventura County Star-Free Press in 1938. It dropped the Free-Press addition in November 1994.[1]

Scripps spun out its newspapers to Journal Media Group in April 2015.[2] Gannett acquired the Journal newspapers in April 2016.[3]

Leadership

The editor from 1960–1987 was Julius Gius.[4]

As of April 2, 2011, the current publisher was George Cogswell III.[5] He was the publisher for five years, leaving in 2012 to be publisher and chief revenue officer of The Commercial Appeal, in Memphis, TN.[6][7]

He was succeeded by Margie Cochrane in 2012.[7][8]

As of October, 2016 the current president is Mark J. Winkler.,[9] succeeding former publisher Shanna Cannon.[10]

Controversies

The Ventura County Star has faced many complaints that involved its circulation practices rather than its editorial content. As of April 2, 2011, the Better Business Bureau listed ten (10) separate "significant" complaints from the previous three years, of which two alleged the company unauthorized debits from the customers' checking accounts, four alleged problems obtaining refunds, two alleged the company harassed a customer or former customer, two alleged the improper billing, and two alleged delivery continued after customers tried to cancel.[11] (The number of allegations does not add to the total number of complaints because two of the complaints made multiple allegations.)

In 2008, Judge Ken Riley ordered the Ventura County Star not to print the content of an affidavit that the public defender representing defendant Calvin Sharp claimed could prejudice potential jurors.[12] This "gag" order is no longer in effect, and a redacted copy of that affidavit is now online.[13]

References
  1. Saillant, Kay (November 18, 1994). "Chain's Daily Papers to Get Name Change". Los Angeles Times.
  2. Gores, Paul (April 1, 2015). "Journal, Scripps merger creates two closely aligned media companies". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  3. Staff (April 8, 2016). "Gannett buys Ventura County Star". Pacific Coast Business Times. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  4. Pioneering Newspaper Editor Julius Gius Dies at Age 84, Los Angeles Times, October 19, 1996
  5. BBB Business Review of Ventura County Star, The Better Business Bureau of Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, Inc.
  6. Star publisher Cogswell named publisher of Memphis newspaper, Ventura County Star, June 21, 2012
  7. Scripps announces new publisher of the Ventura County Star
  8. Star's new publisher is longtime advertising executive, Ventura County Star, August 13, 2012
  9. "Ventura County Star names Mark Winkler new president". Ventura County Star. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  10. "New publisher named for the Ventura County Star". Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  11. "Significant Complaints", The Better Business Bureau of Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, Inc.
  12. Judge Blocks Murder Case Story, Ventura County Star, December 11, 2008
  13. Affidavit in Support of Search Warrant, 397-07
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