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What We Do
“Newsmakers” is a multimedia journalism platform that focuses on politics, media and public affairs in Santa Barbara, California - and beyond.
“Newsmakers TV,” hosted by veteran journalist Jerry Roberts, presents candid conversation from Santa Barbara’s top reporters, editors and political leaders about the most important news events in our community. Longtime public access media executive and activist Hap Freund produces the program via online video, cable TV and podcast. We also produce one-on-one interviews with local elected officials and other community leaders about consequential politics and policy matters.
“Newsmakers with Jerry Roberts” is a reported opinion blog that presents Jerry’s take on local news, along with analysis and commentary about state and national politics. The site also publishes enterprise reporting from other Santa Barbara journalists and provides an open forum for op-eds and essays from all perspectives.
Who We Are
Jerry Roberts has worked in the news business as a reporter, editor, columnist, commentator and author for 50 years, including a quarter-century at the San Francisco Chronicle, where he held a series of senior newsroom and executive positions. The author of a biography of Senator Dianne Feinstein, he is co-founder of the politics website “Calbuzz” and a political analyst for KEYT-TV and KCRW-FM. The documentary “Citizen McCaw” chronicles his fight for ethical journalism.
Hap Freund is the former Executive Director of SB Channels, the pioneering forerunner of TV Santa Barbara. He previously ran the City of Seattle’s government TV station for its first four years, leading it to national recognition. He has worked as the executive producer of many award-winning documentaries and was the American producer and primary researcher for a NOVA/Film Australia investigative documentary on international bird smuggling. In recent years, he’s worked behind-the-scenes to establish and fund journalistic outlets for in-depth local reporting and analysis. He is a lapsed attorney.
