Media in the San Francisco Bay Area
James King of William began publishing the "Daily Evening Bulletin" in San Francisco in October, 1855 and built it into the highest circulation paper in the city. He criticized a city supervisor named James P. Casey, who, on the afternoon of the story about him, ran in the paper, shot and mortally wounded King. Casey was lynched by the early vigilante committee. The "Morning Call" was established and began publishing in December 1856, and later merged with the "Bulletin" to become the long-running "Call-Bulletin". The "San Francisco Chronicle" debuted in June, 1865 as the "Dramatic Chronicle", founded by Charles and M.H. de Young aged 19 and 17.
History of newspapers in California
The first newspaper published by Americans in California was "The Californian", printed in Monterey in 1846 announcing the Mexican–American War, written half in English and half Spanish. The press was moved to San Francisco and printing started up again on May 22, 1847 in competition with the weekly "California Star" published by Mormon pioneer Sam Brannan, beginning that January. Both efforts suspended publication in the face of the California Gold Rush. By August, "The Californian" had resumed publication, but by November 1848, both papers were bought and merged then renamed the Alta California. The press that once printed "The Californian" was moved to the Sacramento area to be used on the "Placer Times". The press was again moved and began publishing the Motherlode's first paper, the "Sonora Herald", then taken to Columbia to print the "Columbia Star". Within a few years of gold discovery, mother lode towns all had multiple competing journals.