The Chain Gang: One Newspaper Versus the Gannett Empire

The story of McCord's fight for survival in Sante Fe, New Mexico, and also of his guerrilla warfare to help another small paper survive against Gannett's underhand tactics in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It seeks to show what happens when a ruthless wheeler-dealer gets control of the news.

One of the biggest under-told stories of the past 20 years is the engulfing of independent newspapers by large media chains. The Chain Gang is the account of two battles waged by Richard McCord with his independent newspapers against the Gannett Company. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, a small weekly he started had to fight for survival against Gannett and its nasty tactics. In Green Bay, Wisconsin, he again waged war against Gannett. His experiences make for a fascinating narrative and provide a real-life account of the struggle for an independent voice in the face of a corporate steamroller.