Embarcadero Media

Embarcadero Media Foundation

Company type	Nonprofit (since November 2023)
Industry	Publishing
Predecessor	The Embarcadero Publishing Company
Founded	1979
Founder	William Johnson, Robert Heinen, Roger Sanford
Fate	Rebranded to nonprofit in 2023
Headquarters	Palo Alto , United States
Key people	William Johnson (Chairman), Adam Dawes (CEO)
Products	Palo Alto Weekly, The Almanac, Mountain View Voice, Pleasanton Weekly, The Six Fifty, Palo Alto Online

Embarcadero Media Foundation operates as a publishing enterprise with a portfolio that includes the Palo Alto Weekly, The Almanac, Mountain View Voice, Pleasanton Weekly, The Six Fifty, and Palo Alto Online.

Originally established in 1979 under the name The Embarcadero Publishing Company by founders William Johnson, Robert Heinen, and Roger Sanford, the organization rebranded to Embarcadero Media in 2009. William Johnson held the roles of president and CEO until his retirement in 2022, after which Adam Dawes took over as CEO; Johnson continues to serve as chairman of the board.

In November 2023, the company adopted a nonprofit structure to better reflect its changing organizational framework and commitment to community service.

Earlier, in September 2023, employees within Embarcadero Media Foundation’s newsroom unionized through the Pacific Media Workers Guild, representing 90% of staff excluding management. This union was granted voluntary recognition the following month, exemplifying progressive labor relations leadership within the media sector.

Mountain View Voice

The Mountain View Voice is an independent weekly newspaper launched in 1992 by entrepreneurs Kate Wakerly and Carol Torgrimson, initially operating out of Wakerly’s basement. Embarcadero Publishing Co., which also owns the Palo Alto Weekly and Menlo Park Almanac, acquired the publication in 1994 and transitioned it into a weekly format. Wakerly continued as publisher until 2002 when health concerns prompted her departure; she passed away in 2004. Tom Gibboney succeeded her as editor, followed by Andrea Gemmet taking over in 2014.

The Voice has received accolades from industry organizations, notably a 2014 state newspaper association award recognizing its environmental journalism on toxic solvent contamination impacting Mountain View’s groundwater. The paper's editorial leadership has included managing editors Justin Scheck (appointed 2001), Candice Shih (2003), and Don Frances.

Transition to Nonprofit Status

On November 15, 2023, Embarcadero Media declared its decision to convert into a nonprofit entity amid considerable financial pressures. CEO Adam Dawes attributed this move to a reduction exceeding 42% in print advertising income since 2019, driven by pandemic-related closures of local businesses and shifting consumer preferences, resulting in a total revenue decline of 32% across print, digital channels, and newsletters. Executive Chairman Bill Johnson noted that this pattern mirrors a national industry-wide contraction fueled by digital media’s disruption of traditional advertising revenue streams. This strategic realignment aims to preserve Embarcadero’s local journalism operations and restructure the company for sustainable long-term success.