# Who owns SDMB? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 22, 2007, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130 "2007-04-22T01:17:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Plan\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Plan\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plan_B)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/1 "2007-04-22T01:17:01Z")
Not much to elaborate - but I figured I ought to type something in this space, so: Who owns SDMB? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/2 "2007-04-22T01:19:19Z")
At the bottom of every page is this notice: > [@](#): > > “The Straight Dope by Cecil Adams” is a registered trademark of Chicago Reader, Inc. **Contents of the Straight Dope Message Board and the Straight Dope Web site are copyright 1984-2007 by the Chicago Reader, Inc.** All rights reserved. By posting on this board you grant the Chicago Reader, Inc., and its successors and assigns a nonexclusive irrevocable right to re-use your posting in any manner it or they see fit without notice or compensation to you. No material contained in this site may be republished or reposted without express written consent of the Chicago Reader, Inc., except that message board users retain the right to republish or repost their own work. I bolded the pertinent sentence. That is to say, it is owned and operated by the Chicago Reader, Inc Jim ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/3 "2007-04-22T01:23:03Z")
Scroll down. Keep scrolling. Nope, further. Look, if you can still see this message, you haven’t scrolled down far enough. Scroll, baby, scroll until you can’t scroll any more. Still not their yet, keep going. I’m predicting you’ll discover the answer to your question any moment now… Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/4 "2007-04-22T01:41:09Z")
[QUOTE=Stranger On A Train] Still not their yet, keep going. I’m predicting you’ll discover the answer to your question any moment now… [/QUOTE] Life Saver Pool Fence - **Instantly find a local dealer for mesh fence. Free safety evaluation!** [www.poolfence.com](http://www.poolfence.com) ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/5 "2007-04-22T01:47:50Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] Life Saver Pool Fence - **Instantly find a local dealer for mesh fence. Free safety evaluation!** [www.poolfence.com](http://www.poolfence.com) [/QUOTE] While it may seem at times that advertisers offering services about penile dysfunction and opinions on why Democrats suck have taken over the SDMB, the real answer is still further down. Keep scrolling. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Plan\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Plan\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plan_B)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/6 "2007-04-22T04:03:30Z")
OK, I’ll reword the question: Who owns Chicago Reader, Inc.? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/7 "2007-04-22T04:23:58Z")
[QUOTE=Plan B] OK, I’ll reword the question: Who owns Chicago Reader, Inc.? [/QUOTE] It’s stockholeders. For some more information, [The Chicago Reader](http://aan.org/alternative/Aan/ViewCompany?oid=oid%3A9) article by the Association of Alternative Newspapers. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/8 "2007-04-22T07:17:35Z")
We could disappear you, but we’d have to tell you. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/9 "2007-04-22T11:24:02Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] It’s stockholeders. [/QUOTE] And you do not want to mess with them. Getting stockholed is a sad way to go, lad. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/10 "2007-04-22T11:56:08Z")
[QUOTE=Plan B] OK, I’ll reword the question: Who owns Chicago Reader, Inc.? [/QUOTE] The Illuminati, the Grays, the reptile aliens, and the Antarctic mole Nazis are the main shareholders. ---
**Author:** ![Plan\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Plan\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plan_B)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2007, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/11 "2007-04-23T00:43:35Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] It’s stockholders. For some more information, [The Chicago Reader](http://aan.org/alternative/Aan/ViewCompany?oid=oid%3A9) article by the Association of Alternative Newspapers. [/QUOTE] Thanks, but I’m a little wierded out by the attempts at humor by the other posters. Am I violating some norm by asking about this? Or is my sense of humor just really different from some other posters? Getting back to the question: Who are the stockholders? How many of them are there? How much does each of them own? BTW, I should mention two points. First, I have no problem with private ownership, getting wealthy by selling things to other people, or any of that. Also, this is about as far as I’m prepared to go. If the information past this point is secret, it’s not that big a deal; I’ll live with it. But I would note the irony of an organization committed to fighting ignorance holding back on such basic information. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2007, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/12 "2007-04-23T00:56:31Z")
[QUOTE=Plan B] But I would note the irony of an organization committed to fighting ignorance holding back on such basic information. [/QUOTE] I fail to see why your ignorance of the details of the Reader’s stock ownership constitutes “holding back” basic information. If they are a publicly-held company, the information you seek is a public record, probably available online. Just because it is not handed to you on silver platter does not mean anyone is holding it back from you. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2007, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/13 "2007-04-23T01:06:27Z")
[QUOTE=Plan B] Thanks, but I’m a little weirded out by the attempts at humor by the other posters. Am I violating some norm by asking about this? Or is my sense of humor just really different from some other posters? Getting back to the question: Who are the stockholders? How many of them are there? How much does each of them own? BTW, I should mention two points. First, I have no problem with private ownership, getting wealthy by selling things to other people, or any of that. Also, this is about as far as I’m prepared to go. If the information past this point is secret, it’s not that big a deal; I’ll live with it. But I would note the irony of an organization committed to fighting ignorance holding back on such basic information. [/QUOTE] The Chicago Reader has never, as far as I know, said it is committed to fighting ignorance. I think they’re just there to make a buck. And Og bless them, as you have said above. They give us a space in space to post everything that occurs to our little brains. It’s my understanding that they are privately owned. That means, in the US, that you don’t have to divulge much information about specifics. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2007, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/14 "2007-04-23T01:06:29Z")
[QUOTE=Plan B] Thanks, but I’m a little wierded out by the attempts at humor by the other posters. Am I violating some norm by asking about this? Or is my sense of humor just really different from some other posters? [/quote] The latter, particularly insofar as the information you asked for can be found at the bottom of every Straight Dope webpage. [QUOTE=Plan B] Getting back to the question: Who are the stockholders? How many of them are there? How much does each of them own? BTW, I should mention two points. First, I have no problem with private ownership, getting wealthy by selling things to other people, or any of that. Also, this is about as far as I’m prepared to go. If the information past this point is secret, it’s not that big a deal; I’ll live with it. But I would note the irony of an organization committed to fighting ignorance holding back on such basic information. [/QUOTE] You make it sound as if the SDMB is a cabalistic underground organization to whom the staff and ownership is known only to a select few conspirators who communicate via spycraft and coded messages. If you look [here](http://www.chicagoreader.com/readerinc/) you’ll find names, addresses, phone numbers, general editorial and rate policies clearly listed. They don’t list any financials, but their revenue and distribution information can no doubt be had by anyone with a plausible reason to requires it–say, a potential advertiser–and may, depending on how the company is incorporated, be public information. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2007, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/15 "2007-04-23T02:10:42Z")
For the record, the Chicago Reader is a privately owned company. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2007, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/16 "2007-04-23T02:17:45Z")
[QUOTE=Stranger On A Train] You make it sound as if the SDMB is a cabalistic underground organization to whom the staff and ownership is known only to a select few conspirators who communicate via spycraft and coded messages. [/QUOTE] Heh. No better way to hide the truth than to tell it to everybody while winking. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2007, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/17 "2007-04-23T02:34:33Z")
[QUOTE=Princhester] Heh. No better way to hide the truth than to tell it to everybody while winking. [/QUOTE] “But there is no B-3 bomber.” “Perfect! Deny it even exists!” – _Wag The Dog_ Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Plan\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Plan\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plan_B)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/18 "2007-04-24T03:10:21Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] I fail to see why your ignorance of the details of the Reader’s stock ownership constitutes “holding back” basic information. If they are a publicly-held company, the information you seek is a public record, probably available online. Just because it is not handed to you on silver platter does not mean anyone is holding it back from you. [/QUOTE] But it isn’t publicly held. ---
**Author:** ![Plan\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Plan\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plan_B)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/19 "2007-04-24T03:11:23Z")
[QUOTE=Stranger On A Train] The latter, particularly insofar as the information you asked for can be found at the bottom of every Straight Dope webpage. You make it sound as if the SDMB is a cabalistic underground organization to whom the staff and ownership is known only to a select few conspirators who communicate via spycraft and coded messages. If you look [here](http://www.chicagoreader.com/readerinc/) you’ll find names, addresses, phone numbers, general editorial and rate policies clearly listed. They don’t list any financials, but their revenue and distribution information can no doubt be had by anyone with a plausible reason to requires it–say, a potential advertiser–and may, depending on how the company is incorporated, be public information. Stranger [/QUOTE] I read through it a few times. It does not say who the owners are. ---
**Author:** ![Plan\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Plan\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plan_B)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/20 "2007-04-24T03:13:46Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] The Chicago Reader has never, as far as I know, said it is committed to fighting ignorance. I think they’re just there to make a buck. And Og bless them, as you have said above. They give us a space in space to post everything that occurs to our little brains. [/QUOTE] I wasn’t referring to Chicago Reader, I was referring to SDMB. Sorry, I should have made that clear. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130.md?page=2)