# 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:** 2
**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 24, 2007, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/21 "2007-04-24T04:00:56Z")
[QUOTE=Plan B] I wasn’t referring to Chicago Reader, I was referring to SDMB. Sorry, I should have made that clear. [/QUOTE] The Straight Dope Message Board is owned by Chicago Reader, Inc. Chicago Reader, Inc. is owned by its shareholders, which, as a private company, doesn’t have to publicize anything but their taxable earnings. That doesn’t mean that it’s a secretive organization, merely a privately held company. Nothing sinister. 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, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/22 "2007-04-24T04:56:01Z")
I never said there was anything sinister about Chicago Reader. In fact I never said anything about it at all. You could look it up ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/23 "2007-04-24T05:23:44Z")
[QUOTE=Plan B] I never said there was anything sinister about Chicago Reader. In fact I never said anything about it at all. You could look it up [/QUOTE] So let’s quit dancing around here-- what exactly is it that you want to know, besides the fact that the Chicago Reader owns the SDMB? The private owners make the profits, they also take the losses. As an aside, because of the SDMB, since I’ve lived in Chicago, I’ve read the Reader somewhat religiously-- moreso than other papers anyway. So even if the Reader doesn’t make (or hasn’t always made) money directly from the Message Board, the fact that it exists I’m sure has helped their business over the years. That being said, I probably won’t be posting much here anymore. I’m not gonna re-up, but I’ll still check in on new threads, and I’ll go on reading the Reader. So thanks guys for many years of great reading (both on the MB and in print). Happy ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/24 "2007-04-24T05:45:33Z")
[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] It’s not??? :eek: ---
**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 24, 2007, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/25 "2007-04-24T12:05:11Z")
[QUOTE=Plan B] But it isn’t publicly held. [/QUOTE] So why would you expect their finances to be public? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/26 "2007-04-24T12:14:36Z")
For what it’s worth: 1. As noted above, the SDMB and the Straight Dope itself are owned by the Chicago Reader, Inc. 2. The Chicago Reader, Inc., is a privately held company, which is not obliged to list its shareholders publicly, on the Internet or whatever. 3. **If** , as I assume is the case, The Chicago Reader (the newspaper, as opposed to the corporate entity) holds second-class mailing privileges, they are obliged to annually make a statement relating to their average circulation, paid and unpaid, which includes a list of persons holding more than X% (I think it’s 5%) of the stock in the company. That information will be available to someone with an archive of the print edition of the newspaper if in fact it is second-class mailable matter. 4. Personal privacy is not usually an Illuminati plot. fnord 🙂 ---
**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, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/27 "2007-04-24T12:14:58Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Lendervedder] So let’s quit dancing around here-- what exactly is it that you want to know, besides the fact that the Chicago Reader owns the SDMB? [/QUOTE] Who owns SDMB?, which leads to who owns Chicago Reader? It’s really not a trick question at all. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/28 "2007-04-24T12:34:17Z")
[QUOTE=Plan B] Who owns SDMB?, which leads to who owns Chicago Reader? It’s really not a trick question at all. [/QUOTE] Which, as you’ve been told, is information that you probably don’t have access to, because the company is a privately held corporation. 🙂 Note to everyone else: why are you assuming ulterior motives on the part of this poster? In the absence of some evidence of polemic, simply provide the “straight dope” and move on without comment. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/29 "2007-04-24T12:44:28Z")
Per the [Chicago Reader](http://www.chicagoreader.com/readerinc/staff.html) website, the corporate officers are: [ul][li]President - Robert A. Roth[/li][li]Vice President - Robert E. McCamant[/li][li]Treasurer - Thomas K. Yoder[/li][li]Executive Editor - Michael Lenehan[/ul][/li]While this doesn’t directly answer the question of who owns Chicago Reader, Inc., it might be a close as you’re going to get. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/30 "2007-04-24T13:29:55Z")
The full _Reader_ staff list is [here](http://aan.org/alternative/Aan/StaffList?oid=oid%3A9). I’m intrigued by how few _Reader_ staff post at SDMB. I know Mike Lenehan has showed up occasionally, and Jerry Davis posts regularly if infrequently when there’s a technical issue involved. I believe Sean Phelan has also made a few posts on technical stuff. As far as I know, the remainder of the staff does not post – or preserves their anonymity. Interestingly, Ed Zotti, Cecil Adams, and Slug Signorino are not listed as Reader staff. Why this might be is probably an interesting story that we will never know. ---
**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, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/31 "2007-04-24T18:18:58Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] Which, as you’ve been told, is information that you probably don’t have access to, because the company is a privately held corporation. 🙂 Note to everyone else: why are you assuming ulterior motives on the part of this poster? In the absence of some evidence of polemic, simply provide the “straight dope” and move on without comment. 😉 [/QUOTE] Thank you for hearing what I said, and not confusing it with what you thought I said, and I will move on… ---
**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 24, 2007, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/32 "2007-04-24T18:24:27Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] Note to everyone else: why are you assuming ulterior motives on the part of this poster? In the absence of some evidence of polemic, simply provide the “straight dope” and move on without comment. 😉 [/QUOTE] I thought I did with the first response. The question as phrased was answered. He than elaborated more. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/33 "2007-04-24T18:35:54Z")
[Jack Bauer]WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR?![/Jack Bauer] ---
**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 24, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/34 "2007-04-24T18:52:09Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Lendervedder] As an aside, because of the SDMB, since I’ve lived in Chicago, I’ve read the Reader somewhat religiously-- moreso than other papers anyway. So even if the Reader doesn’t make (or hasn’t always made) money directly from the Message Board, the fact that it exists I’m sure has helped their business over the years. That being said, I probably won’t be posting much here anymore. I’m not gonna re-up, but I’ll still check in on new threads, and I’ll go on reading the Reader. So thanks guys for many years of great reading (both on the MB and in print). [/QUOTE] Sorry for the hijack but I can’t let this go. I have to admit messages like this confuse me. It’s such a great experience to you but not enough to be worth $7.48? Granted, nothing in life stays the same and what was meaningful yesterday may not be so today, but 2 cents a day is too much? Huh. Well, okay. All best and all that, absolutely. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/35 "2007-04-24T20:54:34Z")
[QUOTE=TubaDiva] Sorry for the hijack but I can’t let this go. I have to admit messages like this confuse me. It’s such a great experience to you but not enough to be worth $7.48? Granted, nothing in life stays the same and what was meaningful yesterday may not be so today, but 2 cents a day is too much? Huh. Well, okay. All best and all that, absolutely. [/QUOTE] I’ve been posting less and less lately. Plus, I’m getting married this summer and planning to start a business in the next six months, so every nickel is accounted for right now. And the “sponsoring” thing has never occured or really appealed to me. That’s not to say I won’t ever be back, which if I do, you’ll be getting twice as much cash out of me, so that’s a good thing (for y’all anyway). Hope that kinda clears up any confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/36 "2007-04-24T21:03:28Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Lendervedder] I’ve been posting less and less lately. Plus, I’m getting married this summer and planning to start a business in the next six months, so every nickel is accounted for right now. And the “sponsoring” thing has never occured or really appealed to me. That’s not to say I won’t ever be back, which if I do, you’ll be getting twice as much cash out of me, so that’s a good thing (for y’all anyway). Hope that kinda clears up any confusion. [/QUOTE] Suppose someone were to sponsor you without you requesting it? Would you be upset? ---
**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 24, 2007, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/37 "2007-04-24T21:07:58Z")
Dear Happy: SDMB2007042416040601967201 Please consider this a wedding gift from your friends at the Straight Dope. (And good luck with your business!) ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/38 "2007-04-24T21:25:02Z")
[QUOTE=TubaDiva] Dear Happy: SDMB2007042416040601967201 Please consider this a wedding gift from your friends at the Straight Dope. (And good luck with your business!) [/QUOTE] Man! No matter how hard I try to be a good guy, they just won’t let me. Screw it. It’s nothing but evil villain from here on out. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/39 "2007-04-24T21:38:23Z")
I honestly wasn’t expecting this. Thank you (both) very much. I must now go begin crafting the greatest thread in the history of mankind so that I may repay this enormous dollop of generosity. Happy 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130/40 "2007-04-24T21:44:31Z")
[QUOTE=TubaDiva] Dear Happy: SDMB2007042416040601967201 Please consider this a wedding gift from your friends at the Straight Dope. (And good luck with your business!) [/QUOTE] Very cool. What a nice bunch of folks! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-sdmb/401130.md?page=3)