Deciphering Anschutz

The San Francisco Chronicle details the conservative and Christian political causes of L.A. Kings and Staples Center owner Philip Anschutz, while the LAT story finds a couple of newspaper industry experts who suggest there must be a motive other than profit behind his purchase this week of the moribund San Francisco Examiner.

As an economic investment, it doesn't make any sense," veteran industry analyst John Morton said. "You'd do better to go out and buy" a certificate of deposit.

Denver newspaper mogul William Dean Singleton was more blunt. "Phil is a friend so I hate to say this, but I wonder if he had a senile moment or something," said Singleton, who owns 49 dailies including the Daily News in Los Angeles. "One of the rules of living in Colorado is that you never bet against Phil Anschutz, but this one just blows my mind."

Here's a journalists' challenge: Anschutz hasn't given a substantive interview since 1974. Yet he's one of the most important players in Los Angeles. (And not invisible by any means. He has even been known to sit among the hardcore puck fans at Kings training camp games at the HealthSouth training center in El Segundo; the hockey players also spend a day at his ranch near Denver every season).

Earlier: Anschutz makes media move