David Copley

David Copley (January 31, 1952 — November 20, 2012) was a newspaper executive. His family owned the San Diego Union Tribune and a chain of small town newspapers.

Born David Hunt, his mother was secretary to James Copley before their marriage. David took his stepfather's name. After James Copley died in 1973, his wife, the former Helen Kinney Hunt, took control of the newspapers. David Copley became publisher in 2001.

With atypical understatement, the Washington Post wrote, "The Copley family used the editorial pages of its newspapers to spread its conservative, pro-business views."^[1]

When David Copley was publisher, his San Diego newspaper won a Pulitzer Prize in 2006 for reporting on the corruption of Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham.

Copley sold the last of his newspaper interests in 2009.

Forbes magazine included Copley in its 2005 list of the 400 wealthiest Americans by listing his net worth at $1.2 billion.

Copley had been arrested several times for drunk driving. After one arrest in 2002, Copley printed an editorial which said:

I am not a TV celebrity, nor an elected official, but if anyone must undergo the further humiliation of having his name in the paper, it must be the person who bears the ultimate responsibility for publishing the names of others.^[1]

References[edit]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "San Diego publisher's family ran newspaper for 80 years", Washington Post, November 22, 2012, p. B6.