Former owner of Courier dies
Martin Weinberger, 82, guided Claremont paper through 2008
Wes Woods II, Staff Writer
Created: 07/06/2011 08:09:34 PM PDT
CLAREMONT - When Martin Weinberger passed away this week, locals said the city lost a newspaperman who could influence elections as well as popular opinion.
The former Claremont Courier owner, publisher and editor died Tuesday.
He was 82.
Weinberger was in his late 20s when he purchased the Courier in 1955. He soon redesigned the newspaper and introduced a tabloid format.
The 1950 UCLA graduate remained at the semi-weekly newspaper until his retirement in 2008.
Weinberger's memorial service will be at 11 a.m. July 16 at Padua Hills Theatre, 4467 Padua Ave.
Friends, family members and co-workers described Weinberger as passionate about everything Claremont.
"Marty was just one of those characters," said Bob Spencer, who was executive director of the Claremont Chamber of Commerce in the mid-1990s. "Really, one of those hometown newspaper characters you just don't see anymore. The Hollywood cliche image of an editor is really what Marty was all about. He was deeply concerned about the city. He certainly served in his capacity as a watchdog without biting anyone really."
Courier Managing Editor Kathryn Dunn said her former boss had a strong interest in local government.
"He was very interested in politics and municipal government and how it worked," said Dunn, who started at the Courier in 1991 as a part-time sales classified advertising employee.
"He always championed for openness in government and worked very hard at making sure people had access to their government."
Weinberger was also a stringent, but jovial, boss, according to Dunn.
"It was a nice balance in the office," Dunn said. "The women had to wear skirts and heels and men wore ties. He was really old school in that sense. 8:01 a.m. was late. You were here at 7:59 a.m. He was prompt and on time. He ran a pretty tight ship. But he was also very fun and we had a lively office and chatter and discussion."
Former Courier employee Helen Jeanne Munter said her employer always knew what he wanted.
"I would say he was a fascinating boss with a great sense of humor," said Munter, who worked under Weinberger in the late 1960s and 1970s.
Weinberger was very liberal and a Democrat who "never wavered on that for any point. That came through in the paper," Dunn said.
Weinberger's son, Peter, started to work with his father at the Courier when he was in his late 20s. His father was in his mid 50s.
"My father wouldn't have made it in corporate America," Peter Weinberger said. "He was the boss. It was his life. He had a very particular way of doing things."
Peter Weinberger said his father was a pioneer in community journalism.
"He figured out the importance of local community journalism a long time ago," Peter Weinberger said. "In some respects, it's come full circle. I think that's all part of what he was talking about decades ago. He did me a favor and left the Courier in very good standing. There weren't any huge debt problems. He paid his bills and did some very smart things."
Mayor Sam Pedroza said Martin Weinberger's legacy in the city was "the importance of the local paper" and his strong views on local politics.
"I think how he was a true watchdog for local government. He was never biased but honest. He was sharp but not cutting with his criticism."
Peter Weinberger became editor and publisher after his father had heart and knee replacement surgeries.
But Martin Weinberger continued to serve in an advisory role for the newspaper.
"I needed that," Peter Weinberger said. "He had incredible institutional knowledge. I had to tap into that. Our managing editor, Kathryn, who has been here for 18 years now, she has that too. I was raised here too. We were able to put the pieces together."
KSPC radio and Rhino Records and holding a free concert series at Rhino Records, 
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