                       C O N F I D E N T I A L

                                         10 November 1975
    DG I US
                                         cc:  THE GUARDIAN WW
    DG I COMM US
                                              GUARDIAN COMMITTEE
    DG COMM US

    DGUS

                 RE:  CHINA SHOP:  CLEARWATER SUN

    Dear Dick,

           Here are some observations and data on
    Clearwater Sun recently received:

           A study of the paper does not show a political
    or intelligence angle.  Only evidence that the paper
    attacks everyone.  Any Good News is converted to attack.
    This paper (Clearwater Sun) may influence the two other
    papers that have offices in Clearwater (St. Petersburg
    Times and Tampa Tribune, I believe) or these two influence
    the Sun.

           The only conclusion that can be drawn is that
    somewhere in the editorial structure they have an
    institutional case - a has been one or a should be one.
    For it is a characteristic of insanity to attack
    everything.

           JOHN E. RICKETSON:  PUBLISHER

           AL HUTCHISON:       EDITOR & GENERAL MANAGER

           RON STUART:         MANAGING EDITOR

           TERRY PLUMB:        ASSOC EDITOR

           MIKE PRIDE:         CITY EDITOR (per Sableman)

           MARK SABLEMAN=      WRITER

           ALSBURY:            WRITER

           NORMAN MORGAN:      WRITER

           STEVE SNOW:         WRITER

           CIRCULATION:        30,000

           AD SPACE:           Not spectacular

           FINANCE ESTIMATE:   Not so hot (their finance condition)

           OWNERS (per Sableman):  JEFFERSON PILOT CORPORATION OF
                  (and B-1 Man)    GREENSBOROUGH, NORTH CAROLINA

           Our target on this, very confidentially, is ownership
    or control of the paper.  So, as you know, the finance
    information on the paper, its debts, its income (and how
    it could be cut) are prime information needs.  Also detailed
    info on the posts of the staff editors, etc.

                            Love,

                            Henning
                            DGUS

    HH/bc