William Belfiore has officially been named general manager of the Santa Barbara News-Press.
A fourth-generation Santa Barbara native, Belfiore first raised concerns about the News-Press’ bankruptcy proceedings in a 2024 Santa Barbara Independent op-ed, when a foreign bidder appeared poised to acquire the paper’s digital assets, using them to create a low-quality advertising website focused solely on milking the newspaper’s good name in order to post links to other sites. It would have been a far cry from the critical role the News-Press played as the region’s premiere newsgathering organization for more than 150 years.
Those assets were ultimately purchased by a local philanthropist and donated to NEWSWELL, where we have been laying the groundwork for reimagining the News-Press.
Belfiore has remained deeply engaged with the future of journalism in his hometown. He knows the community well, and his energy and vision will help us build a world-class newsroom that serves the entire county — from Rincon to Guadalupe — with comprehensive, in-depth reporting.
A new News-Press
Our work to reimagine the News-Press has been guided by listening. Over the past year, NEWSWELL has hosted sessions in English and Spanish across Santa Barbara County and commissioned surveys to better understand what residents most need from local news. Today, we are releasing the results of that effort: The Santa Barbara County news landscape study.
This report, available in English and Spanish, outlines the information gaps residents face and provides a roadmap for how the News-Press can meet those needs. We’ll use this study as we plan our next steps to serve the community.
We’ve heard Santa Barbara County’s call for deeper, more meaningful coverage of the issues that shape daily life. Research shows that when people are informed, communities flourish. That’s the mission Belfiore has embraced — and the commitment that guides all of us at NEWSWELL.
This update originally appeared in our Oct. 6, 2025, newsletter. This version has been lightly edited for clarity.