Frank Blethen is publisher of the Seattle Times/seattletimes.com, the second largest newspaper/website on the West Coast.
The Times is known for its strong local coverage and its aggressive investigative reporting. The Times has won 11 Pulitzer Prizes and has been a Pulitzer finalist 14 other times since 1982. The Times was most recently awarded the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting, its third win in the National Reporting category.
The Seattle Times is one of America’s last independent and locally owned newspapers. It is a values-based journalism/community service family business in its 125th year of Blethen family stewardship.
Frank is a member of the fourth family generation. Currently, there are nine members of the family’s fourth and fifth generations active in the journalism company’s management and governance.
He is a strong advocate and is active in pursing public policy for preserving the local free press system. Frank is committed to independent journalism, family-owned businesses and is a longtime active participant in the national grass-roots movement in opposition to newspaper and media ownership consolidation. He is also a longtime and passionate advocate for high quality public education for all school children, across income and racial barriers.
The Blethen family, the Seattle Times and Frank Blethen are known as strong advocates for diversity, inclusion and gender equity and have continuously received significant local and national recognition for their commitment and leadership.