As I prepared to step away from my role at The Seattle Times with the close of 2025, I found myself reflecting not on a single moment, but on a lifetime of service — service to journalism, to this extraordinary city and to the readers who have trusted us for generations. It has been the great honor of my life to help steward one of the very few remaining family-owned newspapers in America. That distinction has never been about nostalgia or tradition for tradition’s sake. It’s about independence. About the freedom to pursue truth without fear or favor, to invest in long-term journalism and to place public service above quarterly returns.
Over the years, The Seattle Times has produced work that makes me deeply proud — reporting that has held institutions accountable, illuminated injustice, celebrated resilience and helped this region better understand itself. From investigations that sparked reform to storytelling that captured the heart of our communities, our newsroom has consistently shown what journalism at its best can be: rigorous, fair, humane and essential.
None of that work happens in isolation. It happens because of a community that cares — readers who engage, question, challenge and support; journalists who bring integrity and courage to their craft every day; and a city that believes a free and independent press matters.
Seattle has shaped me as much as I have loved serving it. This is a city of thinkers and doers, of compassion and conviction, of innovation paired with a deep sense of responsibility to one another. To have had a front-row seat to its growth, its struggles and its progress has been a privilege I do not take lightly.
To our readers, near and far, thank you. Thank you for inviting us into your homes, your conversations and your lives. Thank you for holding us to high standards and for sharing our belief that journalism done with care and conscience strengthens democracy itself.
As I turn the page, I do so with immense gratitude and confidence in the future of The Seattle Times. The mission endures. The commitment to this community endures. And my appreciation for all of you endures most of all. As of Jan. 1, my son Ryan Blethen succeeds me as Seattle Times publisher. He has 30 years of journalism experience and a deep commitment to the Blethen family legacy, and I know he will do an outstanding job leading The Times into the future.
