The Hearst Corp.'s acquisition of the San Francisco Chronicle has been stalled because of allegations that the deal would create a newspaper monopoly in the city. A federal
judge has ordered a two-week delay of the sale,
scheduling a hearing on April 13 to address the antitrust concerns. Hearst planned to help subsidize its recent sale of the Examiner to the Fang family, reportedly agreeing to pay
them $25 million a year for three years in order to ensure the Examiner remains a competitor of the Chronicle. However, critics allege that there is no way the Fang family can
transform the Examiner into a viable competitor.
(San Francisco Chronicle, 415/777-1111.)