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