It pains me to leave this review as I subscribed for nearly 15 years. I want to support local journalism. But the cost is way too high, canceling took multiple attempts, I even 2 years being double billed, and the coverage for the insane price is just simply very basic new reporting. Maybe if McClatchy cones out with an all access to all their papers that includes SLO Tribune i might get be tempted, if the price was acceptable for coverage and quality of journalism. Sorry reporters, I know you are trying but your employer is self destructing. Limited reporting for the price, make each story I read cost more than a dollar per article read, and can't even read news from sister news apps like Sac Bee unless they repost it as their own. I would happily at $10 - $15 per month for app only news. But pricing is ridiculous. Rarely more than I get for free from KSBY news app. read more

What a joke!! I subscribed to this newspaper for an insane price, just to have advertisements take up the entire screen with no way to escape them. I get about 30 seconds into the article and boom...ad blocked. When I tried to report to customer service through the website, it said my subscription was basically ineligible to contact customer service. LIKE WHAT?? Absolute waste of money. read more

The Tribune - Advertisment taking up entire screen..no exit options. - Print Media Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

I have subscribed since 1981, and put up with huge price increases since they went to 2 days a week (Wed. & Sat.) for the print paper. But if a postal holiday falls on a Wed. or Sat. you won't get a paper, even though you paid in advance. You won't get a credit or refund either. They just keep your money. This is theft! Here's a tip for cancelling: Call your credit card company and put a block on any charges from the Tribune. To air your complaints, email Lisa at wecare@mcclatchy.com. The 'we care" part makes me gag. I have cancelled my subscription, not falling for an offer of a lower price. We all know the price will keep goin up from their promised lower price. I firmly cancelled. Now I hope they keep their promise to not charge my credit card further. read more

The monthly price was raised by 72% to $46.99 without warning in January 2025. WAY too high!! When I phoned to cancel my subscription, the operator failed to enter the cancellation so I was billed for another month. We just called again and were assured the cancellation would occur on April 1... We'll see... read more

Horrible customer service. The worst for any company I have ever dealt with. The digital subscription price went up 20% for the new year. I am cancelling my subscription. read more

Don't do it! Don't click on that trial offer! If you value your time, your sanity and your money take a deep breath and swipe away. I fell for it and now, a month later, when I try to cancel it I find that a) you can't easily cancel it online, you must call in b) the "office" hours (with a call center in the Philippines) are 7AM to 4PM only, huh? c) they will charge your card two days before your expiration and they will not refund the charge d) their phone system is junk, such that it took 5 (count 'em FIVE) calls, chats to get through to a person and a connection that actually worked e) when you speak to this poor call-center-captive they will desperately try to upsell you a subscription. First they will warn you that you are already getting good deal bc a regular subscription costs $40 and hey, you're getting it for $15.99, so shouldn't you be grateful? Then when you say, "No, thank you" they will say, "So, how about $13.99? "No thank you, I do not want a subscription." "C'mon let's do $9.99, you get this and that and blah and blah and blah," "Excuse me, let me be clear. I know you have a hard job. I know you are being recorded. I DO NOT WANT A SUBSCRIPTION AT ANY PRICE. I DO NOT WANT GREEN EGGS AND HAM, SAM-I-AM" "But, but . . ." "OK, I'm leaving now. No more talking. No. No. No." Do you need this? I think not. You have a life. You have a job. You have to go to Trader Joes. There is no update about anything happening in SLO County worth this. Trust me. read more

I subscribed to the Tribune since 1973 are about there and I've dropped my subscription the price is gone insane and it has gone so left-wing it's obviously a left-wing left his paper the only good thing is when they give endorsements for candidates and propositions the one good thing is 80% of the editorial staff are obviously left us communist or socialist not what our country needs any rate I do buy the Saturday or the Saturday Sunday paper at the dollar store it's a buck and a quarter and not the $6 if they ridiculous cover price because I like to see what the left is up to in San Luis Obispo county as for delivery my delivery people were exceptional they always put the papers that they put it right at my doorstep so I can't fault them on their delivery I now get my local information from the new times and the sun which are sort of left-leaning but there there are far right compared to the Tribune read more

Beware handing over credit card information. The worst customer service I have experienced, and you will never get your money back. Would give negative stars if I could. I emailed them a week before my subscription was set to renew, and never heard back. Followed up multiple times, never heard back. Was then charged, and called and emailed, nothing. Finally got through to someone who said I'd get a partial refund, fine. Never got any refund. Now via email they say they cannot find my account, that there is no account linked to the email address that was sent the billing confirmation. Don't give them any payment details you don't want abused and your hard earned money stolen. I don't have any issue with their reporting, if I could've cancelled, this review would be four stars. read more

This is a terrible newspaper. I was with them for years and all of a sudden they become so liberal that my head would spin. VERY BIASED news. I want to read NEUTRAL NEWS not news that benefits the publishers agenda. ALSO they raised the prices to make it impossible to afford their paper. They still owe me $8.00 and they sent me to collections, even though I cancelled the sub. Lastly, they keep sending me emails to articles that I cannot open unless I pay the 2 bucks per week. Give me a break, you can read about the BS everywhere else for free. The photo is what I get when I click on there BS emails. DO NOT so business with this company. There is a reason why they are going out of business read more

The Tribune - This is want you get when you google something - - Print Media Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

I subscribe to the e-edition because the print edition is pricey at $60 a month. But WOW, in the e-edition there are ads on the top of the page, the right side of the page, the left side of the page, in the middle of the page!!! Sure, makes it hard to just read the paper. read more

The Tribune - Print Media Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

As everyone else has said, this business is unethical. I fell for the one dollar a month stuff then I even paid a few months when it turned into $15.99 a month. Then I realized it really just wasn't worth it for me, so as others have said, I went through the grueling process of trying to cancel, because they sure do NOT make it easy. So I had to send an email saying that I wanted to cancel. I received a response asking for feedback on why and also letting me know that my subscription expires on October 6 so to please let them know if I'd like to hang onto it until then. I responded graciously enough I didn't have to tell them why I was canceling, but I did, just to let them know that for me, the price was just too much. I also said yes unless you're going to refund me, I paid through October 6 so I would expect that my account would be active until October 6. I got an email back telling me how lucky I was to get that deal because a regular subscription would be $40 a month or more and that my subscription was canceled immediately, even though I had three weeks left that I had paid for. Believe me, they try to punish you in anyway that they can if you cancel your subscription. I don't know how they're getting away with taking so many peoples money and canceling their subscriptions when they've already paid. Unreal. I think people need to start reporting them to the Better Business Bureau. read more

Good reporting on local SLO events and government but they make it VERY difficult to cancel your subscription. In addition to buying your subscription, you also need to pay an additional $32 to get out of it and you need to call - an email does not suffice. Just be a little circumspect. 4 stars for reporting, one star for subscriber services. I averaged them and rounded up because I do think we need to support local reporting. That said, stop fleecing your customers! read more

I've been sorely disappointed in both the digital user experience and the content of the paper. Some okay local reporting buried under a bunch of AP articles. Not worth it. read more

Terrible customer service! The E-edition price was going up 50% for Aug 2022 so I canceled on July 22, 2022. However I was already billed the new amount for August on July 21 which was an early billing, 5 days before my monthly billing date. I requested a refund and had an arm twisting session to which they finally agreed to cancel and refund me. After more than a month the refund still had not arrived and after making contact they told me the refund was denied. After some more contact they offered to reinstate and extend my subscription to Sept. 11, 2022 to consume the withheld amount that they declined to rebate, I accepted this offer. On Sept, 18 I received a Tribune email requesting that I subscribe anew. I did not respond to this renewal offer. I also received at least two phone calls offering me a reduced rate to start my subscription again. These offers were declined and I told the last Tribune caller I would never subscribe to a business run like the Tribune and to please take me off your list, which she acknowledged. Today, October 31, I received a phone call from the Tribune stating I owed them money and my subscription was in arrears. It is clear their billing dept. doesn't know what the rest of their business is doing. Besides all this, canceling with them is like pulling teeth. They talk in circles and do their best to ignore your cancellation request. It seems like employees are instructed to never let you cancel easily. If you value your sanity you will stay far away from The Tribune. I know I'm never going back to any McClatchy newspaper again. Their customer service is just awful. read more

When the price of my yearly subscription more than doubled & they cut the Saturday delivery I decided to not renew my subscription. I had been having problems with the delivery over & over. They stopped delivering the paper & 6 months later I got a bill for $92.39 from a collection agency for not cancelling my subscription and not paying for 3 months of papers I did not get, though I never received a bill from the Tribune. Now it is affecting my credit. Very poor way to do business! Susan W. read more

Non-existent customer service. I was auto billed by PayPal for a $120 for a one year "online only" renewal. An hour and a half after the billing went through, I called customer service to ask to have the charge reversed. Customer Service answered the phone "Loyalty Department". I explained that I had thought I had cancelled my subscription, and I was told that they were unable to do that. I asked for a supervisor and was told "we are only a service for the company". I then emailed the Customer Service Department, and finally got an email that explained that the automatic billing would be cancelled next year, but would not get a refund on my $120. I know they are having hard times financially, but it's not my problem. I want my money back! read more

The worst paper and customer service imaginable. After cancelling my subscription, and they confirmed, they keep billing me regardless. The only way to contact The Tribune's customer service is by email. Expect 48 hours for a canned reply. Never again will I purchase this sad and pathetic newspaper. read more

Beware SLO Tribune subscribers: if you are on auto-pay and cancel your subscription within a week before your renewal date you will be charged for another month of newspapers but will receive nothing and they refuse to give refunds. They just steal your money. read more

While the liberal bent of the paper is frustratingly completely out of balance, I still love print news. However, after 11 years of subscribing, I have just about had it. When the paper gets missed or ruined, I have to jump through tons of hoops to get a replacement--that never shows up. Then they tell me I can drive to the office, and they will give me one for free; you have to be kidding. Instead of them making sure my subscription arrives, they expect me to drive there for a "courtesy" replacement for what they did not deliver. Unbelievable. The Tribune has ONE more chance. If today's missed paper is not in my yard tomorrow morning, I will cancel my subscription. I have told them this in Customer Service, but they did not even care. There is part of me that hopes they do not deliver it, then I can keep my word and be done forever. And they better not complain about the Internet taking their service--they have been killing their service all by themselves. UPDATE 7/19/2017 NO PAPER. Just as I suspected. Nothing has changed. The "comment" that they posted below is useless. It went strait to computer mumbo-jumbo. As soon as the office is open, I am cancelling my subscription. Tribune, you are alone responsible for losing yet another customer. read more

I signed up for their $.99 for the first month digital subscription. After a couple of days, I emailed (by using the "reply" button) them to cancel it. The email bounced back. I then emailed them at the email address contained in the confirmation email they sent when I signed up for the subscription. The email bounced back. Then I tried to call them and got a recording listing their [weird and limited] hours. After calling a couple more times, I finally reached an actual person and told them to cancel my subscription. That was about a week ago. This morning I get a call from them saying that they tried to charge my credit card for the next month's subscription, and the charge wouldn't go through. Acted like they didn't know anything about the cancellation. They're not only a worthless rag with no real journalism involved, they're dishonest too. read more

After 30 years of receiving the Tribune the rates doubled so I called to cancel. The paper was still being delivered after a month, so I called again. They kept delivering it and then sent a bill which I refuse to pay. Now they have sent it to a collection agency. What a scam. read more

In May 2081 I spent several days addressing a double charge from the Tribune. They even insisted a copy of my credit card statement. In early November, 2019 my on line edition again did not open. I was asked for proof of payment even though I included the receipt number, etc in the original request. Four days of emails, apologies, etc., and assurances that a new password email would arrive. Yep. No emails. I asked to cancel and get a prorated refund and to remove my " automatic renewal for my convenience." No response. As a former retailer I am stunned that any merchant still advertises with the Tribune. I question their subscriber data. The page format makes it necessary to scroll down the page to even see most ads. I believe in the importance of a free press. I believe in the value of a local paper. Management is apparently intent on going out of business. read more

This company should be ashamed of themselves. I've been calling for days every day to get my handicap parents newspaper delivered to the porch instead of at the end of a long driveway. Every day I was promised it would be on the porch in the morning. they never could manage to deliver it to the porch numerous phone calls we finally just cancel the subscription. read more

They sent me a renewal I did not renew did not pay did not send them anything they kept sending the paper I let them know I'm not renewing they kept sending the paper now 3 months later they're sending me to collections for $34 this place is a joke thank you read more

Horrible outsourced customer service! There are a plethora of articles condemning plastic bags; however, EVERY day the paper arrives in one. Often, I get two bags! At least grocery market bags can be reused; these are too small for dog doody duties. read more

I give The Tribune a ZERO rating! I'm so frustrated with this company. I'm tired of calling for missed papers. I would have cancelled if not for my elderly father who loves to read the papers. Today we received an incomplete paper, no front page and sports section only the ads and local news. All I want is to have my newspaper delivered daily! For the Tribune......GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER!!!!! The only reason there's a rating of one star is so I can post this. Yelp should allow a zero rating. There are many companies and businesses not deserving even one star. read more

I subscribed to the online version of this newspaper, and found it to be of little value. I cancelled my subscription, but they continue to bill my credit card. I have called their customer service line, who acknowledged that I had in fact cancelled my subscription, and refunded the first month of errant billing, but then I continue to get billed every month afterward. When I have spoken with customer service they deny that my account was eveer cancelled, despite the fact that they have written me an email and refunded that first month. They are dirty scammers with awful customer service. read more

I am convinced that the name of the Tribune's delivery person in Cambria is Godot. The San Luis Obispo Tribune is the Cheese Shop of the newspaper business. If you don't know what I mean, go to Youtube and search for "Monty Python cheese shop." They claim to have a newspaper that they plan to deliver to me, but they won't deliver it. The truth must be that they, in fact, do not have any newspapers at all. I ordered the Tribune a month ago at a home show in SLO. It seemed like a good deal -- $13.87 per month for Thursday through Sunday delivery. The paper was to be delivered to my home in Cambria. Four weekends have passed and I have not yet received a newspaper, despite making numerous phone calls and sending several emails. This is, without a doubt, the worst customer experience I've ever had. The customer service department is located in another country; I'd have no issue with that if they could make things happen, but they cannot. They merely say that they will escalate the matter and send a message to the people who deliver the paper. They are very friendly, but that's all I can say positive about them. A couple of local people at the Tribune itself tried their very best to solve the problem. Somewhere down the line of the chain of command, the people simply told them they would make sure I would get a paper, and then, suddenly -- nothing happened. The two individuals who were assisting me gave it their best shot, but something is so broken inside the company that it was impossible to get a newspaper delivered to me. A person at the Cambrian here in town also sent messages on my behalf, but they also were unsuccessful in getting the delivery people off their behinds. Throughout the process, I was told by the customer service department that I could access the paper online. I cannot, because I once subscribed to the Cambrian I have lost my password. They tried sending me a new password a few times, but I never received it. (Yes, I looked in my junkmail folder.) I wrote to the head of the company twice. He never acknowledged my emails. They now claim that I will be receiving a refund. It will take two-to-three weeks. They claim it will take that long because the bank is slow. In the meantime, I will be watching my account very carefully to make sure they do not take more money from it. read more

The Outsourced customer service is THE WORST!!! Didn't get our paper on Sun, was told it would arrive later in the day. Called at 1pm....CLOSED...no paper coming. Would arrive on Mon. Mon...no paper. Was told to send an e-mail. Yep...never got a response back. Going to have to drive to SLO to cancel this crappy paper. How they stay in business is beyond me. read more

This newspaper is horrible. Lack of professionalism and basic cross referencing skills. When my father passed away they wrote an article regarding my father because he was well known in the community. They had my name listed as his WIFE!!!! We received no apology for the lack of cross references and making sure their information was accurate. I have stopped using this website because of the lack of professionalism of this newspaper company. The least they could have done was apologize to my family for making the error. read more

Still waiting for the call back from the Tribune about my paper delivery account. I don't think they will call I have decided, based on the horrible problems we had with the carriers not bringing our paper & with the account problems, that I don't want to subscribe any more. Look at others reviews, this company can't be trusted with your credit card number & can't be trusted to so a simple task like deliver a newspaper! read more

if you have short term memory loss the Tribune is your paper because you can always find out what happened 3-4 days ago on the front page. other than that, it's a lib rag which only prints its agenda, not the news. read more

Same complaints/problems as everyone else. Delivery problems for over a month. Horrible customer service. Have made probably 20 complaints with the promise of a replacement paper never honored. Still waiting for my call from the supervisor which was promised to me. Have called repeatedly sometimes on hold for 40 minutes! I love getting the paper but like others, my patience is wearing thin. Only exception was our old paper carrier , Donna, who I never had a problem with. In fact she was exceptional. With my current experience, however, my regard for this paper and their customer service has plummeted. read more

I signed up for a 2 moth online subscription promo at $0.99 per month for the first 2 months. The order review page confirmed that offer, but when I clicked on the purchase button, it charged me the $15.99 full price. I contacted their customer service department, which was not helpful at all. First, they couldn't find my account with either my phone number, email or name. When they eventually found it, I asked for a refund, but they said they had a no refund policy that conveniently went into effect a few days before I ordered. Then they said I needed to email them proof of the original offer I signed up for. I did that, but based on this shady experience and poor customer service, I'm going to cancel it regardless. read more

Good Newspaper, but how they bill for the paper is misleading. This is all explained on the bill, but who reads the bill. If you subscribe for a year you get re-billed in about 10 months. Why, because they have several add on charges. They add a $1 for the Biz Buzz, Vintages, Living Here, Social Security Information Guide, and Thanksgiving Day. That is for each time the insert in included. They don't do this up front so you know what you actually are paying per year, but they short your subscription from a year to about ten months. That means you are paying about 18% more they it appears. If you don't read the fine print you will never know this. So instead of paying about $114 per year you are actually paying about $ 135 a year. I think this is very misleading. I would pay the $135 even though we don't read the inserts, but they should be up front with their customers. Why do they do this? Finely, if you have a delivery or payment issue forget trying to get it resolved in a reasonable time, or even getting it resolved. ON AOTHER ISSUE: A little over a year ago we went on a month vacation. Before I left I filed for a vacation stop where they hold the papers for us. Everything was confirmed. When we got home my neighbor said he saw the papers piling up so he picked them up and saved them for us. Thank goodness for that. SO I call the news paper to complain and the person was able to explain what happened. Acording to the Idiot on the phone, since the phone number I called in on covered both my paper subscription and my electronic subscription they just put the electronic subscription on vacation hold, not the physical paper. He was serious. But infact they didn't put the electronic version on hold either as I read the paper everyday online. They did nothing. I'm guessing my complaint call went to some third world country and the Tribune didn't have to pay much to get this explanation. read more

After many fights trying to get my vacation hold delivered we canceled the paper. For a dying business they have no interest in keeping customers. We were a fifty year customer. Now I'm taking care of my sister's business. The tribune billed her twice in one month. I called and they said they would refund. A week later I call again they said one more week she would get her refund. After the extra week wait they charged her account again. Now she has been triple charged against her bank account. Horrible horrible service. The phone people will be more happy lying to you as telling you the truth. Generally business that over bill their customers such as the triple billing, I would be concerned that they may be going bankrupt. I feel bad I used to enjoy the print media, now I just get all my news via my phone, don't need any subscription with the Tribune. Sad read more

Can't give it lower than a one. Worthless rag, not fit to line a bird cage. Reporting is terrible. They couldn't care less if they facts are wrong. Local political coverage it terrible. Editorials are an embarrassment. read more

Mediocre paper at best, with horrible customer service! We keep having delivery problems and when we call their message says our paper can't be sent out that day but a complaint will be registered and the paper will be delivered the following day, which it isn't. When you do call and force speaking with a live person by pressing 0, you discover that it is out-sourced. I have also been told the district manager will call me which they never did. I like having a local paper, even a bad one, but my patience is just about gone. read more

Over time The Tribune (a.k.a. Telegram Tribune) has become increasingly less compelling.  I suppose my habit of retreiving the paper every morning at 4:00 a.m. from my driveway, dressed only in my bathrobe, will be a hard habit to break, but "habit" is really the only reason there was left to continue subscribing to the "local" paper that I've read and had delivered daily for the past 50, or so, years. As far as actual "news content", let me put it this way: in times past newspapers were primarily reporting of current events and other relevent articles of general interest, supported by a smattering of paid advertising.  Now, there is a smattering of "news content" that is used to facilitate the delivery of paid advertising. Old habits ARE hard to break, but this one has to go! read more

Cancelled subscription in April. In Oct. received a letter I was sent to collections for unpaid billing. I called San Luis Trib to find out what billing this was for. The phone tree transferred me to the accounting office, but the transfer did not go through. Tried for several days, could not get through to any part of the paper. Sent 2 emails and still no communication with them. Customer service is the reason we left the paper and this the worst customer service I have ever seen. read more