Bob Brown (newspaper publisher)

Robert Lloyd "Bob" Brown (1930 – June 8, 1984) was an American publisher of the Las Vegas Valley Times from 1973 to 1984. Prior to this, he had served as a correspondent in Asia for the United Press and as a journalist in Alaska and Arkansas. He was also editor of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, a speech-writer for Paul Laxalt, editor of the Tucson Daily American, editor and publisher of the Lacey Leader (in Washington state) and chairman of the Nevada State Tax Commission.

On November 1, Brown purchased the Valley Times through his newly formed Las Vegas Valley Publishing Company. He then hired longtime Las Vegas journalists A.D. Hopkins and Bruce Hasley to lead his staff. The Valley Times aimed to cover the gaming industry heavily, viewing it as the political and business core of the Vegas community. Brown hired reporters to dig deep into the industry and top reporter Ned Day uncovered mob connections at the Argent-owned casinos of Stardust, Fremont, and Hacienda, which were run by Frank Rosenthal. He also uncovered Kansas City-based mob connections at Tropicana. Under Brown's leadership, the Valley Times became a "must read" for politicians and the gaming industry, despite its circulation being dwarfed by Las Vegas' other two daily papers.

During the 1970s, the Valley Times entered into financial trouble. In an effort to keep the paper afloat, Brown sold his credibility to the mob. According to a 1979 expose by the Reno Evening Gazette, Brown switched the paper's editorial position in 1976 from criticizing the state government for not being hard enough on Rosenthal to supporting him. Governor Robert List accused Brown of attempting to extort him by promising to withhold unfavorable stories in exchange for a gaming license for Rosenthal. Brown denied the charge and List declined to aid the FBI in investigating the accusation. Brown also became involved in a fake advertising scheme that allowed Argent to launder money from its casinos back to the Chicago mob. Brown admit his involvement in the scheme, saying he participated to keep his paper in business. He later testified against ad man Jerry May who organized the scheme, and the prosecutor of the case called Brown "a pillar of the community."

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