Philip F. Anschutz

Philip F. Anschutz is the billionaire co-founder of Qwest Communications, among the largest land-owners in Colorado, a major player in the oil, railroad, and media markets, and according to Forbes, he is the 33rd wealthiest man in America. He also has large and plentiful investments in sports teams (such as several soccer teams, the LA Lakers and the LA Kings), stadiums and newspapers (San Francisco Examiner and the SF Independent).

Anschutz Empire
As of March 2005, the "Anschutz Empire" included:


 * Anschutz Company, "which has stakes in five U.S. soccer teams, including the MLS's San Jose Earthquakes, Los Angeles Galaxy, Chicago Fire and Colorado Rapids; the NHL's Los Angeles Kings; the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers; the Staples Center and the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles; and the London Arena."
 * Crusader Entertainment
 * Forest Oil
 * Pacific Energy Group
 * Qwest Communications, "regional telephone company (he owns 17 percent of the company.)"
 * Regal Entertainment Group "(the largest U.S. theater chain with approximately 6,000 screens. Anschutz owns more than half of the company, which is a collection of former bankrupt chains. It operates under the Regal Cinemas, Edwards Theaters, United Artists Theaters, and Hoyts Cinemas brands.)"
 * Union Pacific Railroad "(he is the company's largest shareholder, with 6 percent.)"
 * Clarity Media Group, owner of the San Francisco Examiner and Washington Examiner. In June 2009, Clarity Media Group acquired The Weekly Standard, a conservative opinion journal, from Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.
 * Honorary Trustee, American Museum of Natural History

Bio
"Philip F. Anschutz was born in Russell, Kansas, in 1939 (some sources say it was Grand Bend). His father, Fred Anschutz, was a renowned oilfield wildcatter who made and lost several fortunes."

Republican donations, conservative causes
"Anschutz is an active Republican donor," Annys Shin wrote November 21, 2004, in the Washington Post. "Since 1996, he, his companies and members of his family have given more than $500,000 in campaign contributions to GOP candidates and committees."

"In 1987, Anschutz's family foundation gave Focus on the Family founder James Dobson an award for his 'contributions to the American Family."

Movies
Anschutz "has entered Hollywood, financing almost a dozen projects in the last few years with his Anschutz Film Group, the recently dismantled Crusader Entertainment, and the newly formed Walden Media . His productions of family friendly themes are aimed at being a counter-force to Hollywood's ever increasing attraction towards sex and violence."

"Says Angelo Pizzo, director of the 1980s Hoosiers, of Anschutz on the set of World Cup film, 'Phil wouldn't stop. Tell them, this is about pride. [?] He wasn't just making this movie to entertain people. He desperately wanted it to teach young people about how to deal with life.'"

"Besides the World Cup film, Anschutz has bankrolled the remake of Around the World in 80 Days, which has been picked up by the Walt Disney Company and is scheduled for a summer 2005 release on as many as 3,000 screens. And lo! Arnold Schwarzenegger will make a cameo as a Turkish prince."

"Other projects include movies based on classroom books and a partnership with Disney to turn C.S. Lewis' Narnia series into a string of movies. He spent millions developing Children on Their Birthdays, a Truman Capote short story that stalled on release. For his religious film, Joshua, US Sentator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) is contributing his self-written song, Everyday Heroes."

In December 2005, Bill Berkowitz wrote for Media Transparency the following about the film Chronicles of Narnia: "'Walden and Disney claim that they have sent out 'Narnia' materials to every elementary and middle school in America. That includes posters, educational guides and more than 90,000 copies of the novel,' all of which will serve Anschutz's conservative Christian agenda."

Movie theaters
"His controlling ownership of Regal Entertainment Group has allowed him to place advertisements boosting faith in America before films. Some suspect this costs him little out of pocket expense as he owns the screens and can put up whatever he likes."

In September 2001, Anschutz took control of Edwards Theaters Circuit and a majority stake in United Artists Theater Group of Englewood.

The Foundation for a Better Life
Anschutz and family members are the finance and board of directors for the non-profit The Foundation For a Better Life, a feel-good, family-values based organization bent on pushing happy, happy messages to the American populace such as, "My fondest memory of my Dad occurred one summer day out in the middle of a mountain lake..." and so on.

The foundation "does not seek nor accept contributions or donations of any kind and is privately funded." Anschutz does not does not reveal his role as the private funder of this organization.

Anschutz's foundation is spending millions every year posting morally-uplifting billboards around the country featuring American favorites like Kermit the Frog (Eats flies. Dates a pig. Hollywood star), the Ogre from Shrek (Believe in yourself), and Christopher Reeves aka SuperMan (Strength). Lesser knowns include heroes like Alex and her lemonade stand (Inspiration) and a blind mountain climber (Vision).

Random Acts of Kindness Foundation
Another closely related group, The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation bills itself as the U.S. delegate to the World Kindness Movement which is creating a global network of "kindness and compassion".

Some have noticed a stylistic similarity between free Mormon Bible adds on television in the 1980s and Anschutz's messages. The president of the foundation, Gary Dixon, is a Brigham Young University alumnus. 

Print Journalism
In spring 2009, Anschutz bought the conservative Weekly Standard and the conservative Washington Examiner (for $1 million) despite reports that these have "little hope of making any money."

Lawsuits
Anschutz was sued by New York Attorney General Elliot L. Spitzer in 2002 for making $1.5 billion in "unjust revenue". The two reached upon an agreement where Anschutz admitted no wrongdoing but paid $4.4 million to law schools and charities. In return, Spitzer dropped the lawsuit.

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Controlling the message
 * Qwest Communications

External articles

 * Laura Rich, "And Now, Our Digital Presentation - Industry Trend or Event," The Industry Standard (FindArticles.com), February 12, 2001.
 * Keith Dovkants, "Doubts over 'Dome saviour'," Evening Standard (This Is London) (UK), February 10, 2002.
 * Christy, "The Next Rupert Murdoch?" Think Progress, February 12, 2005.
 * Dirk Smillie, "The Stealth Media Mogul: Billionaire Philip Anschutz is quietly building a small empire of social-networking sites, newspapers and now a leading conservative weekly," Forbes.com, June 29, 2009.