THE BAY GUARDIAN'S predatory-pricing lawsuit against the owners of the SF Weekly moved a few steps forward May 2 with the judge in the case directing both sides to focus on the cost of producing newspaper ads.

Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer oversaw the second case management conference and ordered that initial discovery get under way on the Bay Guardian's charges that the SF Weekly is selling ads below cost in an effort to put the locally owned independent paper out of business.

The Bay Guardian, represented by E. Craig Moody and Richard Hill of Moody & Hill, had presented 78 specific instances of below-cost pricing, and Judge Kramer indicated that New Times Media, which owns the SF Weekly and the East Bay Express, should explain its cost structure.

New Times has hired new attorneys, from the San Francisco-based firm of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliff. The lead New Times counsel, Garret G. Rasmussen, is based in the firm's Washington, D.C., office. He was assisted by Gregory Evans, of the San Francisco office. The lawyers argued that New Times's cost structure was extremely complex.

Judge Kramer advised both parties that he wanted the matter to move forward expeditiously. (Tim Redmond)