NETWATCH. . .'FRISCO PAPERS ON STRIKE AND ON THE NET

Less than 24 hours after 2,600 employees of the San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Examiner walked out, both papers appeared on theInternet-- as did one by the striking workers. Both the Chronicle and the Examiner were set to go on the Internet later this month -- but the strike moved up the date to Wednesday morning. The strikers tabloid, the Free Press, hit the 'net Thursday morning, featuring favorite columnist Herb Caen and a scoop on Dianne Feinstein's bid for re-election to the Senate. The Free Press reported thatFeinstein employed an illegal alienin the 1980s, a fact later confirmed by U.S. immigration officials. Employees of the two newspapers walked off the job Tuesday night in a dispute over pay and layoffs of Teamster delivery drivers and youth carriers. Both sides return to the bargaining table tomorrow along with a federal mediator.Post your opinion on theNew Mediabulletin board.