July – September 2025Back to News

DV&A tracked the sale of 71 newspaper titles across 27 deals in the third quarter.

In July, Illinois-based News Media Corp. announced plans to close all of its titles, sending shock-waves through small communities across the Midwest. But instead of leaving dozens of towns without a paper, the announcement set off a wave of acquisitions.
Within weeks, four buyers swooped in to keep 19 titles alive: Champion Media rescued the Huron Daily Plainsman, Brookings Register, Moody County Enterprise, and Redfield Press in South Dakota. O’Rourke Media Group picked up Arizona Silver Belt, Copper Country News, and Lake Powell Chronicle. Robb & Jen Hicks and Rob Mortimore took over eight Wyoming weeklies, including the Torrington Telegram, Pinedale Roundup, and Lusk Herald. Shaw Media added four Illinois titles, including the Rochelle News-Leader and Mendota Reporter.
Paxton emerged the biggest buyer of Q3, acquiring 18 titles across Missouri, Illinois, and Michigan. Its largest move: a 15-title acquisition from Better Newspapers, Inc., spanning both Missouri and Illinois.
Another top story for Q3 was the big-city deal with Hearst and The Dallas Morning News. The Dallas Morning News is now owned by Hearst, following a bidding war with hedge fund Alden Global Capital. The shareholders of DallasNews Corporation, the newspaper’s parent company, voted on September 23, 2025, to approve the sale to Hearst. The merger officially closed the next day.

Details of publicly disclosed third-quarter deals include:

July 2025
Schneps Media sells Metro Philadelphia to O’Rourke Media Group
O’Rourke Media Group expanded their Philly presence with the purchase of Metro Philadelphia from Schneps Media.
The acquisition creates the largest newspaper presence in the Philadelphia market.
“I am happy to pass the torch of our Philadelphia business to Jim O’Rourke,” said Joshua Schneps, CEO of Schneps Media.
Schneps Media is the largest news media company in New York state with daily and weekly community newspapers, dozens of digital media outlets and host of business and consumer events.
O’Rourke Media Group now operates in 37 markets in eight states with more than 52 publications and hyper-local websites.

Berlin Journal Newspapers sells to Finger Printing & Publishing Inc.
Berlin Journal Newspapers, a family-owned business for decades, was led by Robert Gonyo from 1978 until his passing in 2002. Then, his son Ty Gonyo continued the tradition, maintaining a strong focus on community journalism and local coverage. The sale to Finger Printing and Publishing marks the beginning of a new chapter for the organization.
The Wisconsin acquisition includes five titles: The Berlin Journal, Green Lake Reporter, Markesan Regional Reporter, Princeton Times-Republic, and Omro Herald.
Finger Printing and Publishing, Inc., a family-owned publishing and printing company, now includes more than 20 publications throughout the state with the acquisition of the BJN properties.

Cornelius Today sells to local resident Jon Show
After 21 successful years in business, Cornelius Today in North Carolina has a new owner.
Dave Yochum, founder and editor of Cornelius Today, sold the media company to Cornelius resident Jon Show, keeping the community outlet locally owned.

Gentry family sells The Standard Banner to Lesli Bales-Sherrod
In Tennessee, Dale and Teresa Gentry sold The Standard Banner to a former employee and her husband, Lesli Bales-Sherrod and Jimmy Sherrod.
Founded in 1926, The Standard Banner has been owned and operated by the Gentry family since 1956.

Breese Journal & Publishing Company sells to Marketing.com
The Breese Journal was acquired by Marketing.com, marking another Illinois transaction in Q3.
Breese Journal & Publishing Company, a family-owned company for over a century, is led by fourth generation brothers Steve and Dave Mahlandt and Steve’s son, Josh Mahlandt.
“Looking to the future, we have always found ways to grow (the business) over the years and wanted to continue this trend,” said Steve Mahlandt, adding that they believed now was the right time to sell the company.
“We all will continue on with the new company doing exactly what we have been doing,” he said.

City Pulse acquired by Michigan Independent Media
In Michigan, alt-weekly City Pulse was acquired by Michigan Independent Media Group (MIMG), led by philanthropy veteran Dr. Jason Franklin. City Pulse, known for its arts, culture, and political reporting, was founded in 2001 by Berl Schwartz.
MIMG — a coalition funded by both philanthropic and impact investment capital — pledges to maintain the paper’s hard-hitting local journalism while bolstering digital and operational infrastructure. The move aligns with the company’s mission to preserve independent local reporting across Michigan.

Three Rivers Publishing sells Missouri titles to Warden Publishing
Generational newspaper publishers Dennis and Connie Warden and their son, Jacob Warden purchased the Three Rivers Publishing publications — Cuba Free Press, Saint James Press and Steelville Star-Crawford Mirror — from Robert Viehman.
Viehman purchased The Cuba Free Press and Steelville Star-Crawford Mirror in 2002, and founded the Saint James Press around 2010.

Deerfield Valley News joins Vermont Independent Media
Vermont Independent Media acquired the Deerfield Valley News.
Steve Mundahl, VIM’s president of the board, in a news release said, “Randy and Vicki Capitani, owners of The Deerfield Valley News for almost 35 years, approached us several months ago about transitioning stewardship of the paper. We recognized the opportunity to preserve an independent weekly newspaper. And, importantly, to strengthen local news coverage in the region and to promote nonprofit journalism as a way forward for the industry.”

Sauce Magazine sold to STL Bucket List
Sauce Magazine, renowned for its coverage of new restaurants, curated guides and interviews with chefs and restaurateurs, has been acquired by STL Bucket List.
The monthly magazine began publishing in 1999 and had been owned since October 2023 by Chris Keating’s Big Lou Holdings LLC, which bought Sauce from founder Allyson Mace.
STL Bucket List was founded by Lucas and Marissa Farrell in 2019 as a social media account highlighting local businesses, restaurants and things to do around town. It’s grown to a producer of original and sponsored content across multiple platforms.

The San Francisco Standard acquires Charter
The San Francisco Standard (CA) has acquired Charter, a publication focused on work and leadership and how emerging technology is shaping both.
“This isn’t just an expansion,” the Standard says. “It’s a bet on the idea that San Francisco shapes the way the world works — and that San Franciscans deserve a publication that tells the story with clarity, rigor, and edge.”

August 2025
Robb & Jen Hicks and Rob Mortimore acquire News Media’s Wyoming papers
Eight Wyoming titles changed hands, including the Torrington Telegram, Platte County Record-Times (Wheatland), Guernsey Gazette, Lusk Herald, Uinta County Herald (Evanston), Pinedale Roundup, Kemmerer Gazette and Bridger Valley Pioneer (Lyman).
The purchase by Robb and Jen Hicks and Rob Mortimore came shortly after News Media Corp. (NMC)announced in early August that the company’s newspapers would close. Mortimore was president of NMC subsidiary Wyoming Newspapers Inc., which operated all Wyoming publications. Robb and Jen Hicks own and operate the Buffalo Bulletin, unaffiliated with the closures.
JJ Tompkins, CEO of NMC cited a “significant economic slowdown impacting our industry” and a recent failed attempt to sell the company, as reason to make the “difficult decision” to shutter the company’s newspapers immediately. NMC is based in Illinois.

News Media Corp. divests South Dakota cluster to Champion Media
Champion Media, of Mooresville, North Carolina, acquired four South Dakota titles: Huron Daily Plainsman, Brookings Register, Moody County Enterprise, and Redfield Press, shortly after NMC announced they were ceasing operations.
In a South Dakota Searchlight interview, Corey Champion, chief financial officer for Champion Media said, “When these papers abruptly shut down, everybody in the community kind of realized that they actually missed their newspaper, and they wanted it more than they were giving the paper credit for. Oftentimes newspapers get a bad rap, where people like to complain about the content in the paper. But then when there’s no content at all, there’s really a void that they don’t want to have in their community.”
Champion Media’s business model focuses on backend support for its newspapers, allowing local staff to concentrate on content, advertising, and community engagement.

News Media Corp. sells Arizona titles to O’Rourke Media Group
O’Rourke Media Group acquired three Arizona publications—the Arizona Silver Belt, Copper Country News, and Lake Powell Chronicle—from News Media Corp., which was closing operations across the country.
The sale closed on August 31, 2025, with O’Rourke Media Group’s CEO Jim O’Rourke expressing excitement about the acquisition and the employees joining his company.
O’Rourke Media Group now operates in 37 markets in eight states with more than 52 publications and hyper-local websites.

News Media Corp. sells Illinois titles to Shaw Media
Shaw Media acquired four Illinois papers: Rochelle News-Leader, The Mendota Reporter, Ogle County Life, and The Amboy News following their closure by News Media Corp.
Shaw Media was founded in 1851 and is the owner of the third oldest, continuously owned and operated family newspaper in the nation. Shaw owns print and digital publications in Illinois and Iowa, as well as radio stations in Illinois.

Belmond Independent sold to Nelson Media Company
In Iowa, Nelson Media Company acquired the Belmond Independent after a two-year effort, taking ownership from Dirk and Lee van der Linden, who ran the paper for nearly 40 years.
Chris Nelson, owner, spent over a decade in TV news as a meteorologist before leaving to start his own media company. Today, Nelson Media Company includes six newspapers, a video production and marketing business, and ownership in a Northwoods League baseball team in Indiana.

Sample News Group acquires New York titles from Community Media Group
Sample News Group, publisher of over 75 titles in four states, has acquired the assets of Eagle News from Community Media Group, LLC.
The New York titles include The Eagle Bulletin, The Baldwinsville Messenger, The Star-Review, The Press-Observer, and The Cazenovia Republican.
David Tyler, newspaper publisher with Eagle News in Syracuse, will continue to serve as publisher of the group.

Chicago Reader sold to Noisy Creek
Noisy Creek, owner of alt-weeklies in Seattle and Portland, acquired the Chicago Reader in Illinois.
It was reported that Noisy Creek will grow from 55 to about 80 employees with the acquisition of the Chicago Reader. The Reader has changed hands several times since its founding in 1971 and operates in a competitive media market. It became a nonprofit in May 2022. In January 2025, the company laid off six employees and its CEO resigned.
The publication fought off closure with a “Save The Reader” fundraising campaign that raised more than $300,000 by April. But the “financial turmoil” continued, according to a statement by the Chicago Reader Union about the Noisy Creek acquisition, and three union members recently accepted voluntary buyouts.

Banner Press sold to South Texas Newspapers, Inc.
South Texas News, Inc., a Texas-based media company owned by Albert Reynolds, has acquired The Banner-Press in Brenham (TX) from a partnership led by Fred Hartman.
“It’s been a pleasure for my family to be involved with The Banner-Press going back to the mid 1960s, with Bob Gilmore coming in as publisher and then Charles Moser taking over for 40 great years after that,” said Hartman. “It was important for us to leave the newspaper in good hands, and we feel like we’re doing that with Albert. He and his company are committed to quality journalism and being good stewards of the community newspapers they publish.”
South Texas News Inc. is a Texas-based media company with a portfolio of 10 community-focused newspapers across the state founded by Reynolds in 2023.

September 2025
Paxton Media Group acquires 15 Missouri and Illinois titles from Better Newspapers, Inc.
Paxton Media Group acquired 15 Missouri and Illinois titles from Better Newspapers, Inc., including The Morning Sentinel, Centralia; Union Banner, Carlyle; Washington County News, Nashville; Greenville Advocate, Greenville; Salem Times Commoner, Salem; The Breeze Courier, Taylorville; The Daily Record, Robinson; and Daily News, Robinson (IL) and The Daily Journal, Park Hills; The Democrat News, Fredericktown; The Farmington Press, Farmington; Wayne County Journal Banner, Piedmont; Reynolds County Courier; The Mountain Echo, Ironton; and The Ste. Genevieve Herald, Ste. Genevieve (MO)
Paxton Media Group is currently led by President & CEO Jamie Paxton who is the fifth-generation of the Paxton family to hold the title of President of the company. The company publishes nearly 120 community newspapers in the Southeast and Midwest.

Hoffmann Media Group acquires Telluride Daily Planet and related titles
Thirteenth Street Media sold the Telluride Daily Planet, its sister publication The Norwood Post, and lifestyle titles Telluride Style and Shelter Magazine to Hoffmann Media Group.
Originally founded in 1898 as the Telluride Times, the Telluride Daily Planet has long been the trusted source of local news for residents and visitors of Telluride, Colorado, and the surrounding San Miguel County.
Following the closing of the sale, the Telluride Daily Planet returned to its historic name, Telluride Times, and continues to operate under its existing local leadership. Hoffmann Media Group plans to invest in enhanced digital capabilities and expanded local coverage, ensuring the publication remains a trusted source of news for generations to come.

Paxton Media Group acquires Michigan titles from Boone Newsmedia, Inc.
Boone Newsmedia, Inc. (BNI), owners of Leader Publications headquartered in Niles, Michigan, has announced the sale of The Niles Daily Star, Dowagiac Daily News and The Leader to Paxton Media Group.
Jamie Paxton, president and CEO of Paxton Media Group, said: “We are very pleased to be selected by the Boone family to assume stewardship for these publications. We believe strongly in the importance of local journalism and intend to build on the award-winning reputation of these newspapers.”

Lawton Constitution sold to Hilliary Communications
In Oklahoma, Southern Newspapers, Inc. sold The Lawton Constitution to Hilliary Communications.
The Constitution has been owned by SNI since April of 2018.
Hilliary Communications is a family-owned telecommunications company, headquartered in Medicine Park, Oklahoma.

Big Bend Sentinel sold to Sentinel News Project
Big Bend Sentinel, the news publication in the destination town of Marfa, Texas, is now owned by Sentinel News Project, a new Texas nonprofit organization.
“We’re starting with a great platform: A lively independent newspaper with very loyal readers,” said Roger Black, the new president of the Sentinel.
The publication was sold by documentary filmmaker Maisie Crow, who with her husband, Max Kabat, a brand marketing consultant, took over as editor and publisher in 2019. They renovated a former bar to establish the Sentinel cafe, with the newspaper office housed in the back.
A key supporter of the project is the Lenfest Institute for Journalism.

Daniel Island News sold to DI Media Group
In South Carolina, The Daniel Island News has been sold by founder and publisher Suzanne Detar to DI Media Group, led by Jack and Kyle Osteen, whose family has published The Sumter Item since 1894, and Vince Johnson, current publisher of The Sumter Item.
Detar launched the paper in 2003.

The Glasgow Missourian sold to J3 Marquee Ventures
Main Street Media (MSM) sold The Glasgow Missourian to J3 Marquee Ventures, LLC, led by Salisbury-based owner and editor Melanie Latamondeer.
The acquisition expands Latamondeer’s portfolio to two community weeklies. Both The Missourian and The Marquee will continue to operate as independent publications, serving Glasgow and Chariton County, Missouri, respectively.
MSM continues to operate newspapers across Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.

Dallas Morning News sale to Hearst moves forward
The Dallas Morning News is under new ownership, as shareholders of the daily newspaper’s parent company approved a merger with Hearst on September 23, 2025.
DallasNews Corporation shareholders will receive an all-cash consideration of $16.50 per share of DallasNews common stock as part of the terms of the merger. The deal also includes acquiring the marketing agency Medium Giant, the sister company of the Dallas Morning News.
The merger had been in the works for some time as Hearst was in a bidding war with MNG Enterprises Inc., a subsidiary of Alden Global Capital, to acquire the paper.