Freedom Communications Announces Sale of Seymour (IN) Tribune to Home News EnterprisesBack to News


IRVINE, CA – January 12, 2012 – Freedom Communications today announced the sale of The Tribune, a 6,800-circulation community newspaper in Seymour, IN, to Home News Enterprises LLC, a family-owned publisher of five other newspapers throughout Indiana with headquarters in Columbus, IN.

Dirks, Van Essen & Murray, a newspaper merger and acquisition firm in Santa Fe, New Mexico, represented Home News Enterprises in the transaction. While the terms of the transaction were not disclosed, Freedom said that substantially all of The Tribune’s employees would transition to the new owner.

“Home News Enterprises has printed The Tribune since 2008, so this transaction marks a natural evolution in a trusted relationship,” said Freedom Chief Executive Officer Mitch Stern. “We’re pleased that The Tribune and its associates will be joining a company that shares our commitment to serving the local community.”

 "We have had a great partnership with Freedom through our printing of the Tribune in our Columbus plant," said Jeff Brown, CEO of Home News Enterprises. "The Seymour and Columbus markets are contiguous so this is a logical growth step for us.”  He added: “We believe in the value of local newspapers and their critical importance to the communities they serve. We are excited about building on Freedom’s commitment to serving Seymour and the surrounding area."

The sale is expected to close immediately.

For additional information contact Owen Van Essen at 505-820-2700 or owen@dirksvanessen.com.

About Freedom Communications Freedom Communications, headquartered in Irvine, Calif., is a national privately owned information and entertainment company of print publications, broadcast television stations and interactive businesses. The Company’s print portfolio includes approximately 100 publications, including 27 daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, plus ancillary magazines and other specialty publications. The Company’s news, information and entertainment websites and mobile applications complement its print and broadcast properties. For more information, visit www.freedom.com.

About Home News Enterprises Home News Enterprises is a newspaper and commercial printing business headquartered in Columbus, IN and owned continuously by the same family since 1872. Included in HNE’s portfolio are five other Indiana newspaper brands, their associated special publications and electronic media, plus two commercial printing plant locations serving the printing needs of a variety of publications in Indiana and the Midwest. The Company has won numerous state and national awards for its publications and its building architecture.