Hearst Purchases Locally-Focused Houston Community Newspapers & Media GroupBack to News

NEW YORK, NY- August 1, 2016 – Hearst has acquired the Houston Community Newspapers & Media Group from 1013 Communications. The announcement was made by Hearst President and CEO Steven R. Swartz and Hearst Newspapers President Mark Aldam.

Dirks, Van Essen & Murray, a merger and acquisition firm based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, represented Hearst in the sale.

Houston Community Newspapers is a media group serving more than 25 local communities surrounding Houston’s greater metropolitan area with a total weekly print distribution of more than 520,000 and a digital reach of over 4 million per month to suburban Houston’s most appealing residential and business markets.

The acquisition furthers Hearst Newspapers’ reach into the Houston suburbs, strengthening the ties already established by the award-winning Houston Chronicle.

“We are very excited to add the Houston Community Newspapers to our local media group across Houston,” Aldam said. “This collection of print editions and regional digital assets will strengthen our community coverage of the sprawling suburban ring in the outer loop of Houston, allowing us to better serve both consumers and advertisers.”

“Bringing together the deep local community news content of HCN with the robust print and digital distribution potential of the Houston Chronicle will be a big benefit to both readers and advertisers,” said John McKeon, president and publisher of the Houston Chronicle.

The Houston Community Newspapers serves residents in Conroe, The Woodlands, Magnolia, Tomball, Spring, Cypress, Humble, Kingwood, Atascocita, Lake Houston, Cleveland, Dayton, Friendswood, Pearland, Pasadena, the Bay Area, Deer Park, Memorial, River Oaks, Bellaire, Katy and Sugar Land, among other communities in those areas.

Included in the acquisition are the Conroe Courier (daily) and the following 23 weeklies:

For more information, contact Dirks, Van Essen & Murray at 505-820-2700.