News
Adams Publishing Group Acquires Athens News
< < Back toAdams Publishing Group, LLC announced Wednesday that it is acquiring the Athens NEWS, an alternative twice weekly newspaper, in Athens, from Bruce Mitchell and Guy Philips.
APG Media of Ohio also owns the local daily newspaper, The Athens Messenger, in addition to seven other paid distribution newspapers and three other free, controlled distribution publications.
The acquisition of the Athens NEWS allows APG Media of Ohio to further diversify and strengthen its holdings in Southeast Ohio. APG Media will continue to operate the Athens NEWS as a free distribution publication and will operate The Messenger and the NEWS as two distinct and different editorial products, completely independent of each other. The Athens NEWS will continue to be headquartered in its Court Street offices, and the Messenger from its Johnson Road plant facility.
“We intend for the two publications to speak to two separate audiences. The NEWS will further differentiate its content as an alternative publication that is more focused on the Ohio University campus community while The Messenger will continue to serve as the mainstream daily news publication in the market. The intent is for readers to have unique content in each and for our marketing partners to be able to reach the Athens area market as a whole by promoting to both audiences,” said APG Media of Ohio President Monica Nieporte.
APG of Ohio is excited to have Jane Means continue her valued role as the Athens NEWS Publisher, and for longtime editor Terry Smith to oversee all of its news content.
“I am looking forward to having Jane, Terry and the Athens NEWS staff on the Ohio team and think this is a great opportunity to grow both publications, “ Nieporte said.
Athens NEWS owners Mitchell and Philips called the sale “ a great fit that will ensure both the editorial independence and long term job security for a great group of employees at the Athens NEWS.”
This acquisition by family-owned Adams Publishing Group follows the July acquisition of Huckle Media located in Southern Minnesota with 10 community newspapers, 17 websites, shopping guides, magazines, a digital agency and commercial printing facilities and The Chronotype in Rice Lake, Wisconsin.
In March, Adams acquired three divisions of American Consolidated Media located in northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Maryland with 34 print publications and related media operations.
Local newspapers in Wisconsin include the Spooner Advocate, Sawyer County Record, Ashland Daily Press, Price County Review and all related shopping guides and websites.
The sale was handled for the sellers by John Szefe of the W.B.Grimes and Company.
WOUB is a content partner with the Athens Messenger and affiliated newspapers.