Gannett Announces Acquisition of Community Newspapers
GREEN BAY, WI – Gannett Co., Inc. announced today that it has acquired 23 newspapers and shoppers and 11 other specialty publications owned by Brown County Publishing Co., (BCP) of Denmark, Wis.
The acquired newspapers include the daily Green Bay News-Chronicle, the three-times weekly Door County Advocate and six weekly newspapers, all with paid circulation which combined exceeds 30,000.
Not included in the sale are two auto magazines, AutoPlus and AutoMax, Brown County Publishing’s heatset printing operations in Denmark and Brookfield, Wis., and specific cold web job printing in Denmark.
“Brown County Publishing’s portfolio of community newspapers, shoppers and niche publications in Northeast Wisconsin offers us the opportunity to better serve our customers,” said Ellen M. Leifeld, a vice president in Gannett’s Midwest Newspaper Group and president and publisher of The Post-Crescent in Appleton.
Frank Wood, chairman of the board of Brown County Publishing, and Leifeld together addressed Brown County Publishing employees earlier today.
No immediate changes in operations are planned, Leifeld said. “We want to spend some time to better understand the publications, get to know the employees, and develop a plan to carry on the tradition that Frank started 51 years ago when he and his wife, Agnes, bought their first weekly newspaper in Denmark, Wisconsin.”
Wood said he is pleased that BCP’s employees will have the additional opportunity offered by becoming part of a much larger organization. “They (the employees) have been just great,” he said.
“Letting go after so long is not easy. I have been immersed in work I love all of my adult life, and I feel privileged to have done so. Now I feel it is time for change,” Wood said.
Wood said he looked upon newspaper work as a stewardship, and he thanked the subscribers, advertisers and other readers for their support.
The acquired newspapers include:
Algoma Record-Herald Kewaunee Enterprise Community News East The Kewaunee County Sunday Chronicle Community News West Key to the Door Illustrated County Line Shopper Lake Country Beacon Denmark Press Forest County Beacon De Pere Journal Luxemburg News Door County Advocate Manitowoc Laker Shopper Door County Extra Marketplace Homes Door Peninsula Real Estate Guide New Franken Shopper Door County Magazine/New Life Magazine The News-Chronicle Door Voice Oconto County Beacon Door Fun Map Oconto County Reporter Employment Weekly Resorter Reporter Green Bay Real Estate Guide The Star Hometown Shopper This Week Journal Shopper Weekly Homes Guide Bayport Shopper Laker-Shopper Homes Real Estate Guide
Gannett Co., Inc. is a leading international news and information company that publishes 101 daily newspapers in the USA, including USA TODAY, the nation’s largest-selling daily newspaper. The company also owns more than 500 non-daily publications in the USA and USA Weekend, a weekly newspaper magazine. Gannett subsidiary Newsquest is the United Kingdom’s second largest regional newspaper company. Newsquest publishes more than 300 titles, including 17 daily newspapers, and a network of prize-winning Web sites. Gannett also operates 22 television stations in the United States and is an Internet leader with sites sponsored by most of its TV stations and newspapers including USATODAY.com, one of the most popular news sites on the Web.
News Contact:
Lynette Mack
Director of Market Development
Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers
(715)845-0628 or (715)574-5142
lmack2@gannett.com