Black Press has purchased six newspapers in the United States through its Washington state-based subsidiaries Sound Publishing and Oahu Publications.
Effective today (Wednesday, Oct. 1), Sound has acquired the Aberdeen World (based in Aberdeen, Wash.) from Stephens Media, as well as the Montesano Vidette, the North Coast News in Ocean Shores, and the South Beach Bulletin in Westport.
The World is a three-times-a-week publication, and the others are weekly newspapers.
In Hawaii, Oahu Publications has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Stephens Media's West Hawaii Today (in Kailua-Kona) and the Hawaii Tribune Herald (in Hilo), as well as a 50 per cent interest in Hawaii.com. Those transactions will close on Dec. 1, 2014.
"These newspaper titles in Washington state and Hawaii fit with Black Press' geographic clustering strategy and are by far the leading local media in each of their respective communities," said Black Press CEO Rick O'Connor, in a press release from Wednesday. "These newspapers fit with our strategic growth plans in both markets and the transaction will be beneficial financially to both Sound and OPI.
"We continue to believe in community media where they are complementary to our existing operations."
Ed Moss, CEO of Stephens Media, echoed O'Connor's comments in his own statement.
"While we have appreciated the opportunity to serve these wonderful markets for a number of years, we concluded that they were no longer a strategic fit for Stephens Media," said Moss.
"We are delighted that a newspaper operator of Black Press' stature will take ownership of and continue to serve these communities and their readers and advertisers."