In the second quarter of 2026, DV&A tracked 20 announced transactions involving 40 publications across 16 states, reflecting another active period for newspaper and local media ownership transitions.
One of the quarter’s defining themes was the preservation of community newspapers. Nearly half of all titles that changed hands were in Iowa, where a series of transactions followed Mid-America Publishing’s announcement that it intended to close a number of publications. Instead, many of those newspapers found new owners committed to continuing local news coverage, demonstrating that, even in challenging circumstances, there remains demand for community publications with strong local roots.
The quarter also underscored the diversity of today’s media M&A landscape. Independent publishers continued to expand their regional footprints through strategic acquisitions, while larger transactions, including the Chicago Tribune’s acquisition of the Daily Herald and Hour Media’s acquisition of SagaCity’s regional magazine portfolio, highlighted continued investment in established media brands. Community newspapers remained at the center of transaction activity, but notable acquisitions involving magazines and digital media reinforced the continued evolution of the broader local media landscape.
A summary of each announced transaction from the second quarter follows:
Wiseman and Grabinoski acquire three Iowa titles from Mid-American Publishing
Mid-America Publishing announced a deal closing on April 9 with Jerry Wiseman and Kristin Grabinoski for the sale of three Iowa titles: the Ida County Courier, Holstein Advance and the Reminder.
Grabinoski is a principal in Armstrong, Iowa-based Stateline Publications, publishers of the Armstrong Journal, Bancroft Register, Swea City Herald Press and Ringstead Dispatch, and has partnerships with Wiseman in the Humboldt Independent and other publications, but the ownership structure of the acquired publications was yet to be determined.
The sale was the first of several following Mid-American Publishing’s announcement it would cease operations April 2, 2026.
Hour Media acquires SagaCity
With a deal closing on April 2, Hour Media acquired SagaCity. Titles include Seattle Met (Washington), Portland Monthly (Oregon), Houstonia (Texas), Aspen Sojourner (Colorado), Vail-Beaver Creek Magazine (Colorado), and Park City Magazine (Utah).
The acquisition follows a strategic restructuring period for SagaCity Media, which filed for receivership in King County, Washington, in November 2025. This court-ordered process allowed for a professional third party to manage the company’s operations and facilitate this sale, ensuring the uninterrupted continuity of its publications and digital platforms.
Hour Media is the largest publisher of city and regional magazines in the United States. The company publishes and produces more than 180 magazines and custom titles, 50 consumer websites, and 70 shows and events.
Nelson Media Company acquires four Iowa titles from Mid-American Publishing
With a deal announced in April, Nelson Media Company acquired four Iowa newspapers from Mid-American Publishing. Titles include the Winnebago County Tribune, Parkersburg Eclipse News Review, Butler County Tribune and The Grundy Register.
“Journalism is the foundation of this country. So, if we lose that in the small communities, that’s a big deal,” said Chris Nelson, CEO of Nelson Media Company.
OnTheGoMedia acquires The Hampton Chronicle from Mid-America Publishing
With a deal closing in early April, OnTheGoMedia acquired The Hampton Chronicle (Iowa) from Mid-America Publishing. The Hampton-based media company became the newspaper’s new owner and will oversee operations from its offices in Hampton, Iowa.
Enterprise Media acquires two Iowa titles from Mid-America Publishing
Enterprise Media acquired two Iowa newspapers from Mid-America Publishing. Titles include The Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter and the Garner Leader. The Charles City-based company also owns the Charles City Press, Kossuth County Advance, New Hampton Tribune, Greene Recorder, Nashua Reporter, Spencer Reporter, Dickinson County News and Decorah Leader. Enterprise Media was founded in 2016 by Christopher Hall and his wife, Kristin.
Newsroom Ventures acquires The Pine Bluff Commercial from WEHCO Media
Newsroom Ventures LLC acquired The Pine Bluff Commercial (Arkansas) from WEHCO Media, Inc.
The Commercial was founded in 1881. Paul Greenberg, the newspaper's editorial page editor, won a Pulitzer Prize in 1969 for editorials he wrote the previous year on civil rights.
In 2020, Little Rock-based WEHCO Newspapers, Inc. acquired the Commercial from Gannett. Before that change, the Commercial was published and printed five days a week.
Since then, the Commercial has been published as a four-to-six-page addition to the Arkansas section of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette seven days a week. The Democrat-Gazette publishes a daily digital replica newspaper, delivered on an Apple iPad or other computer device.
Seaton Publishing Company acquires two Colorado titles from Wick Communications
With a deal announced on April 1, Seaton Publishing Company acquired Wick Communications’ Colorado newspaper group. Titles include the Montrose Daily Press and the Delta County Independent, along with Wick’s printing facility in Montrose, Colorado.
The transaction will bring three of Colorado’s Western Slope community newspapers under shared ownership for the first time, strengthening the region’s local news landscape.
"We are tremendously proud to be entering the Montrose and Delta communities. These are truly special places in Colorado,” said Jay Seaton, president of Grand Junction Media. “We see synergistic opportunities for both news reporting and advertising reach through this arrangement. I want to thank the Wick organization and the Wick family for this opportunity and for being such good stewards of these important community assets."
The Venetoulis Institute acquires the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Block Communications
With a deal announced on April 15, The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism acquired the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pennsylvania) from Block Communications.
The transaction, which became effective on May 4, transferred ownership of the 159-year-old newspaper to the Maryland-based nonprofit organization.
Founded in 1867, the Post-Gazette is Pittsburgh's oldest continuously published newspaper. The acquisition preserved the newspaper's Pittsburgh-based newsroom and editorial operations under nonprofit ownership. Block Communications had owned and operated the publication since 1927. The Post-Gazette became the second news organization operated by the Venetoulis Institute, joining The Baltimore Banner.
Forum Communications Company agrees to acquire McKenzie County Farmer from Flag Family Media
With a deal announced in April, Forum Communications Company agreed to acquire the McKenzie County Farmer (North Dakota) from Flag Family Media.
Publisher Steve Hallstrom wrote, “In choosing a successor, it was vital to find an organization that lives and breathes North Dakota news. We have known the Marcil family for a long time. Their passion for the newspaper business is undeniable, and their commitment to regional journalism is unmatched. By bringing the Farmer into the Forum family, Watford City will benefit from powerful synergies with their existing operations in Williston and Dickinson. This move strengthens the ‘news net’ across Western North Dakota at a time when local reporting is more critical than ever.”
The transaction marks the second acquisition in 2026 for Forum Communications.
Nelson Media Company acquires two Iowa titles from Stateline Publications
With a deal announced on May 1, Nelson Media Company acquired the Wright County Monitor and Eagle Grove Eagle from Stateline Publications. Nelson Media Company announced that the acquired publications would merge with the Belmond Independent (Iowa) to form the Wright County Independent (Iowa).
Chris Nelson, founder and CEO of Nelson Media Company, said: “This was a deal I thought was important because we had some struggles in Belmond since taking over last September going from our business model from when Dirk and Lee van der Linden owned it. This helps us put our recent discovery county-wide model for newspapers to use, and we believe it will be effective.”
The first edition of the Wright County Independent debuted in May, with a new logo that pays tribute to the three legacy newspapers it replaces.
Louie Mullen acquires five Iowa titles from Shaw Media
With a deal closing in May, J. Louis “Louie” Mullen, through Harlan Publishing LLC, acquired five Iowa newspapers from Shaw Media / Creston Publishing Company.
Titles include The Creston News Advertiser, Osceola Sentinel-Tribune, The Weekly, Adair County Free Press and The Fontanelle Observer.
This transaction marks Shaw Media’s exit from Iowa as the company sharpens its strategic focus on its core Illinois markets.
“With our business expanding elsewhere we wanted to ensure a great future for our products in the Creston region. We believe Louie Mullen and his commitment to journalism and business in local communities will be a great fit,” said Don T. Bricker, chief administrative officer at Shaw Media.
Mullen, part of a second-generation newspaper family, owns more than 40 newspapers across seven states. He currently serves on the board of the National Newspaper Association.
CherryRoad Media acquires two Ohio titles from the Ray Barnes Newspaper Family
With a deal effective May 1, CherryRoad Media acquired two Ohio newspapers from the Ray Barnes newspaper family. Titles include The Daily Chief-Union and Kenton Times. With the purchase, CherryRoad Media’s holdings increased to 10 publications in Ohio.
Lupa Systems acquires three Vox Media divisions
With a deal announced on May 20, Lupa Systems acquired three divisions from Vox Media. Assets include New York magazine, Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network. The properties were set to operate as a subsidiary of Lupa Systems called Vox Media.
Gazetteer Inc. acquires The Potrero View
With a deal announced in May, Gazetteer Inc. acquired The Potrero View (California) from editor and publisher Steven Moss. The Potrero View is San Francisco’s longest-running neighborhood newspaper and covers Potrero Hill, Dogpatch, Mission Bay and SoMa.
Under the new ownership, The Potrero View and Gazetteer SF will be run as separate editorial publications, while sales and operations will be combined. Gazetteer Inc. acquired The Potrero View in an asset sale.
“We’re so excited to honor and grow the legacy of this beloved San Francisco newspaper,” said Byron Perry, Gazetteer founder and CEO.
Tribune Publishing acquires the Daily Herald from Paddock Publications
With a deal closing on June 22, Tribune Publishing acquired the Daily Herald (Illinois) from Paddock Publications Inc. The Daily Herald serves Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties in suburban Chicago.
“We are pleased that ESOP participants voted by a substantial margin in favor of the sale to Tribune Publishing,” said Douglas K. Ray, CEO, chairman and publisher of Paddock Publications.
The closing followed a public disclosure statement filed by Paddock Publications in January announcing that it was considering a sale of the Daily Herald, as required under Illinois’ Strengthening Community Media Act. Shortly thereafter, the Chicago Tribune ran a full-page advertisement expressing interest in acquiring the publication.
Paddock Publications will continue operating as an ESOP following the transaction, concentrating on its niche publishing division, Town Square Publications, and its weekly newspapers in downstate Illinois.
The Chicago Tribune is owned by Tribune Publishing, which has been owned by Alden Global Capital since 2021.
The Mat-Su Sentinel acquires the Frontiersman from Wick Communications
With a deal effective in June, The Mat-Su Sentinel acquired the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman (Alaska) from Wick Communications. The Frontiersman became part of the digital-only Mat-Su Sentinel newsroom operation and ended its print edition.
“We could not have found a better successor. The Mat-Su Sentinel is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization dedicated entirely to serving the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. Their mission is rooted in helping residents stay informed and connected through fact-based, community-focused reporting on local government, schools, public safety and community life,” said Josh O’Connor, CEO of Wick Communications.
The Sentinel is led by founder and editor Amy Bushatz, a 10-year veteran of the Mat-Su Borough.
Jon Brown acquires The Owyhee Avalanche
Jon Brown acquired The Owyhee Avalanche (Idaho) from Joe Aman. Brown became editor and publisher of the Homedale-based newspaper following the sale, marking the first ownership change for the publication in 51 years.
Times Journal Media Group acquires three Georgia titles from Patrick Graham
With a deal announced in June, Times Journal Media Group acquired three Georgia newspapers from Patrick Graham. Titles include The Covington News (Georgia), The Walton Tribune (Georgia), and The Oconee Enterprise (Georgia).
Graham will continue to serve as publisher of the newspapers under the new ownership. A longtime community journalist, Graham has owned or operated newspapers for more than 25 years. He retains ownership of three newspapers in northeast Alabama.
The acquisition brings the number of newspapers published by Times Journal Media Group to 21.
Roadrunner Publications acquires The Community Paper
Roadrunner Publications, Inc., owner of the Escondido Times-Advocate, announced on June 27, its official acquisition of The Community Paper (California) from Lyle Davis, who has led the publication since 1998.
Justin Salter, president of Roadrunner Publications, said the acquisition creates an “unmatched hyper-local network” spanning from the coast to the mountains, offering advertisers and readers comprehensive print and digital coverage across North County.
The second quarter reflected continued confidence in local media ownership, with transactions ranging from single-publication sales to multi-title portfolio acquisitions.
Several organizations were particularly active during the quarter. Mid-America Publishing completed the divestiture of 10 Iowa newspaper titles through four separate transactions, while Nelson Media Company expanded its Iowa footprint with two acquisitions totaling six newspapers. Stateline Publishing appeared as both a buyer and seller during the quarter, and Wick Communications completed two separate divestitures of newspaper assets.
