Gannett buys 11 media organizations from Digital First Media

Gannett Co. Inc. announced Monday that it had completed the acquisition of the remaining interest in the Texas-New Mexico Newspapers Partnership, adding complete ownership of 11 publications to its portfolio.

Under the deal, Gannett completed the acquisition of the remaining 59.36 percent interest in the partnership from Digital First Media.  The company is paying for the newspapers with the sale of its 19.49 percent interest in  the California Newspapers Partnership and additional cash.

The news organizations include:

–          El Paso Times (Texas)
–          Alamogordo Daily News; Carlsbad Current-Argus; The Daily Times in Farmington; Deming Headlight; Las Cruces Sun-News; Silver City Sun-News (New Mexico)
–          Chambersburg Public Opinion; Hanover Evening Sun; Lebanon Daily News; and the York Daily Record (Pennsylvania)

“We are very pleased to welcome these well-respected media organizations to U.S. Community Publishing as we further our efforts to expand our reach as the best local media company in America for consumers and businesses,” said Robert Dickey, president of U.S. Community Publishing and CEO-designate of the publishing company Gannett plans to spin off in mid-2015. “

Gannett, which publishes USA Today, is spinning off its publishing division as a separate company from its broadcasting and digital businesses. The publishing company will keep the Gannett name.