Halifax Media Group completed a deal Wednesday to purchase eight daily newspapers and 11 weekly publications in Florida and North Carolina from Freedom Communications.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Halifax Media, which acquired The Press Democrat, the Petaluma Argus-Courier and the North Bay Business Journal in January when it bought the New York Times Regional Media Group, now owns 36 newspapers in six states, primarily in the southeast United States.
Founded in 2010, Halifax Media has become the nation's 15th largest newspaper publisher, based on circulation. With its purchase of the Freedom newspapers, Halifax Media will expand its daily circulation to 635,000 and Sunday circulation to 752,000.
"We believe in the future of newspapers, both in print and online. We have to be great at both. These newspapers embody Halifax Media Group's philosophy for providing local news that no one else can deliver," Halifax Media CEO Michael Redding said in a statement.
Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., the company's investment group includes Stephens Capital Partners, JAARSSS Media and Redding Investments.
Florida newspapers involved in the transaction include:
- Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach
- The News Herald, Panama City
- The Destin Log, Destin
- The Santa Rosa Press Gazette and the Santa Rosa Free Press, Milton
- The Crestview News Bulletin, Crestview
- The Holmes County Times-Advertiser in Bonifay
- The Washington County News, Chipley
- The Walton Sun, Santa Rosa Beach
- The Times, Apalachicola
- The Star in Port St. Joe
North Carolina newspapers include:
- Times-News, Burlington
- The Daily News, Jacksonville
- The Gaston Gazette, Gastonia
- The Star, Shelby
- The Free Press, Kinston
- The Jones Post, Kinston
- The Havelock News, Havelock
- The Sun Journal and The Shopper, New Bern
- The Topsail Advertiser, Surf City
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