The Dispatch Printing Company Acquires Columbus Media Enterprises

    COLUMBUS, OH, September 29, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Dispatch Printing Co. today announced that it had acquired a group of niche publications from American Community Newspapers, expanding the depth and breadth of its news organization.

The newly acquired publications, which will become part of Dispatch Media Group, include:
- Columbus Monthly, an award-winning city magazine for 35 years
- Suburban News Publications, a group of 22 community newspapers serving Central Ohio
- Columbus C.E.O., a monthly business magazine
- A dozen specialty magazine publications, including Columbus Bride, CityGuide, Restaurant Guide and the Official Columbus Visitors Guide
- The Other Paper, a news and entertainment weekly

In addition, a handful of supporting niche local news and information websites, including columbusmonthly.com, columbusbride.com and columbuslocalnews.com, will become part of the Dispatch Digital network.

"The addition of these titles to our niche print and digital portfolio is a very exciting prospect," said John F. Wolfe, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of The Dispatch Printing Company. "Putting all of these titles under one roof opens up enormous and exciting possibilities for local readers, subscribers and advertisers."

This acquisition will add a number of award-winning titles to the roster of print publications produced daily, weekly or monthly by The Dispatch Printing Company. And as the significance of digital content grows for media companies, this acquisition also strengthens the Dispatch Digital Network--the number one local news and information digital network in central Ohio.

The acquisition will clearly benefit subscribers and readers as reporters/writers now have increased resources and outlets to tell the most compelling and interesting stories in our communities. Editorial convergence has been a hallmark of Dispatch Printing Company publications, and the added resources will improve all of the print products and their ability to deliver more high-quality and engaging hard news, investigative, feature and human interest stories.

As for advertisers, this acquisition offers advertisers new and creative ways to reach more of Central Ohio with one ad buy, as well as reach their target markets, including some of the most hard-to-reach demographics.

ACN's president Richard M. Franks said the Board of Directors of the company recently decided to explore a sale of the Columbus operation as well as three other publishing clusters in Washington D.C., Minneapolis and Dallas. He went on to say that he believes the Dispatch has acquired a group of very talented employees and publications that greatly enhance their product offering in the Greater Columbus marketplace. He expects the sales of the remaining companies to be announced in the next few months.

Cribb, Greene & Associates of Bozeman, Montana represented the Dispatch Printing Company in the transaction while Dirks, Van Essen & Murray, a Santa Fe, New Mexico newspaper merger and acquisition firm, represented American Community Newspapers.

NOTE: All press inquiries or interview requests should be sent directly to Phil Pikelny, Vice President, Dispatch Digital & Chief Marketing Officer at 614-461-5222 or [email protected]

ABOUT THE DISPATCH PRINTING COMPANY
The Dispatch Printing Company, a privately held, family-owned media organization based in Columbus, OH, owns a variety of print, broadcast and digital news and information companies. The company flagship is The Columbus Dispatch, Central Ohio's daily newspaper. Other affiliates of The Dispatch Printing Company include WBNS-10TV, 97.1 TheFan Sports Radio, ThisWeek Community Newspapers, alive!, Dispatch Digital (with more than two dozen Central Ohio websites), Capital Style, Crave, Columbus Parent, Fronteras, the Ohio News Network, Radio Sound Network, On Target Marketing/TheBAG, and a show division that produces The Central Ohio Home & Garden, Best Of Fall, 10TV Health & Fitness and Via Columbus shows in Columbus, Ohio and WTHR-TV, WALV-CA and SkyTrak Weather in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Contact: Phil Pikelny
(614) 461-5222
[email protected]
http://www.dispatch.com

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