{{Short description|American media company}} {{Infobox company | name = GateHouse Media, Inc. | logo = GateHouse Media logo.png | caption = | type = Subsidiary | genre = | fate = Subsumed into Gannett after takeover<br>GateHouse was the nominal survivor, but operations continued under the Gannett name rather than GateHouse name | predecessor = Liberty Group Publishing | successor = Gannett | foundation = {{start date and age|1997}} | founder = Kenneth L. Serota | defunct = 2019 | location_city = | location_country = | location = Perinton, New York{{efn|name=LocationNote|While its mail is delivered from the Pittsford, NY 14534 post office, GateHouse's headquarters lie about a third of a mile east of the eastern border of Pittsford, New York.<ref name=LocationRef>{{cite web | url = http://www.perinton.org/Data/Documents/maps/street%20pdf.pdf | title = Town of Perinton Street Map | date = 2007-12-17 | publisher = Town of Perinton | location = Perinton, New York | at = Grid coordinates 7B | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110425122141/http://perinton.org/Data/Documents/maps/street%20pdf.pdf | archive-date = 2011-04-25 }}</ref>}} | locations = | area_served = United States | key_people = Michael E. Reed,<br />Chairman/CEO Kirk Davis, operating company CEO;<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.newmediainv.com/about-us/ | title=About Us | access-date=2018-01-17 | archive-date=2018-01-18 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118011249/http://www.newmediainv.com/about-us/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> Paul Ameden, CIO; Bill Church, Senior VP News; Polly Grunfeld Sack, SVP / General Counsel<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gatehousemedia.com/about-us/executive-leadership/ |title=GateHouse Media Website |work=GateHouseMedia.com |access-date=18 January 2018 |archive-date=19 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119001210/http://www.gatehousemedia.com/about-us/executive-leadership/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> | industry = News media | products = 130 daily newspapers<br />640 community publications<br />540 local market websites | services = | aum = | parent = New Media Investment Group | divisions = | subsid = | homepage = {{URL|gannett.com}} | footnotes = | intl = }} '''GateHouse Media Inc.''' was an American publisher of locally based print and digital media. It published 144 daily newspapers, 684 community publications, and over 569 local-market websites in 38 states. Its parent company, New Media Investment Group, acquired Gannett (now USA Today Co.) in 2019, with the combined company using the Gannett name and maintaining its headquarters in Virginia.<ref name=nyt1>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/19/business/media/gannett-gatehouse-merger.html|title=Gannett, Now Largest U.S. Newspaper Chain, Targets 'Inefficiencies'|last=Tracy|first=Marc|work=The New York Times |date=November 19, 2019|access-date=2020-02-28}}</ref>
== History ==
===Liberty Group Publishing=== Liberty Group Publishing was formed in 1998 when Kenneth L. Serota, a former Hollinger International attorney with backing from Leonard Green & Partners, bought 160 community newspapers from Hollinger.<ref>{{cite web|author=Culloton, Dan|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-115189223.html |title=Red ink pressing publisher; Liberty Group grew fast, but so did its debt — Crains — August 5, 2004 |publisher=Highbeam.com |access-date=2012-05-06}}{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, Liberty then expanded the network increasing the total newspapers to 330 by 2000. Faced with problems, it downsized to 270 by June 2005.{{Citation needed|date=October 2017}}
===GateHouse Media=== In June 2005, Fortress Investment Group bought Liberty for $527 million. Fortress expanded it to 75 dailies, 231 weeklies, 117 shoppers, and 230 websites.<ref>{{cite web|author=U.S. |url=http://www.answers.com/topic/gatehouse-media |title=International Directory of Company Histories. Copyright © 2006 by The Gale Group, Inc |publisher=Answers.com |access-date=2012-05-06}}</ref> It was renamed GateHouse and its headquarters moved to suburban Rochester, New York, in April 2006.{{Citation needed|date=October 2017}} In October 2006, GateHouse had its IPO with Fortress maintaining 60% ownership.<ref name=delisted>[http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081022/gatehouse_delisting.html GateHouse Media stock being delisted from NYSE - October 22, 2008] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028235326/http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081022/gatehouse_delisting.html |date=October 28, 2008 }}</ref> On October 23, 2007, GateHouse announced the purchase of 14 daily newspapers and other publications from Morris Communications.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.editorandpublisher.com/news/gatehouse-buying-14-dailies-other-pubs-from-morris-for-115-million/ |title=GateHouse Buying 14 Dailies, Other Pubs, From Morris For $115 Million |work=Editor & Publisher |access-date=February 19, 2016 |date=October 23, 2007 |archive-date=December 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201032124/http://www.editorandpublisher.com/news/gatehouse-buying-14-dailies-other-pubs-from-morris-for-115-million/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The company received notification from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on August 21, 2008, that it had fallen below the NYSE's continued listing standards for average global market capitalization over a consecutive 30-trading-day period of not less than $75 million and $1.00 average closing price, and had submitted a business plan to the NYSE Regulation for coming back into compliance for continued listing. The company has been in communication with the NYSE regarding its noncompliance with continued listing standards, but was unsuccessful in its efforts to avoid suspension and delisting.<ref name=delisted/>
===Bankruptcy, bailout and restructuring=== On September 4, 2013, News Corp announced that it would sell the Dow Jones Local Media Group, a group of 33 local newspapers, to Newcastle Investment Corp, an affiliate of Fortress, for $87 million. The newspapers were operated by GateHouse Media following the purchase. CEO Robert James Thomson indicated that the newspapers "were not strategically consistent with the emerging portfolio" of the company, which had been formed as a spin-off of News Corporation.<ref name=nybj-djlmgsale>{{cite news|title=News Corp. sells 33 papers to New York investors|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/newyork/news/2013/09/04/news-corp-sells-dow-jones-local-media.html|work=New York Business Journal|access-date=2013-09-04}}</ref>
By 2013, GateHouse Media grew, operating in 330 markets across 21 states, but they found themselves in a debt situation that would prohibit future growth.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.financierworldwide.com/gatehouse-media-files-for-pre-packaged-chapter-11/#.Wl-NZLynFQJ|title=GateHouse Media Files for Pre-packaged Chapter 11}}</ref> The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware on September 27, 2013. It listed assets of $433.7 million and debt of $1.3 billion. The planned bankruptcy centered on restructuring the Fortress News Corp deal. Fortress owned 52% of GateHouse debt. Gatehouse re-emerged from the planned bankruptcy in November 2013. In the restructured plan, Gatehouse stock was cancelled and a new holding company for the parent, New Media Investment Group, Inc., was formed. The terms involved the cancellation of shares of Gatehouse, but those owners receiving warrants to buy shares in New Media Investment Group Inc.<ref name="democratandchronicle.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/money/business/2013/11/26/gatehouse-media-officially-done-with-bankruptcy/3758479/ |title=GateHouse Media officially done with bankruptcy|author=Staff reports|date=November 26, 2013|work=Rochester Democrat and Chronicle|access-date=2015-03-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ugelllaw.com/gatehouse-media-to-file-chapter-11-then-form-new-company/|title=GateHouse Media Files Chapter 11 to Form New Company|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118011722/http://ugelllaw.com/gatehouse-media-to-file-chapter-11-then-form-new-company/|archive-date=2018-01-18|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Subsequently, Gatehouse Media acquired several newspaper groups between 2014 and 2017, including Halifax,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/LK/20150109/News/605049176/DN/|title=Daytona News-Journal Announcement}}</ref> Stephens Media,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://newsandtech.com/dateline/article_bde313f2-ce67-11e4-96e5-67990cf643de.html|title=New Media Closes on Stephens Media Buy|last=News & Tech|access-date=2018-01-17|archive-date=2018-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820234829/https://newsandtech.com/dateline/article_bde313f2-ce67-11e4-96e5-67990cf643de.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref> Calkins Media and Morris Publications.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/digital/gatehouse-media-morris-communications/|title=GateHouse Media to Buy Morris Communications|last=AdWeek}}</ref> They also acquired Dolan Media Group<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.lawsitesblog.com/2015/12/legal-news-publisher-dolan-acquired-by-gatehouse-media.html|title=Dolan Acquired by GateHouse Media|last=Law Sites (Blog)}}</ref> and Journal Multimedia,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.mcall.com/business/mc-new-media-buys-lehigh-valley-business-20160428-story.html|title=New Media Buys LeHigh Valley Business|last=The Morning Call}}</ref> adding business publications to their portfolio. The combined group of business publications was rebranded as BridgeTower Media.<ref>[http://bridgetowermedia.com/about/ BridgeTower Media]</ref>
The GateHouse Media corporate strategy continues to focus on acquiring and operating traditional local media businesses and transforming them from print-centric operations to multimedia operations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newmediainv.com/about-us/|title=New Media Investment Website|access-date=2018-01-17|archive-date=2018-01-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118011249/http://www.newmediainv.com/about-us/|url-status=dead}}</ref> As of April 2018, GateHouse Media was publishing 144 daily newspapers, 684 community publications, and over 569 local market websites in 38 states.
===Recent acquisitions===
In January 2015, GateHouse purchased the 36 newspapers of the Halifax Media Group for $280 million.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/20150109/gatehouse-acquires-news-journal-halifax-media | work=The Daytona Beach News-Journal | title=GateHouse acquires News-Journal, Halifax Media|date=January 9, 2015 | access-date=2017-11-26}}</ref> In February 2015, GateHouse purchased Stephens Media, which published newspapers mainly in Arkansas and Nevada, for $102.8 million.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-las-vegas/review-journal-parent-stephens-media-to-be-sold-to-new-media/ | work=Las Vegas Review-Journal | title=Review-Journal, parent Stephens Media to be sold to New Media|date=February 19, 2015 | access-date=2017-11-26}}</ref> In December 2015, GateHouse sold the ''Las Vegas Review-Journal'', the Stephens group's largest paper, to casino magnate Sheldon Adelson for $140 million.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/03/business/media/sheldon-adelsonspurchase-of-las-vegas-paper-seen-as-a-power-play.html?_r=0 | work=The New York Times | title=Sheldon Adelson's Purchase of Las Vegas Paper Seen as a Power Play|date=January 2, 2016 | access-date=2017-11-26}}</ref>
In November 2016, GateHouse announced the purchase of Harris Enterprises, based in Hutchinson, Kan., which operated six daily newspapers in Kansas and Iowa.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://cjonline.com/news/2016-11-14/gatehouse-acquire-kansas-based-harris-newspapers | work=Topeka Capital-Journal | title=GateHouse to acquire Kansas-based Harris newspapers|date=November 14, 2016 | access-date=2017-11-26}}</ref> In February 2017, GateHouse purchased the Dix Communications newspaper chain for $21.2 million. Dix Communications operates in northeastern and east-central Ohio, including more than 30 daily and weekly newspapers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/02/01/gatehouse-media-buys-dix-communications-newspaper-chain.html|title=Fox Business - GateHouse Media Buys Dix Communications Newspaper Chain}}</ref> In June 2017, GateHouse announced it was purchasing Calkins Media Group's four six-day-a-week newspapers and Calkins Digital Group, a press facility and related websites and other digital operations.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170619005381/en/New-Media-Announces-Agreement-Acquire-Calkins-Media|title=Business Wire - New Media Announces Agreement to Acquire Calkins Media}}</ref>
In August 2017, GateHouse announced it was purchasing 11 daily newspapers, 30 weeklies, and other assets from Morris Publishing Group, a division of Morris Communications.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.poynter.org/news/gatehouse-acquires-morris-publishings-11-daily-newspapers | work=Poynter.org | title=GateHouse acquires Morris Publishing's 11 daily newspapers|date=9 August 2017 | access-date=26 November 2017}}</ref>
In October 2017, GateHouse acquired Edward A. Sherman Publishing Company, parent of ''The Newport Daily News''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Anderson|first1=Patrick|title=Providence Journal parent buys publisher of Newport Daily News|url=http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20171026/providence-journal-parent-buys-publisher-of-newport-daily-news|website=providencejournal.com|access-date=31 December 2017|language=en}}</ref>
In January 2018, GateHouse announced its purchase of Oregon's second-largest daily newspaper, ''The Register-Guard''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://registerguard.com/rg/news/local/36377405-75/the-register-guard-sold-to-gatehouse-media.html.csp|title=The Register-Guard sold to GateHouse Media|date=January 26, 2018|newspaper=The Register-Guard|access-date=March 3, 2018|archive-date=January 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126181228/http://registerguard.com/rg/news/local/36377405-75/the-register-guard-sold-to-gatehouse-media.html.csp|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In February 2018, GateHouse announced the acquisition of Kirk Davis's independently owned Holden Landmark Corporation for an undisclosed sum. The sale includes the central Massachusetts media properties, ''Worcester Magazine'', ''The Landmark, baystateparent Magazine, Leominster Champion, Millbury-Sutton Chronicle'', and the ''Grafton News''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Harris |first=David L. |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2018/02/22/gatehouse-media-grows-its-empire-by-buying-top.html |title=GateHouse Media grows its empire by buying top exec's publishing company |work=Boston Business Journal |date=2018-02-22 |access-date=2018-02-23 }}</ref>
In March 2018, GateHouse announced its $47.5 million purchase of the ''Austin American-Statesman'' of Austin, Texas. It is the largest newspaper in Central Texas. In the same month, GateHouse announced its $49.25 million purchase of [https://www.palmbeachpost.com/ ''The Palm Beach Post''] and ''Palm Beach Daily News'' from Cox Media Group, LLC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.editorandpublisher.com/news/new-media-investment-group-to-acquire-the-palm-beach-post-and-palm-beach-daily-news/|title=New Media Investment Group to Acquire The Palm Beach Post and Palm Beach Daily News|access-date=2018-06-05|archive-date=2018-06-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180605195300/http://www.editorandpublisher.com/news/new-media-investment-group-to-acquire-the-palm-beach-post-and-palm-beach-daily-news/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On April 10, 2018, GateHouse announced that it had agreed to acquire the ''Akron Beacon Journal'' of Akron, Ohio for $16 million from Black Press Group.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Conn|first1=Jennifer|title=Gatehouse Media purchases Akron Beacon Journal|url=https://www.cleveland.com/akron/index.ssf/2018/04/gatehouse_media_purchases_akro.html|website=Cleveland.com|date=12 April 2018 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref> The ''Beacon Journal'' is a daily newspaper tracing its storied, Pulitzer Prize-winning history to 1839's ''Summit Beacon'', which early in the 20th century came under the editorship and ownership of publisher Charles Landon Knight, serving as the flagship newspaper of the Knight Newspaper Company, later known as Knight Ridder.<ref>[https://www.ohio.com/akron/alert/gatehouse-media-buys-akron-beacon-journal-ohio-com GateHouse Media Buys Akron Beacon Journal and Ohio.com] Retrieved 4-10-2018</ref>
On July 2, 2018, GateHouse acquired SouthernKitchen.com, the Atlanta-based Southern food and lifestyle brand. Southern Kitchen, launched by Cox Media Group (CMG) in 2017, is a blend of e-commerce and content. It delivers content and products related to eating, drinking, and entertaining with a Southern flair.
On September 27, 2018, GateHouse Media announced the acquisition of The Oklahoman Media Company, parent company of The Oklahoman, which is the state's largest daily newspaper, for an undisclosed amount from The Anschutz Corp. The sale closed on Oct. 1, 2018, for $12.5 million.<ref>[https://seekingalpha.com/pr/17425973-new-media-announces-solid-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2018-results-dividend-0_38-per-common/ "New Media Announces Solid Fourth Quarter & Full Year 2018 Results, Dividend of $0.38 per Common Share"]{{Dead link|date=February 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, SeekingAlpha, February 27, 2019.</ref>
On January 28, 2019, it was announced that GateHouse Media had acquired the publishing division of Schurz Communications including ''The Herald-Times'' in Bloomington, Indiana, ''South Bend Tribune'' in South Bend, Indiana, and other papers in Clay, Lawrence, Monroe, Morgan, Orange, Owen, and Putnam counties in Indiana.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/herald-times,-other-local-papers-sold-to-gatehouse-media.php|title=Herald-Times, Other Local Papers Sold To GateHouse Media|last1=Eady|first1=Alex|last2=McGerr|first2=Patrick|website=News - Indiana Public Media|access-date=2019-08-13}}</ref> That same year, it acquired the ''New Jersey Herald'' in Newton, New Jersey, from Quincy Media.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.snpa.org/stories/gatehouse,4154168|title=GateHouse Media to acquire New Jersey Herald|website=Southern Newspaper Publishers Association|date=21 May 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-08-13}}</ref>
===Acquisition of and rebranding to Gannett=== In August 2019, it was announced that New Media Investment Group had reached an agreement to acquire Gannett Company. The merged company would take on the better-known Gannett name and be based at Gannett's headquarters in McLean, Virginia, but with New Media Investment Group's CEO Mike Reed as CEO.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/05/media/gannett-gatehouse-merger/index.html|title=USA Today owner Gannett merges with GateHouse Media to form massive newspaper company|last=Darcy|first=Oliver|website=CNN|date=5 August 2019 |access-date=2019-08-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190805005547/en/New-Media-Investment-Group-Acquire-Gannett|title=New Media Investment Group to Acquire Gannett|date=2019-08-05|website=www.businesswire.com|language=en|access-date=2019-08-13}}</ref>
The acquisition of Gannett by New Media Investment Group was completed on November 19, 2019, making the combined company the largest newspaper publisher in the United States.<ref name="nyt1" />
==Holdings== {{Main|List of newspapers owned by GateHouse Media}}
==Notes== {{Notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist|33em}}
==External links== * {{Official website|www.gannett.com}}
{{Gannett}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Local mass media in the United States Category:Publishing companies established in 1997 Category:Publishing companies disestablished in 2019 Category:Gannett Category:1997 establishments in New York (state) Category:2019 disestablishments in New York (state) Category:Companies formerly listed on the New York Stock Exchange Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2013 Category:2006 initial public offerings Category:2019 mergers and acquisitions Category:American companies disestablished in 2019 Category:Companies based in Monroe County, New York Category:American companies established in 1997 Category:Defunct newspaper companies of the United States Category:Defunct mass media companies of the United States Category:Defunct companies based in New York (state)