Black Press, B.C.’s largest publisher of community newspapers and websites, has announced the purchase of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman and the Kimberley Daily Bulletin.
The two dailies, published Monday to Friday, have a combined circulation of 5,000 and are the only dailies serving the East Kootenay region of B.C. The deal will close at the end of August.
“They will continue to run under their current business plan and we anticipate few changes,” said Rick O’Connor, chief operating officer of Black Press, parent company of The Morning Star.
The Daily Townsman and the Daily Bulletin were owned by Don Kendall, former Morning Star publisher.
Black Press also owns the regional weekly publication, The Kootenay Advertiser, also based in Cranbrook.
“We will also continue to operate our existing title under its current business plan as the two main publications serve different markets and audiences,’ said O’Connor.
Black Press will invest in improving the press operations at the Daily Townsman over the next year and is also investing in additional bindery equipment at the Kootenay Advertiser.
“We are very bullish on the future economic prospects of the Kootenay region,” said David Black, Black Press chief executive officer.
“We feel there will be substantial economic growth in that area in the next decade and we are pleased to be taking a stronger media position in the Cranbrook region.”
Black Press owns and operates over 150 newspapers, several printing plants and hundreds of websites in B.C., Alberta, Washington State, Hawaii and Ohio.
It is Canada’s largest independent newspaper publishing company.
