Journal-World sold to Ogden Newspapers
Nearly 125 years of Lawrence newspaper history will end later this year when the Simons family, owner of the Journal-World, completes the paper’s sale to Ogden Newspapers Inc., a family-owned company based in Wheeling, W.Va.
The pending transaction was announced to Journal-World department leaders Friday morning by Dolph C. Simons Jr., editor of the Journal-World and chairman of The World Company, which owns the newspaper. His sons, Dan, president of World’s digital division, and Dolph III, president of its newspapers division, took part in the session, after which the three leaders met with all staff members to tell them of the company’s plan.
“In today’s business environment it is becoming increasingly difficult for a stand-alone, family-owned daily newspaper to compete and provide the product owners desire,” said Dolph Simons Jr. “This being the case and in the best interests of Lawrence, Journal-World readers and our employees, Journal-World owners have decided to sell the Journal-World to the Ogden Nutting family, owners of Ogden Newspapers, Inc.”
Added Dan Simons, “To say this has been a tough decision is an understatement. Every day I look at a photo in my office of my father, grandfather and great-grandfather who led this company for 125 years. I am happy that the new owners are a 126-year-old, family-owned company steeped in great journalism history. The size of their corporation can shoulder the cost for the continuation of honest and accurate journalism.”
Financial terms were not announced. The transaction is expected to close before the end of the third quarter, said Owen Van Essen, president of Dirks, Van Essen and Murray of Santa Fe, New Mexico, the newspaper merger and acquisition firm representing the Simons family in the sale.In addition to the Journal-World, the sale includes The World Company’s other media assets: weekly newspapers in Shawnee and Tonganoxie; more than a dozen websites including KUsports.com, LJWorld.com and Lawrence.com; and Sunflower Publishing, the company’s niche publications division. The sale does not include the company’s real estate; the newspaper is expected to remain in its offices at 645 New Hampshire under a lease negotiated as part of the transaction.
The sale will bring to an end the Simons family’s storied history with newspaper publishing in Lawrence, which began in 1891 when Wilford Collins Simons came to Lawrence and acquired The Lawrence Record. W.C. Simons launched the Lawrence Journal on March 2, 1892, acquired the Lawrence World in 1905 and merged the Journal and World in 1911. W.C. Simons led the paper from 1891 to 1944, followed by his son, Dolph Simons Sr., who was publisher from 1944 to 1962 and editor from 1950 to 1979. Dolph Sr. was followed by his son, Dolph Jr., who served as publisher of the Journal-World from 1962 to 2004, editor of the Journal-World from 1978 to present, and president of The World Company from 1969 to 2004. His sons, Dolph III and Dan, continued the family leadership of the company.
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2016/jun/17/simons-family-selling-journal-w...