Gannett Newspaper Deal Gets Antitrust Scrutiny

[Judi Lynn]

Gannett Newspaper Deal Gets Antitrust Scrutiny
Associated Press
Monday, January 24, 2005; 2:39 PM


NEW YORK (AP) -- Federal antitrust enforcers are investigating plans by Gannett Co., the nation's largest newspaper company, to acquire a publisher of community newspapers in the Midwest, a Department of Justice official said Monday.

Gina Talamona, a department spokeswoman, said the DOJ was looking into Gannett's proposed purchase of HomeTown Communications Network Inc., a Midwest community newspaper publisher based in Livonia, Mich. News of the probe was reported in Monday editions of The Wall Street Journal.

The Journal also reported that the Justice Department has opened a preliminary inquiry into the New York Times Co.' plans to take a 49 percent stake in Metro Boston, a free daily that competes with the Boston Globe, which is also owned by the Times. Talamona did not comment on the Times deal other than to say the department was aware of it.

The news comes as the newspaper industry appears headed into a new round of consolidation. St. Louis-based Pulitzer Inc., which owns the Arizona Daily Star, St. Louis Post-Dispatch and other dailies, recently hired Goldman, Sachs & Co. as financial adviser and would explore "a range of strategic alternatives," including a potential sale.
(snip/...)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32791-2005Jan24.html
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[dbt]

1. Payback for recent USA Today articles?

McPaper has been showing a few signs of independent thinking lately. Time to slap Gannett back into line?

:smoke:
dbt

[Rob H.]

2. Good!

I used to work for a Gannett paper in Idaho, and it was a hardcore, flag-wavin' supporter of the GOP (still is, I think). They treated their employees like shit, too, so I'm glad their parent company might possibly get slapped around.

:evilgrin:

[paineinthearse]

3. grrrrrrrrr

Has anyone else noticed that when Gannett takes over a small paper/chain, they keep its local feel and appearance, but inject their editorial content.

Go to any small Gannett outlet, find their day's editorial. Then google a string. The same words will be found in many other small publications.

Readers are not aware that they are being fed the corporate pablum. Koolaid for the masses!