Cox Media Group Plans Sale Of Austin, Palm Beach Newspapers

Selling Papers

COX MEDIA GROUP is getting out of the newspaper business in two markets where it does not own radio or TV stations.

On the block will be the AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN and its seven community papers and the PALM BEACH POST and PALM BEACH DAILY NEWS (a/k/a "THE SHINY SHEET") in FLORIDA.  The STATESMAN was put up for sale several years ago but COX decided to take it off the market at the time.  Among possible bidders for the papers are GANNETT (which owns the TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS in the north-adjacent area to PALM BEACH), HEARST (which owns the HOUSTON CHRONICLE and SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS), GATEHOUSE, and TRONC (which owns the SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL and ORLANDO SENTINEL).

“After careful consideration, we have made the difficult but strategic decision to put our newspapers in PALM BEACH and AUSTIN up for sale,” said CMG President KIM GUTHRIE. “We have made the decision that we will be better equipped to operate our newspapers in ATLANTA (the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION) and OHIO (DAYTON DAILY NEWS, SPRINGFIELD NEWS-SUN, HAMILTON JOURNAL-NEWS, weekly TODAY'S PULSE OF BUTLER AND WARREN COUNTIES), where we have the integrated opportunity with our TV and radio operations.”

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