Four South Dakota newspapers have a second chance at life thanks to a local buyer. This comes after the fold of News Media Corporation earlier this month. The change in ownership means these communities continue to have access to the latest.
All four of the once-killed papers, the Brookings Register, the Moody County Enterprise, the Huron Plainsman, and the Redfield Press, will live to print another day.
That’s because of a South Dakota owned and operated publisher, Champion Media.
“We created a business model that has a small back shop that supports all of the backend of the newspapers," said CFO Corey Champion. "So, local employees can spend their time writing content, selling ads, and getting the newspaper to all of our readers’ doorsteps.”
Champion is a third-generation newspaper owner.
“Just like a local radio station, a local newspaper adds a ton of value to the community and it keeps everyone aware of what’s going on in the community," Champion said. "It keeps them relevant to what they need to know.”
Champion said it’s a second chance for these papers.
“It’s really made me feel great about this opportunity because of how many people have reached out and have been excited that we’re able to get the Brookings Register and the three other papers up and running in such a short timeframe," Champion said. "It’s going to be a lot of work, we certainly have it cut out for us. We want to encourage everybody to subscribe, and we appreciate your support.”
The smaller, more localized ownership model has been proposed as a more stable alternative compared to larger, corporate papers.