• by Ray Schultz , September 9, 2023

Country Media, Inc., an Oregon-based publisher, has acquired three Oregon properties from News Media Corp., of Rochelle, Illinois: the Newport News Times, the Cottage Grove Sentinel and the Siuslaw News, along with their websites, digital products, and specialty publications, The Cottage Grove Sentinel reports.

The sale, terms of which were not disclosed, was effective Sept. 1. 

News Media Corp. is the family-run publishing company founded by John C. Tompkins in 1975. It has owned up to 75 newspapers and digital companies in nine states, The Cottage Grove Sentinel adds.

“When we listed this group, it was important to us to find a company with ties to the coast,” says News Media Corp.’s JJ Tompkins. 

Tompkins adds, “We couldn’t be more pleased that Steve and Carol Hungerford of Country Media are the new owners.” 

The Hungerfords are “committed to local journalism,” Tompkin continues. “They have more people and more resources to make these individual publications even stronger.”

Country Media  owns eight community newspapers in Oregon and one in northern California.