Several news deserts have appeared throughout the West and Midwest—very suddenly.
News Media Corporation, a publisher of 21 weekly local newspapers, abruptly
announced it had shut its doors on Wednesday.
“I am sorry to say that, as of August 6, 2025, your employment with NMC and/or its affiliated companies will end permanently,”
J.J. Thompson, CEO and president of the Illinois-based company, says in a letter announcing the closure to staffers.
“This decision was not made lightly,” Thompson writes.
“Over the past months and years, we have explored every possible avenue to sustain our operations and preserve our team.”
Thompson continues, “Unfortunately, due to
financial challenges, a significant economic downturn affecting our industry, revenue losses and increasing expenses, and the recent failure of an attempt to sell the company as a going concern, we
have reached a point where continuing business is no longer feasible.”
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Among the periodicals closing are 16 titles in Wyoming, which were published under the heading of Newspapers, Inc.
Eight Wyoming counties comprising 35% of the state’s counties have lost their newspapers.
Staffers said they were blindsided, although one described recent times at the company as
“the death of a thousand cuts.”
Thompson adds, “We will make all reasonable efforts to pay you all remaining compensation you have earned as possible, to the extent permitted
by the company’s secured lenders.”
However, healthcare coverage “will be terminated effective August 6, 2025. If you have a 401k through The Standard, you can continue to
keep your investments with them or roll over into another retirement account.”
It adds, “HR support will be available through August 27.”
That’s very sudden,
and irresponsible given the impact on the staff--there should have been fair warning. As one employee told the Cowboy State Daily, “It’s a shock, and I think I’m still in
the sad-devastated phase. I think the anger is going to come later.”