Vermilion Parish’s two oldest newspapers have a new owner. Paxton Media Group, a family-owned chain based in Paducah, Ky., has bought the publishing and printing business of Louisiana State Newspapers, including the Abbeville Meridional and the Kaplan Herald, according to an announcement dated Nov. 2 and posted on the papers’ own website, Vermilion Today.
The deal covers 14 community papers across Acadiana and nearby parishes, along with Louisiana State Printing, the company’s press plant in Eunice. That plant prints all 14 papers and more than a dozen titles for other publishers in the region. Neither side disclosed the price. Dirks, Van Essen & April, a newspaper brokerage in Santa Fe, N.M., represented the seller.
The papers in the sale
Besides the Meridional and the Herald, the sale includes the Eunice News, Church Point News, Ville Platte Gazette, Basile Weekly, Kinder Courier, Oakdale Journal, Morgan City Review, Franklin Banner-Tribune, Bayou Pioneer in Pierre Part, Rayne Acadian-Tribune, Crowley Post-Signal and The Teche News in St. Martin Parish.
Who is buying
Paxton is a fifth-generation family company founded in 1896 and led today by Jamie Paxton, its president and CEO. The announcement says it publishes more than 120 community newspapers in 15 states and owns WPSD-TV, the NBC station in Paducah. Until now its only Louisiana paper was the Daily Star in Hammond.
“We believe local newspapers play an important role in the communities they serve,” Jamie Paxton said in the announcement, adding that the company is “committed to supporting these publications, their employees and their continued success.” The company said the papers will keep covering their towns in print and online.
Who is selling
Louisiana State Newspapers began in 1963, when Braxton “B.I.” Moody III bought the Rayne Acadian-Tribune and the Church Point News. It incorporated in 1973 and at its peak owned 33 newspapers, making it the largest chain in the state by number of titles, according to the announcement.
The announcement does not say whether staffing, print days or subscription prices at the Meridional or the Herald will change. The Vermilion Times will report any changes for local readers as they are announced.