HASTINGS, Mich. — View Newspaper Group Owner and President Rick Burrough is proud to announce the locally-owned newspaper company has acquired the business operations of J-Ad newspapers, which includes the weekly publications Hastings Banner, Hastings Reminder, Lowell Ledger, Lowell Buyers Guide, Battle Creek Shopper News, Marshall Advisor & Chronicle and Sun & News which covers Middleville and Caledonia.
“The Jacobs family has been great stewards of the J-Ad group of newspapers for nearly 80 years,” said Burrough. “When the family decided it was time for them to sell their papers, they sought us out knowing of our success in the community newspaper business and our reputation for treating stakeholders — readers, advertisers, vendors and employees — with fairness and respect.”
View Newspaper Group was founded in 2003 by Burrough. The company’s latest acquisition will bring the total number of newspapers under the View Newspaper Group umbrella to 21 with a total weekly circulation of around 335,000. This is the group’s largest newspaper acquisition since an acquisition that included The County Press in Lapeer in 2009. View Newspaper Group now covers Lapeer, Oakland, Genesee, Livingston, Sanilac, Huron, Saginaw, Shiawassee, Montcalm, Ionia, Barry, Calhoun and Kent counties making it one of Michigan’s largest, independently-owned, community newspaper groups.
In addition to the newspaper acquisition, Michigan Web Press/Stafford Printing, sister companies to View Newspaper Group, will take on approximately 20 commercial web printing customers currently handled by J-Ad Graphics. The J-Ad division newspapers, and most of the J-Ad commercial web work, will be printed at the Stafford Printing plant in Greenville.
“As I investigated potential buyers, it came down to the only one that understood the importance of keeping as many employees as possible, putting out great products and having the financial ability to continue for years to come was View Newspaper Group,” said J-Ad newspapers Owner and Publisher Fred Jacobs.
“The addition of the J-Ad newspapers fits well with our existing publications, bridging the geographical gap between our newspapers in east-Michigan regions and the Daily News in Greenville on the west side of the state,” said View Newspaper Group Publisher Wes Smith. “Helping local businesses grow and thrive has always been an important part of our mission. Having the J-Ad newspapers join our family will offer our advertisers the opportunity to reach readers across the state.”
Smith continued, “The acquisition also brings together two talented teams of dedicated newspaper professionals to form the largest, most experienced media team in our region.”
J-Ad newspapers will continue to operate from their current offices in Hastings, Lowell, Battle Creek and Marshall. View Newspaper Group acquired all intellectual property related to J-Ad newspapers, including the corresponding newspaper websites, which will remain at the same web addresses.
Since its start in 2003 View Newspaper Group has grown nearly every year. This latest acquisition say Burrough and Smith is proof that local, community newspapers remain vital to the communities they serve.
“Our readership has grown and remains strong, because local, community newspapers are so important,” said Smith. “We look forward to carrying on the important work of delivering local news to the Hastings, Lowell, Battle Creek, Marshall, Caledonia and Middleville communities.”
All View Newspaper Group publications are printed at Michigan Web Press in Davisburg and Stafford Printing in Greenville. Founded in 1979, commercial web printing company Michigan Web Press was acquired by Rick Burrough in 1999. The company is now the largest commercial newspaper printer in Michigan, serving more than 250 clients. Their four press lines, made up of 68 printing units and 6 folders, produce more than 2 million copies weekly.
“One of the keys to our continued growth and success has been establishing or maintaining the unique identity and relationship to its community for each newspaper in our group. We don’t use the cookie-cutter approach,” said Smith. “The Jacobs family and their team have built excellent newspapers that have served their readers and advertisers really well. We share the same values and commitment, which is why this is such a good fit for both View Newspaper Group and the Jacobs family.”