Industry | Newspapers |
---|---|
Founded | 2009 |
Fate | Acquired in 2023, merged into Maine Trust for Local News |
Headquarters | 295 Gannett Drive, South Portland, Maine, U.S. |
Products | § Newspapers |
Website | www |
MaineToday Media, Inc. (abbreviated as MTM) was a privately owned news publisher of daily and weekly newspapers in the U.S. state of Maine, based in the state's largest city, Portland. It included the Portland Press Herald , the state's largest newspaper. In 2023, the group was sold to the nonprofit National Trust for Local News, which consolidated the company with Alliance Media Group and Sun Media Group to form the Maine Trust for Local News. [1]
The trust owns 5 of out 6 daily newspapers in Maine, the exclusion being the Bangor Daily News . They own the flagship Portland Press Herald and its Sunday edition the Maine Sunday Telegram, as well as the Morning Sentinel of Waterville, the Kennebec Journal of Augusta, the Sun Journal of Lewiston, and the Times Record of Brunswick. [1]
The Journal Tribune of Biddeford ceased in 2019, after a 135 year run beginning in 1884. [2] Also, the Evening Express of Portland was published by Guy Gannett until it was phased out in favor of the Press Herald.
The trust owns The Forecasters, a group of four weeklies aimed at communities in southern Maine, as well as the American Journal of Westbrook, Gorham, and Buxton, and the Lakes Region Weekly for the Lakes Region. [1] [3]
They also publish the "Southern Maine Weeklies" through Mainely Media: [4] the Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier (Biddeford Courier), Scarborough Leader, South Portland-Cape Elizabeth Sentry (South Portland Sentry), and the Kennebunk Post, for the communities of Biddeford–Saco–Old Orchard Beach, Scarborough, South Portland–Cape Elizabeth, and Kennebunk, respectively. [lower-alpha 1]
The "Western Maine Weeklies" [3] include the Advertiser Democrat of the Oxford Hills, The Bethel Citizen of Bethel, The Franklin Journal of Franklin County, the Livermore Falls Advertiser of Livermore Falls, the Rangeley Highlander of Rangeley, and the Rumford Falls Times of the River Valley. [1] [5]
It previously published The Community Leader, a weekly a lifestyle, entertainment, and arts magazine in Falmouth (part of the Central Maine Newspapers market), [6] [7] which was later moved to Portland and renamed The Maine Switch. [8] The Bollard described the Switch in 2008 as a "free pile of cheap wrapping paper", describing the paper as "following fads, exploring yoga and toiling away at an endless list of home improvement projects between marathon bouts of Art Walking and pandering to potential advertisers." [9] In August 2009, the Switch ceased publication. [10]
Online, it operates three websites, CentralMaine.com, PressHerald.com, and SunJournal.com. [1] The former websites of both MaineToday and Masthead Maine now redirect to the Maine Trust's website. [lower-alpha 2]
CentralMaine.com hosts the Central Maine Sunday, the Morning Sentinel, and the Kennebec Journal. [1] PressHerald.com, on top of the Press Herald itself, hosts the Times Record and the Forecasters, American Journal, Lakes Region Weekly, and the Mainely Media papers. SunJournal.com hosts the Sun Journal as well as the Western Maine Weeklies.
Masthead Maine's newspaper properties were, for most of the 20th century, the core of Guy Gannett Communications, a local family-owned business not related to the larger Gannett chain. The company was founded by its namesake, Guy P. Gannett in 1921, and managed by a family trust from 1954 until 1998, when the trust left the media business. It sold its television stations to Sinclair Broadcasting, and the newspapers to The Seattle Times Company, [11] for a price later reported at around 213 million dollars. [12]
Guy Gannett managers said they sold to the Times Company because of shared values—both companies were fourth-generation family-owned news organizations: "Of all the companies in the newspaper business, The Seattle Times is one most like our company in the sense of independence, of family ownership, and commitment to the community," said Guy Gannett spokesman Tim O'Meara. [13]
The Times Company, then headed by CEO Frank Blethen, set up a subsidiary named Blethen Maine Newspapers to run its Maine operations. Frank Blethen is a descendant of Alden J. Blethen, who was born in Maine in 1845, [14] and later bought The Seattle Times and founded the Times Company in 1896. [15] [16]
Blethen Maine Newspapers operated a subsidiary, Maine Community Publications, which operated The Community Leader/Maine Switch, [7] and The Coastal Journal, [17] a paper which was later merged into The Forecaster network. In the summer of 2006, The Bollard criticized Maine Community Publications for starting a new publication, the Old Port Times, which was apparently "selling editorial coverage to advertisers", and which TheBollard marked as a move that "trade[d] credibility for cash". [18]
On 17 March 2008, the Times Company announced that it was looking to sell Blethen Maine Newspapers. [19] On 15 June 2009, MaineToday Media was formed with the sale finalization of the Blethen papers; the new company was headed by Maine native Richard L. Connor, publisher of the Times Leader in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. [20] As part of the sale, members of the Portland Newspaper Guild took a 10 percent pay cut in exchange for 15 percent ownership in the company. [21] Their buildings at 385 and 390 Congress Street (part of the Press Herald Building complex) were sold in 2009, [22] [23] and the company established a headquarters at One City Center in downtown Portland in 2010. [24] The former building at 390 became a hotel. [25]
Financial details of the sale were not released, though a Seattle Times report estimated them at less than half the $213 million paid in 1998. At the time of the sale, a spokesman for The Seattle Times Company said the Maine newspapers "provided a very good return during our 10-year tenure. We were very reluctant to sell and are very sad about it. If it were not for the severe recession, we would not have done so." [12]
MaineToday promised that it could put its newspapers on a sound financial footing, but over the next two and a half years there were more than 160 job cuts at the PortlandPress Herald, the company was sued for failing to pay a paper bill, and the local guild president said his members "feel their investment in Rich Connor was squandered and they're angry about it." [26]
Connor stepped down as publisher of the newspapers for undisclosed reasons in October 2011. In April 2013, Connor was accused of misappropriation of about $530,000 of the newspapers' funds for personal expenses and unauthorized salary increases for himself. In a memo to company employees, MaineToday publisher Lisa DeSisto wrote the newspapers were paid $537,988.68 under the company’s employee theft insurance policy, to recoup money that she wrote "Connor took for unauthorized personal use." [27]
In January 2012, Massachusetts businessman Aaron Kusher, who had previously made an unsuccessful 200 million dollar bid to buy The Boston Globe , led a group that bought a controlling interest in MaineToday Media for an undisclosed price. [28] In March of the same year, S. Donald Sussman paid 3.3 million dollars for a controlling stake of 75%. [29] Concerns were raised as to a conflict of interest, as Sussman was married to U.S. representative from Maine, Chellie Pingree. [30] Following his stake purchase, he invested another $13 million into the group. [31]
In 2015, Sussman sold MaineToday Media to Reade Brower, a Maine printer and newspaper owner. [32] He already owned newspapers in Rockland and Belfast, Maine. [33] Brower purchased the company through an acquisition company under his control, MTM Acquisition. [34] [35] Sussman had operated the MaineToday via his own controlled company, Maine Values. [36]
Brower also purchased the Sun Media Group, parent of the Sun Journal in Lewiston, in 2017. [37] In Spring 2018, [2] [38] MaineToday purchased the Biddeford Journal Tribune and the Brunswick's The Times Record , [39] which became parts of the Alliance Press media group. [40] Included in the purchase were the weeklies of Mainely Media. [41] In late 2018, Alliance's operations were merged into MaineToday's. [42]
In January 2019, [43] Brower consolidated the MaineToday, Sun, and Alliance media groups into Masthead Maine, a single network aimed to unify advertising across Maine newspapers. [44] In 2020, Masthead announced it would stop printing Monday editions for four out of five of its daily newspapers, opting instead for digital-only Monday editions, a change affecting the Portland Press Herald, Morning Sentinel, Kennebec Journal, and Sun Journal newspapers. [45] The Times Record was excluded. [46]
In March 2023, Brower, then 66, announced he was looking to sell Masthead, [47] though "without urgency or desperation." [48] Finalized in July 2023, [49] Masthead Maine was sold to the National Trust for Local News, in a deal involving 17 weekly newspapers and five dailies, [50] the majority of Maine's daily newspapers. [51] The Trust acquired every daily paper in Maine except for the Bangor Daily News . [52] [53] The National Trust operates these papers through its subsidiary, the Maine Trust for Local News. [54] [55] This trust received criticism for its backing by Democratic politicians, raising concerns of bias. [56] [57] Despite the criticism, the News Guild of Maine greeted the changes with relief, [58] stating that they were grateful Brower chose to sell to a nonprofit. [59]
The Maine Journalism Foundation originally tried to purchase Masthead, [60] [61] but dissolved after the completion of sale to another nonprofit. Their president, Bill Neimitz stated: "Our goal going into this was for the Press Herald and all the other Masthead Maine properties to convert to nonprofit ownership," and as the deal was completed with a not-for-profit entity, Neimitz was satisfied, stating on behalf of the foundation that they were "absolutely thrilled" with the outcome. [62] [63] The remaining 171 thousand dollars of the foundation were transferred to the Maine Trust. [64]
The National Trust, headquartered in Denver, [65] already owned about two dozen newspapers in Colorado. [66]
Following the takeover, Masthead Maine continues some services under the former name, notably Masthead Maine Press, a company in the Masthead network which offers commercial printing, and continues to operate under the Masthead name as of October 2023 [update] . [67]
Lisa DeSisto was CEO of Masthead Maine and continued her role, becoming CEO of the Maine Trust after the transition. [68] DeSisto said that Masthead Maine's sale to the National Trust was "the best possible outcome". [69]
The MaineToday editorial board announced in an August 2014 editorial that they would no longer endorse candidates for political office, citing a desire to avoid appearing partisan and telling readers how to vote. They stated they would continue to take positions on referendums, people's veto, and bond questions. [70]
The company operates an office from 295 Gannett Drive in South Portland. In 2016, the building was sold for cash flow, [71] but it continues to be leased and operated by the trust. [66] This address is listed on the contact page of the Press Herald. [72]
Portland is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine and the seat of Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 in April 2020. The Greater Portland metropolitan area has a population of approximately 550,000 people. Historically tied to commercial shipping, the marine economy, and light industry, Portland's economy in the 21st century relies mostly on the service sector. The Port of Portland is the second-largest tonnage seaport in the New England area as of 2019.
The Seattle Times is an American daily newspaper based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1891, The Seattle Times has the largest circulation of any newspaper in the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region. The Seattle Times Company, which owns and publishes the paper, is mostly owned by the Blethen family, which holds 50.5% of the company; the other 49.5% is owned by The McClatchy Company. The Blethen family has owned and operated the newspaper since 1896.
WGME-TV is a television station in Portland, Maine, United States, affiliated with CBS. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, which provides certain services to Waterville-licensed Fox affiliate WPFO under a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Cunningham Broadcasting. However, Sinclair effectively owns WPFO as the majority of Cunningham's stock is owned by the family of deceased group founder Julian Smith. The two stations share studios on Northport Drive in the North Deering section of Portland; WGME-TV's transmitter is located on Brown Hill west of Raymond. The station also maintains regional studios in the Lewiston–Auburn area, and the state capital in Augusta.
The Bangor Daily News is an American newspaper covering a large portion of central and eastern Maine, published six days per week in Bangor, Maine.
The Portland Press Herald is a daily newspaper based in South Portland, Maine, with a statewide readership. The Press Herald mainly serves southern Maine and is focused on the greater metropolitan area of Portland.
The Sun Journal is a newspaper published in Lewiston, Maine, United States, which covers central and western Maine. In addition to its main office in Lewiston, the newspaper also maintains satellite news and sales bureaus in the Maine towns of Farmington, Norway and Rumford. It is the third largest daily newspaper by circulation in Maine.
The Journal Tribune was a daily newspaper published in Biddeford, Maine, United States, circulated throughout the greater York County, Maine region. Its first issue was on January 5, 1884, published as a four-page broadsheet.
The Seattle Times Company is a privately owned publisher of daily and weekly newspapers in the U.S. state of Washington. Founded in Seattle, Washington in 1896, the company is in its fourth generation of control by the Blethen family as of 2022.
The Kennebec Journal is a six-day morning daily newspaper published in Augusta, Maine. Colloquially called KJ, it covers Augusta and the surrounding capital area and southern Kennebec County.
The Morning Sentinel is an American daily newspaper published six mornings a week in Waterville, Maine. Printed at the Portland Press Herald press in South Portland, Maine, it covers cities and towns in parts of Franklin, Kennebec, Penobscot and Somerset counties.
The Times Record is an independently-owned daily newspaper published five days a week that covers the Midcoast region of Maine. Operating out of Brunswick, it was founded in 1967 as a result of a merger between two historic newspapers, the Brunswick Record and the Bath Daily Times.
Guy Gannett Communications was a family-owned business consisting of newspapers in Maine and a handful of television stations in the eastern United States. The company was founded by its namesake, Guy P. Gannett, in 1921, and was managed by a family trust from 1954 to 1998, when it sold most of its properties to The Seattle Times Company and Sinclair Broadcast Group.
Alden Joseph Blethen was a teacher and attorney who was editor-in-chief of the Seattle Daily Times from August 10, 1896 until his death. He was often referred to as Colonel Blethen.
The Forecaster is a regional newspaper in southern Maine that is published weekly and distributed for free. Formerly owned by MaineToday Media, the paper and its different versions throughout the state were sold to the Maine Trust for Local News in August 2023. In 2012, they announced a partnership with the Bangor Daily News in which they would collaborate on news-gathering and publish stories across the websites of both newspapers.
Selwyn Donald Sussman is an American asset manager and philanthropist who is the founder and chief investment officer of the Paloma Funds. Sussman has served on the boards of a number of civic, cultural, educational, and research institutions and is a major contributor to Democratic candidates and causes.
Sample News Group, LLC is an American publisher of newspapers serving suburban and rural markets in the tri-state area of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, as well as in Vermont. The company is family owned and structured as a limited liability company. According to their website, their address is in State College, Pennsylvania.
Reade Francis Brower is a media owner known for owning a majority of the newspapers in Maine during his tenure as owner of MaineToday Media. His network of owned papers was described by The Maine Monitor as a "near-monopoly".
Louis Bartlett Costello was an American newspaper publisher and banker who served as general manager and then president of The Lewiston Daily Sun and Lewiston Evening Journal in Lewiston, Maine. He began his career in journalism while still a student at Bates College and, by the end of his life, was a leading press figure in the state.