USA TODAY Co. to acquire The Detroit News as ownership shifts - Detroit Metro Times

USA TODAY Co. is set to acquire The Detroit News, marking a significant shift in the ownership of two major newspapers in the city. The deal comes after the expiration of the joint operating agreement between The Detroit News and its rival publication, the Detroit Free Press, which has been in place since 1989.

The acquisition will bring an end to a unique arrangement that saw MediaNews Group maintaining editorial authority over The Detroit News while sharing business operations with USA TODAY Co. Under this structure, the two newspapers have operated separately but shared resources such as printing and circulation.

The deal is expected to close by the end of January, pending customary closing conditions. USA TODAY Co., which already owns the Detroit Free Press, has stated that both publications will remain editorially independent following the acquisition. This ensures that readers can continue to expect high-quality journalism from each publication without interference in their editorial content.

MediaNews Group, the previous owner of The Detroit News, has been reducing its newspaper holdings in recent years as print advertising revenue continues to decline. The company's decision to sell The Detroit News is seen as a strategic move to focus on other assets and adapt to changing industry trends.

Under USA TODAY Co.'s ownership, both The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press are expected to maintain their existing operations, including print and digital platforms. This means that readers can continue to access these publications in various formats, including online and in print.

The acquisition is also seen as a step towards strengthening USA TODAY Co.'s presence in local journalism, particularly in the Detroit metropolitan area. With its ownership of both The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press, USA TODAY Co. will be able to pool resources and expertise to better serve readers across the region.

Founded in 1873, The Detroit News has a rich history that includes three Pulitzer Prizes for outstanding journalism. Its rival publication, the Detroit Free Press, has won 10 Pulitzer Prizes since its founding in 1841. Both newspapers have operated continuously for more than a century, earning them a reputation as pillars of local journalism.

Despite industry-wide declines in print advertising, both The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press continue to attract significant audiences online. According to a recent report from NiemanLab, these publications rank among the top 15 most-visited local news websites in the United States.

The acquisition is also expected to address financing and staffing issues for MediaNews Group, which has been restructured as part of the deal. USA TODAY Co. has revised its senior secured credit facility, setting interest rates at a SOFR-based rate with a 4.5 percent margin and a 150-basis-point floor.

Editorial employees at The Detroit News will be offered positions with USA TODAY Co., pending the completion of the acquisition process. This ensures that the high-quality journalism and editorial expertise brought to these publications will continue uninterrupted.

In conclusion, the acquisition of The Detroit News by USA TODAY Co. represents a significant development in the newspaper industry. With its continued commitment to local journalism, this deal is expected to strengthen readership and revenue for both publications, ultimately serving the greater Detroit area for years to come.
 
I'm so sad to see MediaNews Group letting go of The Detroit News πŸ€•... it's like losing a piece of history. But on a more positive note, I think this is an amazing opportunity for USA TODAY Co. to bring both publications under one roof 🏒. It'll be awesome to see them pool their resources and expertise to give readers even more high-quality journalism πŸ’‘. The fact that editorial employees at The Detroit News will get offered positions with USA TODAY Co. is just the icing on the cake πŸŽ‚... it's a great way to ensure continuity of excellent journalism in the area πŸ™. Here's to the future of local journalism! πŸ’•
 
idk about all this big corp acquiring another one πŸ€”... it's like they're trying to control the media or something, but at least USA TODAY Co. says they'll keep 'em independent πŸ’―. i mean, The Detroit News and Free Press have been around for ages, 3 & 10 Pulitzer Prizes respectively πŸ†. can't say im thrilled about this deal tho... print ads are dying anyway πŸ“‰. hope the editorial staff gets taken care of 🀞
 
its gonna be interesting πŸ€” to see how USA TODAY Co. handles The Detroit News under their ownership...they seem pretty cool about keeping editorial independence which is awesome πŸ’‘ gotta hope they keep up the good work on those Pulitzer Prizes 😊
 
just thinkin' about this... usa today co takin over detroit news means they gotta balance bein independent but still servin the city right? dont wanna see quality journalism go down the drain πŸ€” gotta keep those Pulitzer prizes comin! on a more serious note, how do u feel about the future of local journalism in detroit? do u think this acquisition will have a positive or negative impact on the community?
 
This is huge news! I think it's awesome that The Detroit News will stay editorially independent under USA TODAY Co.'s ownership... 🀞 Can't wait to see how this plays out in the next few months - fingers crossed for our hometown publications! πŸ“°πŸ’»
 
omg u guys can't even imagine what's gonna happen now that USA TODAY Co is taking over The Detroit News 🀯 like where r we going with this?? one minute its the free press and the other minute its the news... i mean i guess it's not a bad thing they're keeping editorial independence tho, thats like the most important thing for journalism imo πŸ’―

anyway i'm just gonna be over here waiting to see how they mess up The Detroit News πŸ€” like will we still get that daily sports section? and what about the free press?? are they just gonna disappear into thin air?!?! i need answers 😩
 
πŸ“° just heard about USA TODAY Co acquiring The Detroit News & I'm low-key hyped 🀩! Means two major news outlets in one city will be under one roof but still editorially independent - can't ask for more, right? 😊 Also cool that both papers are gonna keep their own vibes online & print. πŸ“šπŸ’» As a platform loyalist, I'm stoked to see USA TODAY Co investing in local journalism. Those Pulitzer prizes aren't just gonna collect dust, y'know? πŸ’ͺ Detroit's been through some stuff, but with these publications on the job, we can expect the truth to come out, no matter what. πŸ’― Fingers crossed for a smooth transition & continued excellence from The Detroit News & Detroit Free Press! πŸ™
 
this is like super interesting news 🀯 i mean who else gets two major newspapers under one roof? it's kinda sad that media news group had to sell out tho but i guess its a good thing they'll be able to adapt and focus on other things πŸ’Έ plus usa today co seems pretty cool about keeping the editorial independence of both papers so fingers crossed for that πŸ‘
 
Imagine 2 old friends getting together πŸ€πŸ»πŸ’Ό! USA TODAY Co. is acquiring The Detroit News, which means a new chapter for these two local newspapers πŸ“šπŸ“°. I'm glad to see both will stay editorially independent, so readers can still expect top-notch journalism without any interference πŸ™ŒπŸ».

It's also great that the staff of The Detroit News will get offered jobs with USA TODAY Co., which means no one has to worry about losing their job 😊. The acquisition should bring in some fresh ideas and resources to both publications, which can only be good for readers πŸ‘.

The deal makes sense, considering MediaNews Group's struggle to keep up with the changing industry trends πŸ“‰. It's a strategic move by USA TODAY Co. to strengthen its presence in local journalism, especially in the Detroit area πŸ“.

Overall, I think this acquisition is a positive step for both The Detroit News and USA TODAY Co., and readers will benefit from it too πŸ‘Œ!
 
Man I'm shocked they're sellin' off The Detroit News... back in my day we used to have a real newspaper that wasn't just online fluff πŸ˜‚. I mean, USA TODAY Co.'s got a good thing goin' with the Free Press, but it's sad to see another piece of local journalism fall under their umbrella. Still, I guess it's better than those online news sites that can't even get the facts right πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ. The fact that both papers are gonna stay editorially independent is a good sign, though... at least we'll still get some decent reporting outta Detroit πŸ“°.
 
πŸ“° so another major paper changes hands... think about all these deals that have happened recently, it's getting crazy how much ownership shifts around in the newspaper world 🀯 anyway, USA TODAY Co seems like a solid company to take over The Detroit News and Free Press, they've got a good track record of supporting local journalism πŸ‘ print and online presence is important for these papers, especially with declining ad revenue πŸ“‰ gotta hope that both publications can stay true to their editorial independence after the deal goes through πŸ’¬
 
πŸ“°πŸ‘€ just think about it, another big change in media ownership... πŸ€” and USA TODAY Co's got a good track record on keeping editorial independence, so fingers crossed that The Detroit News will keep doing its thing, no interference from the parent company πŸ’― meanwhile, MediaNews Group's been reducing its holdings, kinda makes sense to sell off the not-so-lucratic assets... πŸ€‘ and with both papers under one roof, pooling resources might just help them stay afloat in this digital age πŸ“ŠπŸ’»
 
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