Adams Publishing Group, LLC acquires Chronotype Publishing Company

Adams Publishing Group, LLC has purchased the assets of Chronotype Publishing Company located in Rice Lake, Wis. The acquisition includes The Chronotype, Northwestern Wisconsin's largest weekly newspaper, and The Early Bird, a weekly shopper.

Julie Bergman, W.B. Grimes & Company, represented Chronotype Publishing Company in the transaction.

The expansion by family-owned Adams Publishing Group follows the July acquisition of Huckle Media located in Southern Minnesota with 10 community newspapers, 17 websites, shopping guides, magazines, a digital agency and commercial printing facilities. Prior to that, Adams acquired three divisions of American Consolidated Media located in northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio and Maryland with 34 print publications and related media operations.

Local newspapers in Wisconsin include the Spooner Advocate, Sawyer County Record, Ashland Daily Press, Price County Review and all related shopping guides and websites.

"We are excited to continue our expansion in the wonderful state of Wisconsin," stated Stephen Adams, chairman of Adams Publishing Group.

"It has been an emotional decision to sell the newspaper that has been owned by our family for many years," Warren Dorrance, publisher of Chronotype Publishing Co, said. "We believe that APG will provide new ideas and resources that will help keep the Chronotype a viable newspaper going forward. Our commitment to give our readers local news and information remains unchanged. We are excited about the new partnership with APG."

The APG-Wisconsin division is led by Jeff Patterson, president/publisher, a 25-year veteran of the newspaper industry.  "The Chronotype is an outstanding newspaper and will strengthen our group of publications in Wisconsin.  I look forward to working with the Dorrance family to continue their strong tradition in community journalism serving the Rice Lake area," added Patterson.

Adams Publishing Group was founded by Minneapolis native Stephen Adams. He is the youngest son of longtime CBS/WCCO television/radio personality and Minneapolis Star Tribune columnist Cedric Adams. In addition to newspapers, the family owns radio stations, the nation's largest privately held outdoor advertising company (which owns Adams Outdoor Advertising plant in Madison, Wis., magazines and commercial printing businesses). It also has owned television stations and currently owns other non-media businesses, including Camping World/Good Sam Enterprises. In prior years it has owned Minneapolis/St. Paul magazine and Plymouth, Minn.-based Ehlert Publishing Group, a publisher of specialty magazines serving the motorcycle, RV, snowmobile and boating print and digital products. "Our roots are long and deep in Minnesota, and we're very pleased to be expanding our newspaper holdings in Wisconsin," said Adams. The company is based in St. Louis Park, Minn.