Block Island Times is sold

The weekly Block Island Times, the lone newspaper on this destination island for high-worth individuals from New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island since its founding in 1970, has been sold to the owners of Central Connecticut Communications LLC, publishers of two dailies and other publications.

Fraser and Betty Lang, who became only the fifth owners of The Block Island Times in 2006, transformed the company from the publisher of a weekly newspaper with a few ancillary publications to a publishing company with a family of branded products.

"This is a truly exciting opportunity for us. We believe we'll be good stewards of the Langs' hard work and dedication, and give Block Island residents the quality paper they deserve," said Michael E. Schroeder, president of CCC. "We're fortunate Betty and Fraser will continue to partner with us for the foreseeable future."

"We are fortunate to have found someone in Michael Schroeder who has the publishing experience and commitment to community journalism to nurture and build the Block Island Times organization." said the Langs.

Terms of the transaction were not announced.        

John Szefc of W.B. Grimes & Company represented the sellers.

In its first acquisition under the leadership of Schroeder, Central Connecticut Communications acquired from Journal Register Company The Bristol Press and the New Britain Herald in 2009. Both dailies published continuously for over 130 years.

The Langs previously served as owners and publishers of Manisses Communications Group, Inc., which produced publications serving mental health and addiction professionals.  Those publications were sold in 2005 to John Wiley and Sons and Vendome Group.

Schroeder is a former president and chief operating officer of the short-lived commuter paper BostonNOW and was an executive with Newsday of Long Island. While at Newsday, he spearheaded the creation of amNewYork, today the largest-circulation daily in Manhattan.