Hearst acquires print, digital and local media assets of 21st Century Media Newspaper LLC

Hearst has acquired the Connecticut print and digital assets of 21st Century Media Newspaper, LLC, a Digital First Media company. The acquisition includes three daily newspapers – New Haven Register, The Middletown Press and The Register Citizen – as well as eight weekly newspapers, niche publications and Connecticut Magazine. The announcement was made by Hearst President and CEO Steven R. Swartz and Hearst Newspapers President Mark Aldam. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The acquisition expands Hearst Newspapers' stable of news properties to 22 dailies and 64 weeklies across the U.S.

Aldam commented, "This investment strengthens Hearst Newspapers' commitment to local communities in Connecticut, and expands Hearst's local media presence to eight daily titles, 11 weeklies and a robust collection of digital outlets within the state. The New Haven Register has a rich tradition for high-quality community journalism dating back to the Jackson family ownership era. By connecting our current Connecticut media assets across Fairfield County with the New Haven Register group, we expect to advance enterprise journalism across southern Connecticut."

The new properties, which have a combined weekly circulation of more than 470,000 households and a monthly digital reach of 1.4 million unique visitors, will become part of Hearst Newspapers' Connecticut Media Group.

The New Haven Register was founded in 1812, The Middletown Press in 1878 and The Register Citizen in 1889. Throughout the history of these publications, the papers have come to be trusted sources of news across the more than 19 towns and cities in New Haven, Middlesex and Litchfield counties.

Paul Barbetta, group publisher and president of the Hearst Connecticut Media Group, will oversee business and news operations for the acquired properties.

Dirks, Van Essen & Murray, a media merger and acquisition firm based in Santa Fe, N.M., advised Hearst in the transaction.