Adams Publishing Group acquires Mount Airy, N.C., group from Champion Media

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Adams Publishing Group announced that it is acquiring a Mount Airy, N.C., group of publications and associated websites from Champion Media, effective Nov. 1.

Mount Airy Group newspapers located in North Carolina to be included in the sale are The Mount Airy News, the Surry Scene, The Tribune (Elkin), The Yadkin Ripple, The Stokes News (King), The Pilot (Pilot Mountain) and the Jefferson Post (West Jefferson).  Also included in the transaction is The Carroll News in Hillsville, Va.

"We're very excited to welcome the Mount Airy Group and its associates to our family of companies," said APG Chairman Stephen Adams. APG Executive Vice President Gregg Jones added, "We are delighted with this opportunity to expand our footprint in North Carolina with such quality products and people."

Champion Media CEO Scott Champion expressed mixed emotions about his decision to sell the properties. "This is a great group of newspapers and I've thoroughly enjoyed working with them. While the decision to divest was very difficult, it was driven mostly by my belief that they will have a very bright future with APG," Champion said.

This acquisition will expand APG holdings in North Carolina that already include the Watauga Democrat and The Mountain Times in Boone, The Blowing Rocket in Blowing Rock, the Ashe Mountain Times in West Jefferson and The Avery Journal-Times in Newland.

Adams Publishing Group is a family-owned media company based in Minneapolis, Minn., that produces community newspapers, events, digital products and specialty magazines serving communities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maryland, Ohio, Michigan, Wyoming, Idaho, North Carolina and Tennessee.

Adams Publishing Group announced earlier this month that it would be acquiring the media division assets of Pioneer News Group Co. That sale includes 22 daily and weekly newspapers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Utah, along with commercial print facilities.

The Adams family also owns radio stations, outdoor advertising companies and Camping World/Good Sam, a national distributor of recreational vehicles and campingā€related products and services.

Cribb, Greene and Cope represented Adams Publishing Group in this transaction.

Terms of the APG/Champion Media deal were not disclosed.

Adams Publishing Group, Mount Airy, Champion, Jones, Cribb, Greene and Cope
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