Brehm sells dailies, weeklies to Community Media Group

Brehm Communications, Inc. has sold the assets of its Mississippi Valley Media Division based in Fort Madison and Keokuk, Iowa, and Carthage, Ill., to Community Media Group of West Frankfort, Ill., according to Randy Cope of Cribb, Greene & Cope who represented the seller in the transaction. The publications include the Daily Democrat, Fort Madison, the Daily Gate City, Keokuk, the Bonny Buyer, and the Hancock County Journal, Carthage, Ill. The sale also includes the digital websites and niche publications. The Brehm family had owned and operated these publications for many years dating back to 1919.

Bill Brehm, CEO of Brehm Communications, Inc., said, "My grandfather, Bill McGiffin, started our media group in 1919 at Fort Madison, Iowa. My father and myself later added the Keokuk, Hancock County and Bonnie Buyer properties. We are pleased that another family owned group has purchased our Mississippi Valley Media newspapers and websites. The Perrotto family owns several similar papers and are known for good community journalism. We would like to thank our employees and the local communities for their trust and for partnering with us over the years. We welcome the Perrotto family and know they will be good stewards."

Community Media Group operates daily and weekly newspapers, shoppers, magazines and digital websites located in several states, including Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York. The company's related publishing operations in Iowa include newspapers, shoppers and digital websites at Oelwein, West Union, Fayette, Elgin, Ossian, Waverly, Independence, Atlantic, Audubon and Vinton.

Mark J. Perrotto, president and CEO of Community Media Group, said: "We are most pleased to have this opportunity to serve the Southeast Iowa, Northeast Missouri and Western Illinois Mississippi valley region and the communities of Fort Madison, Keokuk and Lee County, Iowa, along with Carthage and Hancock County, Ill. We pledge to be strong advocates for the interests of the region and we are committed to continue the great tradition of high quality journalism so ably established almost 100 years ago by Bill McGiffin and carried on by Bill Brehm and his family."