News Media Corporation
Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Media |
Founded | 1975 |
Founder | John Tompkins |
Headquarters | Rochelle, Illinois |
Key people | John Tompkins (Chairman) JJ Tompkins(CEO/President)[1] Billy McMacken (COO) Michael Jordan (CFO) |
Products | Newspapers |
Subsidiaries | News Media Digital |
Website | newsmediacorporation |
News Media Corporation (NMC) is an American family-owned newspaper corporation that publishes 25[2] different newspaper titles in five[3] states across the United States. Currently, it operates in smaller cities and towns with populations between 5,000 and 50,000 in the states of Arizona, Illinois, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
History
[edit]News Media Corporation (NMC) was founded in 1975 by John C. Tompkins when at age 21 he purchased The Rochelle News-Leader.[4]
In 2012, NMC created a new strategic business unit called News Media Digital, which is responsible for the organization's digital marketing and advertising ventures.[citation needed]
In August 2023, NMC sold its cluster of Colorado newspapers to Louie Mullen. The sale included the Valley Courier daily in Alamosa, Monte Vista Journal, The Del Norte Prospector, The Conejos County Citizen, Center Post-Dispatch, The Mineral County Miner, The South Fork Times and SLV Lifestyles.[5] In September, NMC sold its cluster of Oregon newspapers to Country Media, Inc. The sale included the Newport News Times, the Siuslaw News and the Cottage Grove Sentinel.[6]
In July 2024, NMC agreed for Carpenter Media Group to manage its papers with the option to acquire the company. NMC leaders J.J. Tompkins and Billy McMacken assumed leadership roles with CMG.[4]
People
[edit]In August 2018, Nick Monico joined NMC as President and John C. Tompkins was named Chairman. Before joining NMC, Monico was Chief Operations Officer of Wick Communications, vice president of community publishing for GateHouse Media, vice president/COO and chief strategic officer for Trib Total Media in Pittsburgh, president of Gannett Media Network of Central Ohio and COO of Thomson Newspapers’ Chicago and Kansas City divisions.[7]
Nick left News Media Corporation in October 2019[8] and John Shank was promoted to Chief Operating Officer.[9] Shank, who has worked his entire 31-year multimedia publishing career with NMC, is based in Rochelle and will oversee the company’s entire operation, while continuing on in a dual role as Illinois group publisher.[10]
In January 2022, JJ Tompkins was promoted to CEO and president to lead the family-owned business into the second generation. The same year Billy McMacken, longtime Brookings Register publisher, became COO to help lead NMC.[11]
Atascadero News controversy
[edit]In 2015, a lawyer for News Media Corporation sent a cease and desist letter to the owner of an online news site also titled Atascadero News, claiming trademark infringement (NMC publishes a paper with the same name).[12] The letter demanded that the owner stop using the name and a similar Twitter handle. The owner of the news site then changed the name to A-Town Daily News, referencing the town’s commonly used nickname.[13]
Publications
[edit]Arizona
[edit]- Gateway to Canyon Country, Page, AZ
- Lake Powell Chronicle, Page, AZ
- Arizona Silver Belt, Globe, AZ
- Copper Country News, Globe, AZ
Illinois
[edit]- The Clinton Journal, Clinton, IL
- Mendota Reporter, Mendota, IL
- Mendota Reporter Money Saver, Mendota, IL
- Ogle County Life, Oregon, IL
- Rochelle News-Leader, Rochelle, IL
- Rochelle Shopping News, Rochelle, IL
- Amboy News, Amboy, IL
Nebraska
[edit]South Dakota
[edit]- Brookings Register, Brookings, SD
- Huron Plainsman, Huron, SD
- Moody County Enterprise, Flandreau, SD
- PayDay, Huron, SD
- Redfield Press, Redfield, SD
Wyoming
[edit]- Bridger Valley Pioneer, Lyman, WY
- Guernsey Gazette, Guernsey, WY
- Kemmerer Gazette, Kemmerer, WY
- Lingle Guide, Lingle, WY
- Lusk Herald, Lusk, WY
- Pinedale Roundup, Pinedale, WY
- Platte County Merchant, Wheatland, WY
- Record Times, Wheatland, WY
- Sublette Examiner, Pinedale, WY
- The Daily Telegram, Torrington, WY
- Torrington Telegram, Torrington, WY
- Uinta County Herald, Evanston, WY
References
[edit]- ^ [1]
- ^ "Number of states"
- ^ "States of operation listed on Corp. website"
- ^ a b "News Media Corporation announces management agreement with CMG". The Rochelle News-Leader. 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ "News Media Corporation sells Colorado cluster to Louie Mullen". Editor and Publisher. 2023-08-02. Retrieved 2023-08-02.
- ^ "News Media Corporation sells Oregon cluster to Country Media, Inc". Editor and Publisher. 2023-09-05. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ "Nick Monico's employment history"
- ^ "Nick Monico joins Adams Publishing as COO". Adams Publishing Group. 2019-10-28. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ "News Media Corp. announces promotions". The Clinton Journal. 2019-11-07. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ "News Media Corporation announces promotions". The Rochelle News-Leader. 2019-11-02. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ "News Media Corporation names JJ Tompkins CEO and Billy McMacken COO". Editor and Publisher. 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ Kinkade, Jono (July 29, 2025). "Media war ends in concession from the online news site formerly known as Atascadero Daily News". New Times San Luis Obispo.
- ^ https://www.newtimesslo.com/files/news_AtascaderoNewsletter2_7-30.pdf [bare URL PDF]