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MaineToday Media

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MaineToday Media, Inc. (abbreviated as MTM) was a privately owned news publisher of daily and weekly newspapers in the U.S. state of Maine, based in the state's largest city, Portland. It included the Portland Press Herald, the state's largest newspaper. In 2023, the group was sold to the nonprofit National Trust for Local News, which consolidated the company with Alliance Media Group and Sun Media Group to form the Maine Trust for Local News.[1]

MaineToday Media
IndustryNewspapers
Founded2009
FateAcquired in 2023, merged into Maine Trust for Local News
Headquarters295 Gannett Drive, South Portland, Maine, U.S.
Products§ Newspapers
Websitewww.metln.org

Newspapers

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Dailies

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The trust owns 5 of out 6 daily newspapers in Maine, the exclusion being the Bangor Daily News. They own the flagship Portland Press Herald and its Sunday edition the Maine Sunday Telegram, as well as the Morning Sentinel of Waterville, the Kennebec Journal of Augusta, the Sun Journal of Lewiston, and the Times Record of Brunswick.[1]

The Journal Tribune of Biddeford ceased in 2019, after a 135 year run beginning in 1884.[2] Also, the Evening Express of Portland was published by Guy Gannett until it was phased out in favor of the Press Herald.

Weeklies

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The trust owns The Forecasters, a group of four weeklies aimed at communities in southern Maine, as well as the American Journal of Westbrook, Gorham, and Buxton, and the Lakes Region Weekly for the Lakes Region.[1][3]

They also publish the "Southern Maine Weeklies" through Mainely Media:[4] the Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier (Biddeford Courier), Scarborough Leader, South Portland-Cape Elizabeth Sentry (South Portland Sentry), and the Kennebunk Post, for the communities of Biddeford–Saco–Old Orchard Beach, Scarborough, South Portland–Cape Elizabeth, and Kennebunk, respectively.[a]

The "Western Maine Weeklies"[3] include the Advertiser Democrat of the Oxford Hills, The Bethel Citizen of Bethel, The Franklin Journal of Franklin County, the Livermore Falls Advertiser of Livermore Falls, the Rangeley Highlander of Rangeley, and the Rumford Falls Times of the River Valley.[1][5]

It previously published The Community Leader, a weekly a lifestyle, entertainment, and arts magazine in Falmouth (part of the Central Maine Newspapers market),[6][7] which was later moved to Portland and renamed The Maine Switch.[8] The Bollard described the Switch in 2008 as a "free pile of cheap wrapping paper", describing the paper as "following fads, exploring yoga and toiling away at an endless list of home improvement projects between marathon bouts of Art Walking and pandering to potential advertisers."[9] In August 2009, the Switch ceased publication.[10]

Digital

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Online, it operates three websites, CentralMaine.com, PressHerald.com, and SunJournal.com.[1] The former websites of both MaineToday and Masthead Maine now redirect to the Maine Trust's website.[b]

CentralMaine.com hosts the Central Maine Sunday, the Morning Sentinel, and the Kennebec Journal.[1] PressHerald.com, on top of the Press Herald itself, hosts the Times Record and the Forecasters, American Journal, Lakes Region Weekly, and the Mainely Media papers. SunJournal.com hosts the Sun Journal as well as the Western Maine Weeklies.

History

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Gannett and Blethen

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Masthead Maine's newspaper properties were, for most of the 20th century, the core of Guy Gannett Communications, a local family-owned business not related to the larger Gannett chain. The company was founded by its namesake, Guy P. Gannett in 1921, and managed by a family trust from 1954 until 1998, when the trust left the media business. It sold its television stations to Sinclair Broadcasting, and the newspapers to The Seattle Times Company,[11] for a price later reported at around 213 million dollars.[12]

Guy Gannett managers said they sold to the Times Company because of shared values—both companies were fourth-generation family-owned news organizations: "Of all the companies in the newspaper business, The Seattle Times is one most like our company in the sense of independence, of family ownership, and commitment to the community," said Guy Gannett spokesman Tim O'Meara.[13]

The Times Company, then headed by CEO Frank Blethen, set up a subsidiary named Blethen Maine Newspapers to run its Maine operations. Frank Blethen is a descendant of Alden J. Blethen, who was born in Maine in 1845,[14] and later bought The Seattle Times and founded the Times Company in 1896.[15][16]

Blethen Maine Newspapers operated a subsidiary, Maine Community Publications, which operated The Community Leader/Maine Switch,[7] and The Coastal Journal,[17] a paper which was later merged into The Forecaster network. In the summer of 2006, The Bollard criticized Maine Community Publications for starting a new publication, the Old Port Times, which was apparently "selling editorial coverage to advertisers", and which The Bollard marked as a move that "trade[d] credibility for cash".[18]

Formation of MaineToday Media

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1 City Center pictured in July 2014

On 17 March 2008, the Times Company announced that it was looking to sell Blethen Maine Newspapers.[19] On 15 June 2009, MaineToday Media was formed with the sale finalization of the Blethen papers; the new company was headed by Maine native Richard L. Connor, publisher of the Times Leader in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.[20] As part of the sale, members of the Portland Newspaper Guild took a 10 percent pay cut in exchange for 15 percent ownership in the company.[21] Their buildings at 385 and 390 Congress Street (part of the Press Herald Building complex) were sold in 2009,[22][23] and the company established a headquarters at One City Center in downtown Portland in 2010.[24] The former building at 390 became a hotel.[25]

Financial details of the sale were not released, though a Seattle Times report estimated them at less than half the $213 million paid in 1998. At the time of the sale, a spokesman for The Seattle Times Company said the Maine newspapers "provided a very good return during our 10-year tenure. We were very reluctant to sell and are very sad about it. If it were not for the severe recession, we would not have done so."[12]

MaineToday promised that it could put its newspapers on a sound financial footing, but over the next two and a half years there were more than 160 job cuts at the Portland Press Herald, the company was sued for failing to pay a paper bill, and the local guild president said his members "feel their investment in Rich Connor was squandered and they're angry about it."[26]

Connor stepped down as publisher of the newspapers for undisclosed reasons in October 2011. In April 2013, Connor was accused of misappropriation of about $530,000 of the newspapers' funds for personal expenses and unauthorized salary increases for himself. In a memo to company employees, MaineToday publisher Lisa DeSisto wrote the newspapers were paid $537,988.68 under the company’s employee theft insurance policy, to recoup money that she wrote "Connor took for unauthorized personal use."[27]

Kusher and Sussman

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In January 2012, Massachusetts businessman Aaron Kusher, who had previously made an unsuccessful 200 million dollar bid to buy The Boston Globe, led a group that bought a controlling interest in MaineToday Media for an undisclosed price.[28] In March of the same year, S. Donald Sussman paid 3.3 million dollars for a controlling stake of 75%.[29] Concerns were raised as to a conflict of interest, as Sussman was married to U.S. representative from Maine, Chellie Pingree.[30] Following his stake purchase, he invested another $13 million into the group.[31]

Brower

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MaineToday Media logo at time of Brower acquisition

In 2015, Sussman sold MaineToday Media to Reade Brower, a Maine printer and newspaper owner.[32] He already owned newspapers in Rockland and Belfast, Maine.[33] Brower purchased the company through an acquisition company under his control, MTM Acquisition.[34][35] Sussman had operated the MaineToday via his own controlled company, Maine Values.[36]

Brower also purchased the Sun Media Group, parent of the Sun Journal in Lewiston, in 2017.[37] In Spring 2018,[2][38] MaineToday purchased the Biddeford Journal Tribune and the Brunswick's The Times Record,[39] which became parts of the Alliance Press media group.[40] Included in the purchase were the weeklies of Mainely Media.[41] In late 2018, Alliance's operations were merged into MaineToday's.[42]

Masthead Maine

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Masthead Maine logo

In January 2019,[43] Brower consolidated the MaineToday, Sun, and Alliance media groups into Masthead Maine, a single network aimed to unify advertising across Maine newspapers.[44] In 2020, Masthead announced it would stop printing Monday editions for four out of five of its daily newspapers, opting instead for digital-only Monday editions, a change affecting the Portland Press Herald, Morning Sentinel, Kennebec Journal, and Sun Journal newspapers.[45] The Times Record was excluded.[46]

Maine Trust for Local News

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In March 2023, Brower, then 66, announced he was looking to sell Masthead,[47] though "without urgency or desperation."[48] Finalized in July 2023,[49] Masthead Maine was sold to the National Trust for Local News, in a deal involving 17 weekly newspapers and five dailies,[50] the majority of Maine's daily newspapers.[51] The Trust acquired every daily paper in Maine except for the Bangor Daily News.[52][53] The National Trust operates these papers through its subsidiary, the Maine Trust for Local News.[54][55] This trust received criticism for its backing by Democratic politicians, raising concerns of bias.[56][57] Despite the criticism, the News Guild of Maine greeted the changes with relief,[58] stating that they were grateful Brower chose to sell to a nonprofit.[59]

The Maine Journalism Foundation originally tried to purchase Masthead,[60][61] but dissolved after the completion of sale to another nonprofit. Their president, Bill Neimitz stated: "Our goal going into this was for the Press Herald and all the other Masthead Maine properties to convert to nonprofit ownership," and as the deal was completed with a not-for-profit entity, Neimitz was satisfied, stating on behalf of the foundation that they were "absolutely thrilled" with the outcome.[62][63] The remaining 171 thousand dollars of the foundation were transferred to the Maine Trust.[64]

The National Trust, headquartered in Denver,[65] already owned about two dozen newspapers in Colorado.[66]

Following the takeover, Masthead Maine continues some services under the former name, notably Masthead Maine Press, a company in the Masthead network which offers commercial printing, and continues to operate under the Masthead name as of October 2023.[67]

Leadership

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Lisa DeSisto was CEO of Masthead Maine and continued her role, becoming CEO of the Maine Trust after the transition.[68] DeSisto said that Masthead Maine's sale to the National Trust was "the best possible outcome".[69]

Editorial policy

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The MaineToday editorial board announced in an August 2014 editorial that they would no longer endorse candidates for political office, citing a desire to avoid appearing partisan and telling readers how to vote. They stated they would continue to take positions on referendums, people's veto, and bond questions.[70]

Headquarters

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The building at 295 Gannett

The company operates an office from 295 Gannett Drive in South Portland. In 2016, the building was sold for cash flow,[71] but it continues to be leased and operated by the trust.[66] This address is listed on the contact page of the Press Herald.[72]

Notes

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  1. ^ The Maine Trust for Local News' website states there are five newspapers in this group,[1] but only 4 are available from their webpage on PressHerald.com.[3]
  2. ^ www.mainetodaymedia.com and www.masthead.me both redirect to www.metln.org. Some webpages still exist at the previous domains, such as mediakit.masthead.me and store.masthead.me.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Who We Are". Maine Trust for Local News. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Maine newspaper to cease publication after 135 years". WMTW. October 1, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "ePaper". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  4. ^ "Mainely Media". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  5. ^ "Weekly News Archives". Lewiston Sun Journal. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  6. ^ "The Community Leader". Maine Arts Commission. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Donnelly, Sara (February 21, 2005). "Weekly reader | Portland's affluent suburbs prove an irresistible target for newspaper publishers". Mainebiz. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  8. ^ Lear, Alex (May 20, 2009). "Why should you be reading this?". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  9. ^ Busby, Chris (March 6, 2008). "20 Ideas for a Greater Greater Portland". The Bollard. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  10. ^ Beaudoin, Karen (August 6, 2009). "So long for now, Switch". The Maine Switch. Archived from the original on August 10, 2009. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  11. ^ "Highlights of the week: Sept. 6-12". The Boston Globe. September 13, 1998. pp. K2. Retrieved September 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b Mapes, Lynda V. (June 16, 2009). "Times Co. completes long-stalled sale of Maine newspapers". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  13. ^ Wilmsen, Steven (September 2, 1998). "Seattle Times Co. buys Maine newspapers from Guy Gannett". The Boston Globe. pp. D1. Retrieved September 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Blethen, Alden J.". Maine: An Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  15. ^ Blethen, Ryan (May 22, 2009). "Still ready to raise hell and sell newspapers". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  16. ^ Taylor, Chuck (April 7, 2008). "Seattle Times Co. at a glance". Crosscut. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  17. ^ "Seeking: EDITOR". Portland Press Herald. June 11, 2007. pp. D4. Retrieved September 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Busby, Chris (August 14, 2006). "The Bollard's View". The Bollard. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  19. ^ Murphy, Edward D. (March 18, 2008). "Seattle Times Co. puts Maine newspapers up for sale". Portland Press Herald. pp. A1. Retrieved September 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "MaineToday Media Acquires Maine Newspapers, Online Information Portal and Related Real Estate Assets". Business Wire. June 15, 2009. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  21. ^ "New owner: Maine papers poised to be profitable". The Seattle Times. June 16, 2009. Archived from the original on December 14, 2009. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  22. ^ "The sale … a year later". Portland Press Herald. June 27, 2010. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  23. ^ Bell, Tom (August 3, 2012). "Newspaper's former home eyed for 100-room hotel". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  24. ^ "Newspaper moving to space in One City Center". Portland Press Herald. February 26, 2010. pp. A1.
  25. ^ Anderson, J. Craig (February 13, 2014). "Portland's Press Hotel will preserve a storied past". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  26. ^ Healy, Beth (January 7, 2012). "Kushner group to acquire Portland Press Herald". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  27. ^ Adams, Glenn (April 24, 2013). "Press Herald parent accuses former CEO of misusing more than $530,000". Portland Press Herald. Associated Press. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  28. ^ Healy, Beth (January 7, 2012). "Wellesley man who sought Globe agrees to Maine deal". The Boston Globe. pp. B5. Retrieved September 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ "Announcement of MaineToday Media Sale Shakes Up Employees". Maine Public. April 29, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  30. ^ "Maine Newspapers Sold to U.S. Rep.'s Husband". Here & Now. WBUR. April 12, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  31. ^ Fishell, Darren (April 28, 2015). "Press Herald papers purchased by midcoast businessman Reade Brower". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  32. ^ Fishell, Darren (April 28, 2016). "Press Herald papers purchased by midcoast businessman Reade Brower". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
  33. ^ Hoey, Dennis (April 28, 2015). "Publisher of Maine weeklies plans to purchase Portland Press Herald". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  34. ^ "Acquisition of MaineToday Media completed June 1". Republican Journal. June 1, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  35. ^ Martin, Dylan (June 2, 2015). "New owner of MaineToday Media completes acquisition, rehires majority of employees". Mainebiz. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  36. ^ Manning, Stefanie (June 1, 2015). "Acquisition of MaineToday Media Completed Today" (PDF) (Press release). Portland: MaineToday Media.
  37. ^ Skelton, Kathryn (July 17, 2017). "Sun Journal sold to MaineToday Media owner Reade Brower". Lewiston Sun Journal. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  38. ^ Anderson, J. Craig (October 1, 2019). "Biddeford's daily Journal Tribune will soon end its run, after 135 years". Press Herald. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  39. ^ "Owner of Maine's biggest newspaper buys more publications". WMTW. Associated Press. March 23, 2018. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  40. ^ "Sun Journal owner Reade Brower to buy 2 more Maine daily newspapers". Lewiston Sun Journal. March 23, 2018. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  41. ^ "Owner Of Maine's Biggest Newspaper Buys More Publications". Maine Public. March 23, 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  42. ^ "Alliance Press to merge with MaineToday Media, close Brunswick print shop". Mainebiz. December 5, 2018. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  43. ^ "Maine media companies come together to form advertising network". Portland Press Herald. January 9, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  44. ^ "Masthead Maine to offer one-stop ad buying". The Ellsworth American. January 11, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  45. ^ "4 Maine newspapers to discontinue Monday print editions". WMTW. January 3, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  46. ^ Valigra, Lori (January 3, 2020). "Portland Press Herald owner to stop printing Monday editions for 4 of 5 papers in March". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  47. ^ Gerber, Dana (July 10, 2023). "In sweeping deal, national nonprofit to acquire most of Maine's newspapers". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  48. ^ "Masthead Maine exploring the sale of 30 newspapers". AP News. March 30, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  49. ^ Valigra, Lori (August 1, 2023). "National nonprofit completes deal to buy Maine newspaper empire". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  50. ^ Stine, Alison (August 8, 2023). "Nonprofit Trusts Are Fighting to Save Local News". Nonprofit Quarterly. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  51. ^ Ohm, Rachel (August 1, 2023). "Sale of Maine newspapers to national nonprofit is finalized". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  52. ^ "National Trust for Local News to purchase local Maine newspapers". Philanthropy News Digest. July 17, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  53. ^ "Reade Brower to own all Maine dailies except BDN". Mainebiz. March 26, 2018. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  54. ^ Ohm, Rachel (August 1, 2023). "Sale of Sun Journal to national nonprofit is finalized". Lewiston Sun Journal. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  55. ^ Sharp, David (August 3, 2023). "Maine's biggest newspaper group is now a nonprofit under the National Trust for Local News". NECN. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  56. ^ Tani, Max (September 18, 2023). "Media's political divide plays out in Maine". Semafor. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  57. ^ Cianchette, Michael (July 14, 2023). "Changes in Maine newspaper ownership raise bias concerns for some". Opinion. Bangor Daily News. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  58. ^ Andrews, Caitlin (July 12, 2023). "With pending newspaper sales, nonprofits set to take a bigger role in Maine journalism". WBUR. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  59. ^ Wight, Patty (August 2, 2023). "Most of Maine's daily newspapers sold to National Trust for Local News". Maine Public. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  60. ^ Whittle, Patrick (April 24, 2023). "Nonprofit group looks to buy most of Maine's newspapers". AP News; republished April 24 in U.S. News & World Report and April 25 in Spectrum News. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  61. ^ "Nonprofit group looks to buy most newspapers in Maine". newscentermaine.com. Associated Press. April 24, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  62. ^ Ohm, Rachel (August 18, 2023). "Maine Journalism Foundation plans to dissolve following sale of Masthead Maine papers". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  63. ^ Caldwell, Rob (July 12, 2023). "Nonprofit set to take over group of Maine newspapers". newscentermaine.com. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  64. ^ Stockley, Leela (August 19, 2023). "Maine journalism nonprofit to dissolve after sale of state newspaper empire". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  65. ^ Robertson, Katie (July 11, 2023). "Nonprofit Buys 22 Newspapers in Maine". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  66. ^ a b Sharp, David (August 1, 2023). "Maine's biggest newspaper group is now a nonprofit under the National Trust for Local News". ABC News. Associated Press. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  67. ^ "Masthead Maine Press A full-service commercial printing company". Masthead Maine Press. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  68. ^ Sharp, David (August 1, 2023). "Maine's biggest newspaper group is now a nonprofit under the National Trust for Local News". AP News. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  69. ^ "Press Herald, other Masthead Maine papers sold to National Trust for Local News". Maine Public. July 10, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  70. ^ "OUR OPINION: Who do we endorse? Nobody — and here's why". CentralMaine.com. August 31, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  71. ^ "MaineToday Media sells printing facility in South Portland". J.B. Brown & Sons. Portland Press Herald. February 2, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  72. ^ "Contact". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
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News websites

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Corporate websites

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