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Western Communications

Western Communications, Inc. was an American newspaper publisher serving the states of Oregon and California from 1953 to 2019.

Western Communications, Inc.
Founded1953
FounderRobert W. Chandler
Defunct2019
SuccessorEO Media Group
Headquarters locationBend, Oregon
Publication typesNewspapers

History

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The family-owned[1] company was based in Bend, Oregon and was founded by Robert W. Chandler.[2] Its flagship paper was The Bulletin.[2]

Chandler, who bought the Bulletin in 1953, built the company up over the ensuing decades, prior to his death in 1996.[3] The company was recognized by an Oregon State University awards program in 1995, for an effective ownership transition from Chandler to his daughter, Elizabeth McCool, and for remaining actively engaged in its community. At the time, the chain consisted of eight papers and employed 300 people.[4] When the company bought The Redmond Spokesman from Mary Brown in 1971, it owned radio stations in Oregon and California.[5]

Western Communications purchased the La Grande Observer in 1959,[6] Burns Times-Herald in 1976,[7] Curry Coastal Pilot in 1981,[8] Del Norte Triplicate in 1988[9] and The Hermiston Herald in 1992[10] but would sell it in 2008 to EO Media Group.[11] The Union Democrat was purchased in 1998.[12]

The company built a large headquarters building in Bend in 2000.[13] It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2011, seeking to renegotiate an $18 million loan, and hoping to complete the bankruptcy proceedings within six months.[14] In 2012, the company did emerge from bankruptcy,[13] but also laid off 10% of its staff, due to a sharp decline in advertising revenue from legal notices.[15] In 2017, it listed its headquarters building for sale, but no offer had been accepted as of January 2019, and the company had fallen behind on payments of state taxes. The debt the company owes is estimated at $26 million.[13] In January 2019, the company again filed for bankruptcy protection.[16] Two papers were sold to Country Media, one was sold to RISN Operations and the remaining properties were sold to EO Media Group.[17][18][19]

Newspapers formerly published by Western Communications

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Title Year acquired Year sold or closed Fate
The Bulletin 1953 2019 Sold to EO Media Group
The Redmond Spokesman 1971 2019 Sold to EO Media Group
Burns Times-Herald 1976
Curry Coastal Pilot 1981 2019 Sold to Country Media, Inc
The Daily Triplicate 1988 2019 Sold to Country Media, Inc
The Hermiston Herald 1992 2008 Sold to EO Media Group
The Union Democrat 1998 2019 Sold to RISN Operations
Baker City Herald 2019 Sold to EO Media Group
The Observer 2019 Sold to EO Media Group

References

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  1. ^ Rafter, Michelle V. (January 31, 2009). "Good News for Small Papers". Oregon Business. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Our history". The Bulletin. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  3. ^ "Obituary: Robert Chandler, Prominent Editor Of Small Ore., Calif. Newspapers". Seattle Times. July 13, 1996. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  4. ^ Leeson, Fred (November 12, 1995). "Awards Single Out Family Businesses". The Oregonian.
  5. ^ "Company Buys Weekly Paper". The Oregonian. July 2, 1971.
  6. ^ "La Grande Paper Gets New Owner". Corvallis Gazette-Times. UPI. February 25, 1959. p. 2.
  7. ^ "Burns paper joins 100 Year Club". The Oregonian. May 20, 1987. p. 50.
  8. ^ "Weekly Brookings paper sold". Corvallis Gazette-Times. June 19, 1981.
  9. ^ "Country Media buys Del Norte Triplicate". CNPA. 2019-07-02. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  10. ^ McDowell, Jade (2016-11-04). "Former Herald owner/publisher Jerry Reed has died". Hermiston Herald. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
  11. ^ "East Oregonian Publishing Co. to acquire Herald". East Oregonian. 2008-04-22. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
  12. ^ Union Democrat Has New Owners
  13. ^ a b c Cureton, Emily (January 15, 2019). "Bend Bulletin Owners Behind On Taxes And Local News Coverage Hangs In The Balance". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  14. ^ Nogueras, David (April 24, 2011). "Bend-Based Newspaper Chain Files Chapter 11". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  15. ^ Nogueras, David (October 10, 2012). "Western Communications Cutting 10 Percent Of Staff". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  16. ^ Cureton, Emily (January 22, 2019). "Bend Bulletin Owner Files For 2nd Bankruptcy In A Decade". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
  17. ^ Staff Report. "Country Media adds to its publications". Curry Pilot. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  18. ^ "Rhode Island Suburban Newspapers buys California paper". News & Tech. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  19. ^ Wright, Phil (July 29, 2019). "Observer's company buys Bend Bulletin". Chinook Observer. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
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