Monday, July 20, 2015

Two Charleston newspapers merge following the expiration of a court order

On July 19, 2010, U.S. District Judge John Copenhaver issued a judgment saying the Charleston Daily Mail must remain a daily newspaper, and MediaNews Group must have ownership and control of the newspaper. However, it was set to expire five years later—Sunday, July 19, 2015, Zack Harold writes for the West Virginia Focus.

Shortly afterward, the newsrooms of the Daily Mail and the Charleston Gazette were invited to a meeting where Susan Chilton Shumate, the Gazette's publisher since June 27, announced they all now worked for the same publication: the Charleston Gazette-Mail. The two publications had already had the same printing press, advertising, circulation and business operations but had always been independent. "The change was effective immediately," Harold writes. "The brand-new publication would go to press in just a few hours. After more than 100 years as competitors, the Gazette and the Daily Mail were no more."

One employee said, "The action itself is not something I am surprised about. I'm surprised with the way they went about it, but then, I don't know all the circumstances." (Read more)

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