Ogden Newspapers goes west, buys Swift Communications

Swift Communications, which owns about a dozen daily and weekly newspapers and other publications  in the West, many in resort communities, announced Tuesday that it is selling them to The Ogden Newspapers, based in Wheeling, West Virginia. Swift is based in Carson City, Nevada.

After the Dec. 31 sale, terms of which were not released, Ogden will publish 54 dailies and scores of weekly newspapers and magazines in 18 states, according to a story in The Aspen Times, which Swift owns. Its other publications include the Vail Daily, the Tahoe Daily Tribune, the Park Record in Park City, Utah; The Union in Grass Valley, Calif.; Steamboat Pilot & Today in Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Goat Journal, Backyard Poultry Magazine and The Fence Post, an agricultural magazine for Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming. Ogden will retain the Swift name for the group.

UPDATE, June 6: Gold Hill California Media bought the Grass Valley Union from Ogden.

Robert Nutting (Twitter photo)

Ogden has three papers in Utah (Provo, Mount Pleasant and, fittingly, Ogden) but most of its papers are in Appalachia and the Midwest. The company was founded in 1890 by H.G. Ogden and is owned by the family of his grandson, G. Ogden Nutting. CEO Robert Nutting said, “Our company’s goal is to be a positive force in the communities we serve — celebrating each market’s unique strengths while also working to provide realistic solutions to areas of concern. We believe that strong, responsible and connected local newspapers are critically important to building and supporting strong communities now more than ever.” Nutting is principal owner and chairman of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

UPDATE: For Ogden's news release, click here. For a story in the Aspen Daily News about Nutting, his companies, his wealth and his liking for ski-resort areas, click here.