Kansas newspaper industry consolidates

Harris Enterprises, owner of Kansas newspapers for more than 100 years, is selling itself to GateHouse Media, the companies announced Monday.

Harris, based in Hutchinson, owns the the Hutchinson News, Salina Journal, Garden City Telegram, Hays Daily News and Ottawa Herald, as well as the Burlington (Iowa) Hawk Eye. GateHouse will take over Dec. 1.

The announcement was made Monday morning to employees.

The Hutchinson News’ editor and publisher for the past 10 years, John Montgomery, has been named senior group publisher to oversee GateHouse operations in Kansas.

GateHouse, based in Pitsford, N.Y., owns hundreds of daily and weekly newspapers and websites across the U.S. including 14 in Kansas, including the Dodge City Daily Globe, McPherson Sentinel, Newton Kansan, Pittsburg Morning Sun, Butler County Times Gazette, Andover American and the Wellington Daily News.

GateHouse is owned by New Media Investment Group Inc., a public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Harris staff will be unaffected by the purchase, Montgomery said Monday.

“On Nov. 30, we’ll have one owner and Dec. 1 we’ll have another,” Montgomery said.

Harris president Bruce Buchanan and chief financial officer Sarah Liebl will remain with Harris as it winds down.

The sale marks the passing of one of Kansas’ most important newspaper companies. Ralph Harris bought the Ottawa Herald in 1907. Descendants of Harris remain the company’s primary stockholders.

The company put itself up for sale in June, saying that changes in the industry dictated that companies get bigger or sell out. The industry has seen a good deal of consolidation among newspaper owners because of longterm declines in revenue and profits as it transitions to a digital world.

This story was originally published November 14, 2016 at 1:06 PM with the headline "Kansas newspaper industry consolidates."