Black Press Media, publishers of community newspapers and news websites in BC, Alberta, and Yukon, has announced the acquisition of NNSL Media, publishers of seven community newspapers and two news websites based in Northwest Territories and Nunavut. In addition, Black Press is also buying Canarctic Graphics, a full-service commercial printer based in Yellowknife, NWT.
Rick O’Connor, President and CEO of Black Press Media commented on the fit this brings for BPM. “We are very pleased to purchase these companies from the estate of company founder, Jack (Sig) Sigvaldason. Our experience with community newspapers in Canada’s North has been very favourable with our 2013 purchase of the Yukon News, and we look forward to supporting these newspapers, their associated digital operations and printing plant, as we move forward out of the pandemic.”
Karen Sigvaldason, President of NNSL Media and Canarctic said that “My father, Sig, believed passionately in the strong role of NNSL and Canarctic in serving the people of the North. I am confident that Black Press Media will continue that tradition.”
David Black, Black Press Chairman, and majority owner said, “We are very pleased to acquire these community newspapers and printing operation, as they fit with our print/digital strategy that we employ in many small communities across Western Canada.”
Black Press considers the newspapers acquired in the deal to be valuable communication platforms across two of Canada’s Northern Territories. “These papers and digital platforms provide an extremely valuable service across the North, connecting audiences and advertisers alike,” said O’Connor. “We are impressed with the NNSL Media operation and staff and look forward to partnering with them in the years ahead.”
Newspapers included in the deal are News/North, Yellowknifer, Weekender, Nunavut News, Kivalliq News, Hay River Hub, and Inuvik Drum with websites NNSL.com and Nunavutnews.com
Black Press Media operates 80 community newspapers and news websites in Western Canada and 9 daily newspapers and news websites in Washington state, Alaska, and Hawaii. Black Press also owns Central Web, which prints many newspapers and magazines in Edmonton and Calgary, including the tourism publications produced by NNSL.
The deal is set to close on March 31st.
