Alta Group Newspapers
Encyclopedia
Alta Group Newspapers Inc. was a newspaper
publisher in the northeastern United States
, overseeing three daily newspapers and one weekly newspaper
before being bought and broken up by Community Newspaper Company
in 1996.
The company's flagship property was the Journal Tribune
in Biddeford, Maine
, but its most profitable newspaper, in the end, was The Milford Daily News
in Massachusetts
. Alta also ran The Evening Times of Little Falls, New York
, and the weekly The Northern Light
in Conway, New Hampshire
.
CNC, which already owned daily newspapers bordering The Milford Daily News on the north and east (the Middlesex News and Daily Transcript
, respectively), emerged as the top bidder later that year. Bill Elfers, CNC's CEO, called the Milford paper "an outstanding property". It had made nearly US$5 million in revenues the year before, out of about US$10 million for the full Alta chain, which cleared about US$1 million after expenses (but before taxes).
Terms of the deal were not made public. It was CNC's first foray into newspaper ownership outside Massachusetts; at the time, some speculated that the company would quickly turn around and sell the New York and Maine dailies. Elfers denied these rumors, but within a year, CNC had indeed unloaded the Journal Tribune and Evening Times.
The Milford paper remains part of the CNC chain, now a division of GateHouse Media
.
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
publisher in the northeastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, overseeing three daily newspapers and one weekly newspaper
Weekly newspaper
A weekly newspaper is a general-news publication that is published on newsprint once or twice a week.Such newspapers tend to have smaller circulations than daily newspapers, and are usually based in less-populous communities or small, defined areas within large cities; often, they may cover a...
before being bought and broken up by Community Newspaper Company
Community Newspaper Company
Community Newspaper Company, a subsidiary of GateHouse Media, is a newspaper publisher in eastern Massachusetts. It was founded in 1991 as a holding company for several suburban publishers bought by Fidelity Investments; in 2001, Fidelity sold it to the Boston Herald; in 2006, the massive chain—New...
in 1996.
The company's flagship property was the Journal Tribune
Journal Tribune
The Journal Tribune is a daily evening newspaper published in Biddeford, Maine, USA, and is circulated throughout the greater York County, Maine region....
in Biddeford, Maine
Biddeford, Maine
Biddeford is a town in York County, Maine, United States. It is the largest town in the county, and is the sixth-largest in the state. It is the most southerly incorporated town in the state and the principal commercial center of York County. The population was 21,277 at the 2010 census...
, but its most profitable newspaper, in the end, was The Milford Daily News
The Milford Daily News
The Milford Daily News is a daily newspaper covering Milford, Massachusetts, USA, and several nearby towns in Norfolk and Worcester counties.The newspaper is managed and printed by The MetroWest Daily News...
in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Alta also ran The Evening Times of Little Falls, New York
Little Falls (city), New York
Little Falls is a city in Herkimer County, New York, USA. The population was 5,188 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a small cataract near the city....
, and the weekly The Northern Light
The Northern Light
The Northern Light is a weekly newspaper covering parts of three counties in western Maine. It is published by Country News Club, Inc., which also publishes The Conway Daily Sun of Conway, New Hampshire....
in Conway, New Hampshire
Conway, New Hampshire
Conway is a town, the largest in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 10,115 at the 2010 census. Parts of the White Mountain National Forest are in the west and north. Cathedral Ledge and Echo Lake State Park are in the west...
.
History
Managed as a trust by Bank of Boston, Alta was formed in 1977 to oversee four newspapers and five charities owned by the Foster and Whitehouse families. In May 1996, the bank announced it would sell the chain in order to meet financial obligations to the trust's beneficiaries.CNC, which already owned daily newspapers bordering The Milford Daily News on the north and east (the Middlesex News and Daily Transcript
The Daily News Transcript
The Daily News Transcript is a five-day afternoon daily newspaper in Norwood, Massachusetts, U.S., covering the Neponset Valley of Norfolk County, Massachusetts...
, respectively), emerged as the top bidder later that year. Bill Elfers, CNC's CEO, called the Milford paper "an outstanding property". It had made nearly US$5 million in revenues the year before, out of about US$10 million for the full Alta chain, which cleared about US$1 million after expenses (but before taxes).
Terms of the deal were not made public. It was CNC's first foray into newspaper ownership outside Massachusetts; at the time, some speculated that the company would quickly turn around and sell the New York and Maine dailies. Elfers denied these rumors, but within a year, CNC had indeed unloaded the Journal Tribune and Evening Times.
The Milford paper remains part of the CNC chain, now a division of GateHouse Media
GateHouse Media
GateHouse Media Inc. is a U.S. newspaper publisher, headquartered in Perinton, New York, that publishes 97 dailies in 20 states and 198 paid weeklies, in addition to free papers, shoppers and specialty and niche publications.- History :Liberty Group Publishing was formed in 1998 when Kenneth L...
.