Small town newspapers across 15 Iowa counties face an uncertain future after Hampton-based Mid-America Publishing Corporation announced plans to close in April. Multiple affected publications issued statements confirming the company’s last day of business will be April 2nd, with final editions under Mid-America slated to be published on April 1st.
The company had been working to find a buyer for its newspapers, but those efforts ultimately did not come to fruition for most of its publications. At least one paper, the Hampton Chronicle in Franklin County, is pending purchase by OnTheGoMedia and will continue publishing. A few others may be purchased soon.
According to its website, Mid-America Publishing owns the following papers across Iowa:
Allamakee County — Postville Herald; Boone County — Ogden Reporter and the Madrid Register; Butler County — Butler County Tribune/Clarksville Star and the Parkersburg Eclipse News Review; Calhoun County — Graphic-Advocate; Cerro Gordo County — Clear Lake Mirror Reporter; Clayton County — The Outlook in Monona; Franklin County — Hampton Chronicle and The Bonus Shopper; Grundy County — Grundy Register in Grundy Center; Hancock County — Leader and associated shopper in Garner; Hardin County — Eldora Newspaper; Ida County — Ida County Courier and the Holstein Advance; Keokuk County — Sigourney News-Review and The Reminder Shopper; Winnebago County — Buffalo Center Tribune; Winneshiek County — Calmar Courier; and Wright County — The Eagle Grove Eagle, The Wright County Monitor, and The Wright County Reminder Shopper.
The Sigourney News-Review, which serves Keokuk County, the only county affected out of the 15 south of Interstate 80, released a statement to its readers acknowledging the impact of the closure on its community.
“It is with deep regret that we share this news with our readers and community,” the News-Review staff wrote. “Many of you may have heard rumors, and we apologize for not being able to share information sooner. On March 19th, Mid-America Publishing, the company that owns The News-Review and many other newspapers, made the difficult decision to cease operations effective April 2nd. This news came as a shock to our staff as well.”
The statement noted that while the closure is painful, the News-Review will continue in a modified format. The Iowa Newspaper Association will coordinate the printing of public notices, and the publication will possibly include content from the Iowa Capital Dispatch. All current subscribers will continue to receive this version of the paper, and the masthead and overall style of The News-Review will remain the same. City and county officials who publish legal notices will be notified separately to ensure continuity of required publications.
“We understand how important The News-Review has been to this community,” the staff wrote. “For generations, it has served as a place to share local news, celebrate milestones, and keep residents informed. That role is something we have taken great pride in, and we know this transition will be felt across Keokuk County.”
Photo courtesy of The News-Review.
