Effective Thursday, January 1, 2015, The Outlook has assumed new ownership.
Mid-America Publishing Corporation, based in Hampton, has added The Outlook to its portfolio of newspapers.
The Outlook is one of 22 weekly newspapers owned by Mid-America, including newspapers in Calmar and in Postville, which was also acquired on January 1.
“We are excited to assume the ownership of The Outlook,” said Mid-America Publishing’s president and CEO, Ryan Harvey. “We believe this paper has the makings to be something the community and area can be really proud of. The loyalty the community to the paper through the years has shown us that they believe in the importance of a local newspaper.”
Harvey has been named publisher of the newspaper. Mid-America has retained Andra Meana as its office manager. Beth Jones has been hired as the marketing representative to serve between Monona, Postville, and Calmar, while the company is seeking a full-time news editor.
“We believe a local newspaper needs to have local content,” Harvey said. “Our mission going forward is to tell the stories of local residents, report on local events, and give strong local coverage of local governments at the city, county, and school levels.”
The publications will join a growing network of 22 Iowa weekly newspapers, which are owned and operated by Mid-America. Aside from the Calmar Courier and Postville Herald, other Mid-America newspapers include; The Grundy Register, of Grundy Center; The Record, in Conrad; The Eldora Herald-Ledger and Hardin County Index, with an office in Eldora; The Leader, with offices in Garner and Britt; the Kanawha Reporter, the Wright County Monitor, in Clarion and Dows; the Eagle Grove Eagle; the Buffalo Center Tribune, The Pioneer Enterprise (Rockwell-Thornton), The Sheffield Press; The Hampton Chronicle; The Butler County Tribune-Journal (Allison); the Clarksville Star, The Ogden Reporter, and The Graphic-Advocate, with offices in Lake City and Rockwell City. The company additionally owns and operates newspapers in southeast Iowa which are The News-Review, in Sigourney, The Keota Eagle, Keota, and The Sun with officers in New Sharon and Fremont. The company also produces two weekly political newspapers, the Conservative Chronicle and the Liberal Opinion Week. Additionally the company prints several TMC shoppers, such as The Hampton Chronicle’s Bonus in Hampton, The Spectrum in Lake City-Rockwell City, The Leader’s Shoppers News Review in Garner, and the Wright County Reminder in Clarion; plus monthly shoppers such as The Dual County Leader in Eagle Grove and the Keokuk County Chief in Sigourney. Mid-America also has a commercial printing division that offers customized printing and publishing solutions such as banners, posters, postcards, direct mailing, mailing list management, letter head design, newsletter management and dozens of other marketing and promotional products which it plans to make available locally in the Postville area.
Matt Grohe, Board Chair and part owner of Mid-America Publishing further added that Mid-America’s interest in Monona is due to its good mix of businesses, dedicated local employers who have fostered a diverse environment and a faithful readership made up of long term residents and new arrivals to the community. “A local newspaper is only as healthy as the region it serves and it is encouraging to see the commitment to Monona the citizens and business owners have shown over the long term.” Grohe further added that although the paper will retain its local appeal, readers will notice some immediate changes such as expanded and varied content, special sections, more local photos and greater use of color. He also added that some additional printing services will be added in The Outlook offices but that the full suite of services Mid-America offers would be available immediately and that any interested parties could contact the newspaper office for more information.
One change for readers and advertisers to note is that the newspaper’s billing and circulation will be consolidated to the company’s home office staff in Hampton effective immediately. The printing of the newspaper will also move to the Hampton facility rather than being printed in Marshalltown and a website for the newspaper will be launched within a few weeks. The newspaper will remain in its current location at 116 W. Center St. and will also retain the same mailing address, email addresses and phone number.