Farmington Daily Times sold to Tri-City Record publisher
Gannett Co., Inc., owner of The Farmington Daily Times and more than 200 daily newspapers across the country, has signed a purchase agreement to sell the Daily Times to a former competitor in northwest New Mexico.
Ballantine Communications Inc. is expected to close on its purchase of the newspaper June 1, for an undisclosed sum.
Ballantine Communications opened the Tri-City Record last year, covering Aztec, Bloomfield and Farmington. The company said it plans to merge the Farmington Daily Times with the Tri-City Record, effective June 1.
“We look forward to welcoming the Farmington Daily Times’ readers and winning them over with our commitment to credible and comprehensive local reporting,” said Ballantine Communications CEO and Publisher John Blais.
The Daily News was founded in Farmington in 1949 and has served as a local newspaper under different names since the late 1800s. Gannett purchased the Daily Times in 2015.
Existing subscriptions will be transferred to the Tri-City Record and extended to account for a shorter print frequency of three days per week. Subscribers with questions or concerns can visit help.daily-times.com/contact-us.
Gannett will work with Ballantine to maintain a smooth transition, company officials said.
“Gannett’s mission is to empower and enrich communities across the country, and our business decisions are driven by our commitment to best serve them,” said Michael Anastasi, Gannett VP of Local News. “We are grateful for the support of our readers and advertisers throughout the years and thank our employees for their dedication and hard work.”
Gannett has sold numerous papers to local and regional owners after being acquired by GateHouse Media in 2019. The company’s strategy has focused on maintaining a nationwide network of community publications while reducing costs as it invests in rapid digital audience growth.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Farmington Daily Times sold to Tri-City Record publisher
