MediaNews Group, owner of The Post, and Scripps, owner of the News, plan to begin implementing the joint operating agreement Jan. 22 following a required waiting period that ends 10 business days after the attorney general’s ruling. The joint operating agreement calls for the two companies to maintain separate and competitive editorial operations at The Post and the News.
We’re grateful to the attorney general for her prompt decision and will now move expeditiously to put into action our plan to preserve two competitive and independent editorial voices in the Denver community, said Kenneth W. Lowe, president and chief executive officer at Scripps.
Dean Singleton, president, vice chairman and chief executive officer of MediaNews Group, said, This JOA is about creating a win-win situation that benefits everyone. Our energies are now focused on making this agreement work to the benefit of our readers, advertisers, employees and the communities we serve.
The joint operating agreement between The Post and the News was proposed under provisions of the Newspaper Preservation Act of 1970, which allows two newspapers in a single market to combine certain business and production functions while maintaining competitive editorial operations. Such arrangements require the approval of the Attorney General.
In May, MediaNews and Scripps proposed the joint operating agreement which creates a third entity – the Denver Newspaper Agency – to manage business and production functions for both newspapers. The agency will be responsible for advertising and subscription sales, printing, production and distribution of both newspapers.
Leading the agency are Kirk MacDonald, president and chief executive officer, and Jeff Hively, executive vice president and chief operating officer. MacDonald previously was vice president of newspapers for Hearst Newspapers. Before Hearst, MacDonald was executive vice president and general manager of The Denver Post. Hively previously was vice president of newspaper operations for Scripps.
MediaNews Group and Scripps are 50-50, equal partners in the Denver Newspaper Agency. MediaNews Group will receive a one time $60 million payment to reach the 50-50 split. The 50-year agreement calls for the two newspapers to continue publishing in the morning in their respective formats, the News as a tabloid, and The Post as a broad sheet.
Once fully implemented, the newspapers will publish combined Saturday and Sunday editions with editorial and syndicated features from both newspapers. The News will be responsible for preparing Saturday editions and The Post will be responsible for preparing Sunday editions.
