Sample News Group, publisher of over 75 titles in 4 states, has acquired the assets of the Cortland Standard Printing Company through United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York. The Cortland Standard newspaper, which abruptly ceased publication March 13 as a result of their bankruptcy filing, will resume its prior publication schedule of Tuesday through Saturday on May 17.
The announcement was made Wednesday by George “Scoop” Sample, owner of Sample News Group. “We are honored to revive publication of the Cortland Standard for the community,” Sample said. “Cortland deserves the opportunity to stay informed and engaged through a vibrant local newspaper. We look forward to ensuring that the thriving community of Cortland does not turn into a news desert.”
Mindy Lawrence, publisher of Oswego County Media Group, will add the Cortland Standard to the group that includes The Palladium-Times, The Valley News, The Oswego Shopper, the Oswego County News, and online at OswegoCountyNewsNow.com, all part of Sample News Group (SNG).
Lawrence, the previous Advertising & Marketing director of the Standard, will assume the role of group publisher for operations in Cortland, along with her existing responsibilities. “The closure of the Cortland Standard hit me in the heart, as it did many of our readers,” Lawrence said. “It left Cortland as a news desert. Within days of the closure, the team at Sample News Group and I got to work, figuring out how we could return this important community institution to the public. I am honored to be on this team that is relaunching the Cortland Standard. I am proud to lead a team that values integrity, transparency, and public service. During this relaunch, I welcome your support, feedback, and involvement as we continue to grow and serve our readers.”
Brian Nalepa, President of Sample News Group, will assist in coordinating the integration of the Cortland Standard into the Sample News Group family. “This is a welcome acquisition for us,” Nalepa said. “Our goal is to make what was a tragic situation with the closing of the Standard into a sustainable news operation. With Mindy Lawrence taking on the role of publisher, there will be leadership dedicated to the betterment of the community. We are extremely fortunate to have many of the previous employees from the previous ownership joining our team.”
Sample News Group currently operates eight media properties in New York State – The Palladium Times (Oswego), The Valley News (Fulton), The Oswego Shopper, The Oswego County News, The Livingston County News, The Daily News (Batavia), and the Pennysaver (Owego), and the Bee Group (Williamsville).
Sample News Group is a privately held publishing company based in Huntingdon, Pa., with 18 daily newspapers and more than 38 weeklies and specialty magazines. The company owns and operates 30 local websites and six centralized production facilities, in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, and New Hampshire. For more information, please visit samplenewsgroup.com.
where will it be sold? How can I subscribe? I was a subscriber in the past will subscriptions carry over?
Cortland! The previous publicaton will resume printing on May 17. Best thing to do is contact them once they are up and running regarding your subscription.