Merger between four newspapers complete on Monday
On Monday, the consolidation of resources between the Observer-Reporter, The Almanac, the Greene County Messenger and Herald-Standard in Uniontown will be complete when the marketing and advertising functions of the four newspapers merge.
In recent months, the newspapers have been sharing staff and resources in the news, advertising and circulation departments. All four newspapers are owned by Wheeling, W.Va.-based Ogden Newspapers, and, as general manager Bob Pinarski pointed out, “We’re all under one umbrella. We now have the advantage of sharing resources across all departments.”
Each newspaper will continue to have its own identity, Pinarski added, “and now we have the opportunity to create synergies across all our markets in Southwestern Pennsylvania.”
Other Ogden publications across the country have similar resource-sharing arrangements, Pinarski said, as do newspapers owned and managed by other media companies.
The merging of the day-to-day functions of the four newspapers makes our media franchises more efficient and effective for our audience and advertisers, Pinarski said.
The Observer-Reporter and the Herald-Standard publish six days a week, while The Almanac and the Greene County Messenger are weeklies.
The company also operates Reimagine Main Street, a marketing agency that helps clients take advantage of opportunities in the digital realm; publishes several niche publications; and produces events like the Corks and Kegs Craft Beer Festival and the Greater Pittsburgh Food Truck Festival. Thanks to the sharing of resources between the newspapers, it will provide a one-stop shop for businesses, according to Carole DeAngelo, the company’s advertising director.
“This is, for all of us, a tremendous opportunity for growth,” DeAngelo said. “This is exciting, and I’m energized by it.”
DeAngelo continued, “It starts with news and you add on all the other ways we tell our story. We’re extremely immersed in the communities we serve. Now, with all the services we offer, we can offer them throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania.”
Sharon Wallach, who has been the advertising director at the Herald-Standard, will become the regional advertising director for the four publications. Wallach said, “Everyone at the Herald-Standard and Greene County Messenger are very excited about the collaboration and the opportunity that it will bring. I look forward to managing the regional team and where we can grow from here.”
The core of what all the publications do is inform readers about news, people and events in their communities. Executive editor Liz Rogers, who leads the newsgathering efforts for the Observer-Reporter, The Almanac, the Herald-Standard and the Greene County Messenger, said the collaboration among the four entities creates efficiencies and “makes us a newsgathering powerhouse in Southwestern Pennsylvania.”
Michael Scott, the publisher of the Herald-Standard, said, “The Herald-Standard and Greene County Messenger have enjoyed collaborating with the Observer-Reporter and Almanac over the past few years and feel this latest step has made all four publications stronger. We can now represent all of Southwestern Pennsylvania with the largest news and advertising platform available locally.”
Scott added, “The fact that all four of the publication identities remain independent, allowing them to represent their communities while taking advantage of all the collaborative opportunities, is key to strongly leading these publications forward and keeping all readers in Southwestern Pennsylvania informed.”