JANESVILLE – Bliss Communications on Monday announced it is selling its newspapers, including The (Janesville) Gazette, to Adams Publishing Group.
Sidney “Skip” Bliss, president and CEO of Bliss Communications, made the announcement to employees Monday. He also announced that Southern Wisconsin Broadcasting, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bliss Communications, would sell its radio stations to Monroe-based Big Radio.
Included in the sale to APG are the (Marinette) EagleHerald, the company’s weekly publications, all associated websites and the company’s printing and production facility in Janesville. Bliss said he expects the deal to be finalized in mid-June.
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The Gazette, established in 1845, is the oldest continuously operating business in Janesville. Five generations of the Bliss family have owned the newspaper since 1883.
Skip Bliss, past president of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, will serve as publisher emeritus for The Gazette through March 31, 2020. His son, Kyle Bliss, will continue with the company.
Adams Publishing Group owns 30 daily newspapers and more than 100 non-daily newspapers. Following the company’s recent acquisitions of Hometown News Group and the Watertown Daily News, APG will have over 20 newspapers in Wisconsin.
