CENTRAL WISCONSIN, Nov. 21, 2022 (Multi Media Channels and Thepaperboy.news) – Thepaperboy.news group of publications has purchased The Sentinel & Rural News from Multi Media Channels. The sale was completed on Nov. 18.
The group includes the Stanley Republican and the Pierce County Journal in Wisconsin and the Hastings Journal and Cottage Grove Journal in Minnesota. The newspapers are published by John McLoone.
Nicole and Travis Rogers started the Sentinel & Rural News in March 2014. The Rogers wanted to create a newspaper that “told good news and highlighted the people and businesses of central Wisconsin,” including Owen-Withee, Curtiss, Thorp, Greenwood, Gilman, Abbotsford, Colby and Spencer.
“John McLoone and his staff will continue the Rogers’ and MMC’s approach of reporting hyper-local news to the community,” said MMC CEO Patrick Wood.
“We found that the publication didn’t quite fit into our geographical footprint, and it was not easy running a fringe property in that area to grow it to its full potential.
“John was the right fit to take it over and is better connected to that part of the state.”
MMC began its work in community newspaper publishing in Denmark, Wisconsin, in 1953. Under the leadership of its founder, Frank Wood, the business expanded into other markets.
Today, the company remains in the Wood family, publishing more than 30 print publications, including 22 weeklies and 17 digital channels that serve the central, northern, and eastern regions of Wisconsin.
“We’re excited that the opportunity presented itself and that we could continue the great work of Travis and Nicole and MMC. In combination with our Stanley newspaper, we feel there’s a lot of synergy that will benefit readers and subscribers,” said McLoone.
McLoone purchased the Stanley Republican in 2004 and the Prescott Journal in 2008. In 2020, after several western Wisconsin and Minnesota papers ceased publication, the Pierce County Journal was born, with the Hastings and Cottage Grove papers coming later that year.
