MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — As the Dominion Post transitions into a new era of ownership, the top priority will remain to provide quality local news coverage in the Morgantown Community.
Wheeling-based Ogden Newspapers announced plans on Wednesday to purchase the Dominion Post from the Raese family and West Virginia Newspaper Publishing Company.
John McCabe, Ogden Newspapers Editorial Director, said the purchase will place them in the center of a vibrant local news market that has regional significance.
“We’ve always been on the fringe of West Virginia University (WVU) in terms of news and sports coverage and as you know WVU the news has been hot and heavy for good and bad reasons,” McCabe said. ” So, that will give us much more direct access there.”
Ogden Newspapers was established in Sept. of 1895 and over the last 134 years has added a variety of local publications. The company operates papers in Wheeling, Weirton, Parkersburg, Martinsburg, Elkins, New Martinsville, Sistersville, Shepherdstown, The Herald-Standard in Uniontown, Pa., and the Observer-Reporter in Washington, Pa.
McCabe said the acquisition will give them the largest statewide newsroom to gather and deliver unique content.
No decisions have been made regarding staffing changes, but he said the paper would be different after the sale closes on September 30.
“I don’t have answers right now on the numbers, but it will be a different Dominion Post,” McCabe said. ” It’s going to be a Dominion Post focused exclusively on content.”
McCabe said the Dominion Post will now have access to their statewide pool of reporters connected with communities in other regions.
“This will help to tell stories better and more deeply with better connections among a state that is deeply connected to itself and its residents,” McCabe said. “We’re really happy to be here and keep the Dominion Post as a vital part of this region.”
McCabe said they will challenge staff to provide compelling local content to inform residents and promote civic engagement.
“Generating content, unique local content that you can’t find anywhere else- that’s the bedrock of what local newspapers do,” McCabe said. ” So, that is always our first focus- what is the right content mix.”
McCabe said even in the changing media landscape there is still a place for quality local news coverage.
“As a company, we are extremely involved in looking at the future of the news business,” McCabe said. ” Newspapers play such a vital role just as local radio does and sometimes it’s hard to get people to understand how important it is to be plugged into your local community and we’re going to continue to hammer that point across.”