Sounder parent company buys Journal of the San Juans

Sound Publishing Inc. has announced the purchase of the Journal of the San

Juans.

The acquisition is effective Friday, Sept. 14. The newspaper, which celebrated its 95th birthday last week, was formerly owned by Kelowna,

B.C.-based Horizon Publications.

Sound Publishing operates 14 other newspapers in Western Washington and two web printing facilities. Among its newspapers are The Islands' Sounder and The Islands' Weekly. The company, which was formed in 1987, is a subsidiary of Black Press Ltd., a Canadian newspaper company publishing more than 80 newspapers in the U.S. and Canada. Black Press recently bought the Honolulu Star Bulletin.

According to company president Manfred Tempelmayr, the purchase is an exciting opportunity because it will enable both newspapers to better serve

their communities.

"Both newspapers have struggled economically and the purchase should allow

for better service to the readers and advertising community of the San Juan

Islands," Tempelmayr said.

The papers will be returning to their respective roots. The Journal, which

was founded 95 years ago as The Friday Harbor Journal, will remain in its

current tabloid format. The Islands Sounder, founded 37 years ago on Orcas

Island, will continue as a "broadloid,"as will The Islands Weekly, begun

nine years ago on Lopez.

Jay Brodt, who will serve as publisher of all three island papers, said,

"Now we can give the islands what they want, local news about their own

islands and their own communities. This consolidation will serve the readers

better."

Sound will announce further details about the purchase after Sept. 14. "We

feel it's important to discuss some of the issues with the employees of the

newspapers first," Sound President Tempelmayr said.

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