Dozens of small town Iowa newspapers face closure or sale

• Mid-America Publishing announced it is ceasing operations and selling its 19 Iowa newspapers and four shopper publications.
• The company cited years of financial strain and a changing media landscape for its decision.
• The company has found buyers or potential buyers for most of its papers but their futures still remain unclear.

Nearly two dozen Iowa newspapers were thrust toward shutdown or sale after the owner of one of the state’s largest clusters of rural weeklies said it is getting out of the newspaper business.

Mid-America Publishing, a family-owned company that has operated newspapers in Iowa since 1961, told editors in mid-March it would cease publishing and begin offloading its titles by early April, setting off a scramble across small towns to find buyers before presses stop.

The company owns 19 newspapers and four shopper publications, many of them more than a century old. In some communities, they are the only consistent source of local news and the official record.

Matt Grohe, president of Mid-America Publishing, said the decision followed years of financial strain that worsened as small town economies shifted.

“We’re seeing the end of an era for print newspapers. The model just doesn’t match how people consume information anymore,” Grohe told the Register. “Some of these publications just don’t make sense economically anymore.”

Grohe said the company has found buyers or potential buyers for most of its papers, except for one.

The Eldora Herald-Ledger, which has operated for more than 160 years, has no buyer and is on track to shut down, Grohe said. The paper had already been functioning without a local editor or office and faced growing competition in Hardin County as well as broader economic pressures that made it difficult to sell, he said.

“We’re going to do everything we can to offload these titles. I feel pretty good they will all find new owners except the Eldora Herald-Ledger,” he said.

The shutdown announcement triggered immediate concern across dozens of Iowa communities. In counties where Mid-America owns multiple publications, the outcome of pending sales could determine whether local news continues at all.

Editors at several papers described uncertainty as the deadline approached, with some reporting no confirmed buyers.

At The Madrid Register-News and The Ogden Reporter in Boone County, editor Craig Shultz wrote the news was the “hardest thing I’ve ever had to tell anyone.”

He added: “There is still a chance if someone wants to come in at the 11th hour to buy the publications, it’s possible. But as it stands, this is the end.”

Across the state, similar messages began appearing on newspaper Facebook pages as editors informed readers of uncertain futures.

“This is a difficult and emotional moment for all of us,” staff at the Sigourney News-Review wrote. “It has been an honor to serve this community, and we are incredibly thankful for the support you have shown over the years.” 

At The Wright County Monitor, editor Amanda Rink said the paper remains in operation but is actively being sold.

“At this time, the Monitor is still in operation but is, in all technically, for sale,” Rink wrote. “The most important thing to remember is The Wright County is still in operation and a split from Mid America, while unfortunate, does not mean the closure of your local newspaper.”

As of late March, the Mid-America portfolio includes:

• Eagle Grove Eagle
• Wright County Monitor
• Butler County Tribune
• Clarksville Star
• Clear Lake Mirror Reporter
• Calmar Courier
• Eldora Herald-Ledger
• Grundy Register
• Hampton Chronicle
• Holstein Advance
• Ida County Courier
• Garner Leader
• Madrid Register-News
• Sigourney News-Review
• Ogden Reporter
• Parkersburg Eclipse News Review
• Postville Herald
• Winnebago County Tribune
• Monona Outlook

Shopper publications include The Bonus, Ida County Reminder, Shopper Review News and Wright County Reminder. 

Several companies have stepped up to purchase the papers on quick turnarounds, with some deals finalized and others still being negotiated.

OnTheGoMedia, which owns KLJM Radio in Hampton, has acquired the Hampton Chronicle. Iowa Print Shop, LLC has signed a letter of intent to purchase The Grundy Register, according to Facebook announcements from the newspapers.

Stateline Publications has signed a letter of intent to acquire the Eagle Grove Eagle, Wright County Monitor, Ida County Courier and Holstein Advance, along with the Wright County Reminder and Ida County Reminder shopper publications. That deal is not finalized and is expected to close around April 9.

Kristin Grabinoski, who co-owns Stateline Publications with Jerry Wiseman, said her group moved quickly after the announcement to prevent permanent losses.

“We felt like when a newspaper closes, a piece of the community goes quiet,” she said. “We really wanted to keep that voice alive.”

Grabinoski said her approach is not centered on profit. She described the acquisitions as a long-term commitment to keeping communities informed.

“To us, this feels less like a purchase and more like a responsibility to the communities,” she said.

The Iowa Newspaper Association said the rapid response from independent publishers stepping in to acquire some papers reflects continued demand for local journalism, even as ownership structures shift.

“While the announced changes understandably raise concerns, they also highlight there is still strong demand and commitment to community journalism,” Executive Director Debbie Anselm said in a statement to the Register.

“Multiple independent publishers have already stepped forward to acquire a number of these newspapers,” she said, calling the transition a “reshaping” rather than a collapse of local news.

“What we’re seeing is not a retreat from local journalism but a reshaping, with new ownership stepping in to continue the mission,” Anselm said.

Grohe said the decision to exit newspaper publishing reflects structural challenges that have been building for years.

“COVID was a killer for small towns. A lot of businesses never came back, and that hurt newspapers,” he said. “There are fewer businesses to advertise, which makes it harder to sustain a paper. That’s a major factor.”

Grohe said Mid-America’s structure compounded those pressures. The company owns and operates its own printing press, a model that depends on volume to remain viable.

He declined to share profit figures but said the newspaper side of the business was not profitable, describing losses as “not a sustainable amount.” While most papers in the portfolio were losing money, he said some remained viable, especially those without physical offices. 

Alongside those financial pressures, editors point to policy debates that could further affect the viability of small-town newspapers.

An article published by the Eagle Grove Eagle warned that rising costs are not the only pressure on local newspapers, pointing to proposals from Republican lawmakers that could further cut into revenue.

“Aside from rising costs of materials, labor, fuel, etc. – which are tied to public policy – another political factor is threatening newspapers in general: an effort by Republicans in the Iowa Legislature to end the publication of public notices in newspapers,” the article said. “If enacted, the impact on the revenue streams of newspapers in Iowa, in general, would be significantly negatively impacted.”

Grohe said those changes, even if not already advanced, are a looming concern, which “will make it harder for newspapers to survive.”

Grabinoski said those notices serve both a civic and financial role.

“Public notices are a revenue stream for newspapers,” she said. “If public notices are removed from print, that would be catastrophic,” she added.

Rep. Brent Siegrist, R-Council Bluffs, said recent legislation has not eliminated public notice requirements in newspapers. Siegrist said a bill he sponsored this session, House File 2490, would require notices to also be posted online; not replace print publication. The bill passed the Iowa House on Feb. 23 in an 88-1 vote and is now awaiting consideration in the Senate.

He said proposals to eliminate print notices entirely have been introduced but have not advanced.

“There have been bills to do that, but those bills haven’t moved because there’s a recognition of the value of small town papers and the need for that revenue,” he said. “Republicans as well as Democrats represent small towns, and those papers are pretty important in those communities.”

Though Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, offered a different outlook.

“It is not the job of the taxpayer to subsidize newspapers nor make up for bad business decisions or changing consumer demands,” he said. “In this modern age, there are a number of more effective and efficient ways to ensure public notices are available to Iowa taxpayers.”

Nick El Hajj is a reporter at the Register. He can be reached at nelhajj@gannett.com. Follow him on X at @nick_el_hajj.