They are the Herald Weekly, Mooresville Weekly, Denver Weekly and the Mountain Island Monitor, according to a Herald Weekly story today. The deal is expected to be finalized by the end of the year.
The sale price and other terms weren't disclosed by Craig Moon or the seller, Alain Lillie.
Moon, who retired from USA Today in 2009, said he liked the titles "because of their reputation, the area’s rapid growth and options for expansion,'' the Herald Weekly said.
He told the paper: “I really believe in the (newspaper) business, and I believe that if you have the right business model and you really position the products correctly, there is an important place for print in the digital, online world. I believe these community weekly newspapers are set up to bring that relevance to readers and advertisers.”
Joining Moon in the venture is Don Stinson, Gannett's former senior vice president of marketing and advertising. Stinson will be general manager and handle strategic planning.
When he left USAT, Moon said he remained interested in the industry. “While the challenging media environment has been difficult for this industry and its people," he said in a statement, "it also has created new opportunities which I plan to explore with partners."
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Moon, who retired from USA Today in 2009, said he liked the titles "because of their reputation, the area’s rapid growth and options for expansion,'' the Herald Weekly said.
He told the paper: “I really believe in the (newspaper) business, and I believe that if you have the right business model and you really position the products correctly, there is an important place for print in the digital, online world. I believe these community weekly newspapers are set up to bring that relevance to readers and advertisers.”
Joining Moon in the venture is Don Stinson, Gannett's former senior vice president of marketing and advertising. Stinson will be general manager and handle strategic planning.
When he left USAT, Moon said he remained interested in the industry. “While the challenging media environment has been difficult for this industry and its people," he said in a statement, "it also has created new opportunities which I plan to explore with partners."
Last I knew, Moon had returned to Nashville. I don't know whether these are Moon's first investments since leaving USAT.
ReplyDeleteHmm since USAT folks love to praise this guy it will be interesting to see if the first thing he dies is hire more staff or lay folks off. What do you folks think?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely brilliant. He must be thrilled to be out of USAToday and doing something so fulfilling.
ReplyDeleteGood for him, but also surprising. I would have thought someone at his level would have retired with enough dough to lie on the beach. Maybe the stock options he retired with were underwater. Or maybe he's one of those people who just doesn't have an "off" switch.
ReplyDeleteWhatever the reason, it's quite an interesting move for him.
Moon held about 300,000 options on Gannett stock the year before he retired, according to the most recent data I can find. And all of those options were worthless.
ReplyDeleteEver have a conversation with Moon? All you keep praying is that it will be over soon.
ReplyDeleteThis REALLY cracks me up!! Big shot Moon and blast from the past Don Stinson running a few little shit kicker weeklies??? LOL. Did anyone see the quote from Moon about Stinson's role?? He will be in charge of "strategic" vertical development....those poor little weekly people are gonna be in for the ride of their life with all those $100 buzz words left over from the 90's....too funny. What's next? Bob Collins and SCJ forming a charm school partnership?
ReplyDeleteDon Stinson? You've got to be kidding. God save the people that work for them. Stinson's "How to be a salesman" stories are circa 1957 high pressure door-to-door sales - they were outdated when he was traveling Gannettland in the late 90s. unbelieveable! This stuff is better than fiction. You couldn't even come up with a better antique dream-team ad sales blast from the past. These two are the gift that keeps on giving - Don Stinson and Craig Moon. Hysterical! Remember when Stinson was VP/Advertising for Corporate and he traveled around preaching his gospel of how to maximize marketing and ad sales? Now it will be fun to see if he can practice what he so long preached! Bravo Don Stinson. Having worked with Don Stinson, years later I can honestly say, Don, You make us all so very proud!
ReplyDeleteFor those who may not remember Don Stinson is the former chain-smoking, fast talking, self-promoting Gannett newspaper division Advertising Vice Predsident who had worked for Craig Moon in Nashville as advertising director prior to his role at Corporate overseeing newspaper ad sales at all of Gannett's newspapers. Stinson traveled to Gannett newspaper ad departments tirelessly, promoting his dated ideas he called "value selling," which were stale even 20 years ago. Stinson and Moon were close friends and worked together in Nashville. Don Stinson abruptly departed his role as Gannett's newspaper division head of advertising sales when Sue Clark Johnson became president of the newspaper division. He was reassigned to the Gannett ad sales office for some "special projects" when Sue took over as president of Gannett's newspaper division. Stinson's claim to fame that he often told people was that he was a college intern in the Nixon White House. He left out the specific mention of his position as intern in his auto-bio, preferring to say he was part of the Nixon White House.
ReplyDeleteJim, please consider posting a headshot pic of Don Stinson. He has hundreds of GCI people who will surely remember him ?fondly? and will no-doubt increase comment and traffic to this great blog! Stinson knows many more Gannett people as he traveled to Gannett sites at a frenetic pace for ten or so years. Beautiful poetic justice that Stinson will soon be heading up ad sales for some random weekky shoppers! Karma is real.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see these two pee away some of their millions.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be surprised to see some of those dearly departed from USA Today start to surface with the new Moon/Stinson empire...Ed Cassidy, Brett Wilson, Lori Erdos and don't think Larry Lindquist won't come running out of retirement to also join the team.
ReplyDeleteStinson, Pell, Hunter and York?
ReplyDeleteThat's Don's company, but a Google search doesn't mention a single word about the others on the name plate!
I wish him and Craig well in their new roles.
What about the other Craig... only a three hour drive from Cashiers, NC to the new offices.
ReplyDeleteWhy, hello Craig Moon! We miss you! You were so much better than Dubow. Good luck in your new venture.
ReplyDeleteDear colleagues and co-workers: Don Stinson and Craig Moon have left the company to pursue other opportunities. We wish them both well in their new ventures.
ReplyDelete