Eagle spreads its wings, buys Albany-area Spotlight Newspapers

CNY Business Journal (1996+), Jul 06, 1998

SYRACUSE--On July 1, Eagle Media Partners, LP, publisher of several community-based publications in the Syracuse area, took over ownership and control of Spotlight Newspapers, an Albany-area publisher of three newspapers. The three Spotlight newspapers will operate as Spotlight, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eagle Media Partners.

In announcing the sale, Spotlight's publisher Richard Ahlstrom described Eagle Newspapers as having the same commitment to community journalism as Delmar Spotlight, Colonie Spotlight, and the Loudonville Weekly, the three community newspapers formerly published by Spotlight Newspapers.

"With its years of experience as publisher of award-winning weeklies in Central New York," said Ahlstrom, "Eagle has the personnel and financial resources to help Spotlight grow to serve additional readers in the Capital region. But most importantly," he added, "Eagle has a proven understanding of the uniquely local news mission of community journalism."

Owner of the Spotlight Newspapers for the past 18 years, Ahlstrom will assist in the transition and continue his involvement as a consultant to the company. All of Spotlight's 16 full-time employees and 12 part-time employees will be retained. Spotlight's headquarters will remain in its current Delmar location.

Published each Wednesday, the Delmar Spotlight, Colonie Spotlight, and Loudonville Weekly reach 16,000 households in Delmar, Loudonville, Bethlehem, New Scotland, and Colonie, which translates into a combined weekly readership of more than 40,000. Spotlight has received more than 100 awards for editorial and advertising excellence.

Eagle, likewise, has received numerous awards in recent years, including Writer of the Year, Best Column, and Best Special Section from the New York Press Association; Lifetime Achievement Award and Newcomer of the Year Award from the Syracuse Press Club; and Best Special Section from the Suburban Newspapers of America.

Headquartered in a 20,000-sq.-ft. production facility off Carrier Circle in Syracuse, Eagle publishes 12 paid-circulation weekly newspapers, including the Fayetteville Eagle Bulletin, Baldwinsville Messenger, Cazenovia Republican, and Skaneateles Press. These weekly publications enjoy a combined circulation of 39,000 copies.

In addition to its weeklies, Eagle publishes three free-distribution monthlies, including Syracuse Parent (22,000 copies), Prime (a 20,000-copy publication for seniors, published in cooperation with the Onondaga County Office for the Aging), and 7,500 copies of The Constitution, co-published by its founder Ken Jackson, which circulates in Syracuse's black community.

Eagle also operates a specialty-publications division that sells advertising and prints programs and supplements for clients including the Syracuse Symphony, Home Builders Association of CNY, Syracuse Chamber of Commerce, and the New York State Fire Chiefs Association. Eagle's web-printing division serves more than 100 active clients including other newspapers (such as the one you're reading), periodicals, trade publications, catalogs, and supermarket circulars.

According to Stewart Hancock, 30-year newspaper veteran and publisher of Eagle Newspapers, the transition for Eagle will be coordinated by Richard Keene, the company's vice president and chief operations officer. Eagle currently has 55 full-time employees and 15 part-time employees, with plans to add staff as needed to keep pace with its rising business.