The Jefferson City News Tribune, Fulton Sun and California Democrat are returning to local media after being sold to Faughn Media, LLC.
The newspapers were previously owned by WEHCO Media, Inc., which said it will retain ownership of the Jefferson City production facility, all commercial printing operations and the Flypaper digital agency.
The three newspapers will continue to operate under their current names and locations, and no immediate changes to daily operations are planned. Employees will remain in their current positions, and customers are expected to see uninterrupted service.
“These newspapers have a long history of serving their communities, and this transition represents a return to local ownership,” said Walter Hussman Jr., chairman of WEHCO Media Inc. “We have worked to provide quality newspapers for these communities over the past 16 years, and we believe Faughn Media shares our commitment to customers, employees and the community.”
Faughn Media, LLC is headquartered in Jefferson City and was founded in 2013. The company publishes The Missouri Times and produces the statewide television program This Week in Missouri Politics.
“For readers of The Missouri Times, this change does not signal a slowdown,”said Scott Faughn, president of Faughn Media. “In fact, the Times is entering a new era of growth and expansion.”
“We are honored to carry forward the legacy of the News Tribune, Fulton Sun and California Democrat,” said Faughn “Our goal is to maintain the high level of service readers expect while investing in the long-term success of these publications.”
The Jefferson City News Tribune traces its origins to the years following the Civil War, giving the newspaper nearly 150 years of history in the Capital City.
The paper was owned for 81 years by the Goshorn-Weldon family. Robert Goshorn consolidated local newspapers in the early 20th century and expanded into broadcasting with the launch of KWOS radio in 1936 and KRCG television in 1954. His daughter, Betty Weldon, returned home during World War II to work at the newspaper and later gained national attention by breaking the news at the 1944 Democratic National Convention that Missourian Harry Truman would be Franklin Roosevelt’s running mate.
After her father’s death in 1953, Weldon became publisher, emerging as one of Missouri’s most influential media leaders and a pioneer for women in journalism. She later became the first woman to start a television station and expanded the company’s newspaper holdings with the acquisitions of the Fulton Sun in 1995 and the California Democrat in 1998. She died in 2007.
WEHCO Media Inc., led by Walter Hussman Jr., acquired the News Tribune in 2008. The newspaper has since continued its role documenting major moments in Jefferson City and Missouri history while adapting to evolving print and digital technology.
WEHCO Media, Inc. is a privately owned communications company founded in 1909, with interests in newspapers, cable television and digital services across six states.
Further announcements regarding the transition will be made as appropriate.
