Hathaway Publishing
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Newspaper publishing |
| Founded | 1932 |
| Founder | Sidney L. Hathaway Jr. |
| Fate | Acquired by Ottaway, later part of News Corp and GateHouse Media |
| Headquarters | Somerset , United States |
Area served | South Coast, Massachusetts |
Key people | William T. Kennedy (publisher), Warren G. Hathaway (publisher emeritus) |
| Products | Weekly newspapers (The Advocate, The Chronicle, Middleboro Gazette, The Spectator, The Fall River Spirit) |
| Parent | The Local Media Group Inc. |
Hathaway Publishing operated as a division of The Local Media Group Inc., producing five weekly newspapers serving the South Coast area of Massachusetts.
History
The Hathaway family maintained ownership until 1997, after which the company joined forces with former rival Ottaway daily The Standard-Times based in New Bedford, Massachusetts. This collaboration resulted in the creation of Ottaway's South Coast Media Group. William T. Kennedy acted as publisher for both entities, while Warren G. Hathaway, the previous proprietor, held the title of publisher emeritus for the weeklies. Both played roles in contributing content to the regional platform SouthCoastToday.com.
In late 2007, News Corp. purchased Ottaway through its acquisition of parent company Dow Jones & Company for $5 billion. Following this transaction, Rupert Murdoch expressed intentions to divest the local newspapers relatively soon.
On September 4, 2013, News Corp revealed plans to sell Dow Jones Local Media Group to Newcastle Investment Corp., affiliated with Fortress Investment Group, for $87 million. These newspapers were to be managed by GateHouse Media, a Fortress-owned entity. Robert James Thomson, CEO of News Corp., commented that the newspapers did not align strategically with the company’s evolving portfolio. To facilitate the acquisition and restructure its debt, GateHouse filed for a prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy on September 27, 2013.
Holdings
When Ottaway took over Hathaway Publishing, the company was responsible for four newspapers: The Advocate, The Chronicle, Middleboro Gazette, and The Spectator. Established in Somerset, Massachusetts by Sidney L. Hathaway Jr. in 1932 with the launch of The Spectator, the family-owned business expanded its lineup in 2003 by introducing a fifth publication, The Fall River Spirit.