News Media Corporation
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Newspaper publishing |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Founder | John C. Tompkins |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Arizona, Illinois, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming |
Key people | John C. Tompkins (Chairman), J.J. Tompkins (CEO/President), Billy McMacken (COO), John Shank (COO) |
| Products | Newspapers |
News Media Corporation (NMC) is a privately held American newspaper enterprise owned by a family, publishing 25 newspapers across five states: Arizona, Illinois, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming. The company primarily serves smaller communities with populations ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 residents.
History
Established in 1975 by entrepreneur John C. Tompkins, who acquired The Rochelle News-Leader at the age of 21, NMC grew through deliberate acquisitions. Significant additions to its portfolio include The Clinton Daily Journal in 1980, Lindsey Publishing's Wyoming newspapers in 1987, as well as titles such as the King City Rustler (1995), Brookings Register and Huron Plainsman (1999), Siuslaw News (2000), Lake Powell Chronicle (2005), and Arizona Silver Belt (2008).
More recently, NMC has refined its holdings by divesting several properties. In 2019, it sold its California newspapers—including the King City Rustler—to New SV Media, Inc. Further sales in 2023 involved transferring Colorado and Oregon newspaper groups to Louie Mullen and Country Media, Inc., respectively.
In July 2024, NMC entered into a management agreement with Carpenter Media Group (CMG), which included an option for CMG to acquire the company. Concurrently, NMC leaders J.J. Tompkins (CEO/President) and Billy McMacken (COO) assumed executive roles within CMG, marking a strategic reorganization of management and corporate governance.
People
Nick Monico joined NMC as President in August 2018 while John C. Tompkins was appointed Chairman. Monico brought a wealth of experience from senior positions at Wick Communications, GateHouse Media, Trib Total Media, Gannett Media Network, and Thomson Newspapers. He departed NMC in October 2019 to become COO at Adams Publishing. Following his exit, John Shank—a seasoned NMC employee with over three decades of service based in Rochelle—was elevated to Chief Operating Officer, managing company operations alongside his continued role as Illinois group publisher.
In January 2022, JJ Tompkins advanced to CEO and president, steering the family-owned firm into its second generation of leadership. That same year, Billy McMacken—longtime publisher of the Brookings Register—was appointed COO to bolster NMC’s executive team and strategic direction.
Atascadero News controversy
In 2015, NMC’s legal counsel issued a cease-and-desist notice regarding trademark infringement to the proprietor of an online news outlet using the name Atascadero News, also a title published by NMC. Subsequently, the online publisher rebranded as A-Town Daily News, reflecting the local community’s nickname.
Arizona
- Gateway to Canyon Country, Page, AZ
- Lake Powell Chronicle, Page, AZ
- Arizona Silver Belt, Globe, AZ
- Copper Country News, Globe, AZ
Illinois
- The Clinton Journal, Clinton, IL
- Mendota Reporter and Mendota Reporter Money Saver, Mendota, IL
- Ogle County Life, Oregon, IL
- Rochelle News-Leader and Rochelle Shopping News, Rochelle, IL
- Amboy News, Amboy, IL
Nebraska
- Business Farmer, located in Scottsbluff, NE
South Dakota
- Brookings Register based in Brookings, SD
- Huron Plainsman along with PayDay published in Huron, SD
- Moody County Enterprise serving Flandreau, SD
- Redfield Press operating out of Redfield, SD
Wyoming
- A variety of publications including Bridger Valley Pioneer (Lyman), Guernsey Gazette (Guernsey), and Kemmerer Gazette (Kemmerer), among others covering principal local areas such as Wheatland, Pinedale, Torrington, and Evanston.