By Gordon Forgey
Gazette Publisher 

Sale of the Gazette

 

February 27, 2020



I have sold the Gazette and Daily Bulletin. The new owners will take over on March 1. The papers will officially become part of the Free Press Publishing group in Cheney.

It has been a big decision, but I am confident that the change will give the Gazette many more years of service to Whitman County. In the back room we have a variety of historic print items. One is a type drawer simply addressed to the Gazette, Colfax, WT. The WT stands for Washington Territory. The paper has had a long history, longer than Washington has been a state.

The new owners operate a group of eastern Washington weekly newspapers. They know the business. They know the area. They understand the importance of rural journalism. They also know the history of the Gazette as the state's oldest newspaper and will respect that.

In all, it will be a good fit for the communities the Gazette serves. I think, it is also best for the paper and its importance in its wide service area.

The new publisher will be Roger Harnack, a veteran of rural Washington news. A principle is Bill Ifft, long-time publisher of the Cheney paper and others in eastern Washington.

Changes, of course, will occur because of the new ownership. These, however, should not impact the services to readers and subscribers. The first change will be getting the paper printed at the home office in Cheney. The big difference here will be a longer sheet.

As for me, it has been an honor to manage and own the Gazette. I've been at it since 1985 and an owner since 2001, but the time is right for new ownership and new management. They are well-versed in the new avenues of publishing and will broaden the paper's electronic footprint without sacrificing any part of the print product. It will be an interesting evolution. And, of course, a fresh perspective is always good.

So, this is a farewell for me, tinged with a little sadness and a lot of anticipation. Retirement sounds very nice, especially since the Gazette will be in good hands. Thank you all who have supported the Gazette over the years. We have strived to give you a good, honest, entertaining and informative newspaper.

The new owners promise that and maybe more.

Gordon Forgey,

Publisher

 

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Whitman County Gazette
Odessa Record
Franklin Connection
Davenport Times
Spokane Valley News Herald
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