Local owner to sell Pueblo Chieftain to GateHouse Media
The Pueblo Chieftain , the oldest daily newspaper in Colorado, will soon be owned by a large publisher that operates in more than 500 markets after an agreement was made by the Chieftain’s local owner.
The Star-Journal Publishing Corp. of Pueblo announced the agreement Tuesday, saying the Chieftain will be sold to GateHouse Media.
GateHouse, based out of New York, operates in 38 states and publishes more than 560 community newspapers.
Jane Rawlings, president of the Star-Journal Publishing Corp. and publisher of the Chieftan, took control of the paper in Oct. 2016 shortly before Robert Hoag Rawlings passed away in March 2017. Robert was the owner, publisher, and editor of the paper for decades.
The Chieftain was founded by Dr. Michael Beshoar in 1868 as The Colorado Chieftain. Robert’s grandfather, Frank Hoag, purchased the paper in 1918 after working his way up through the ranks. It has stayed in the family since.
Robert’s wish was that the Chieftain would be sold upon his death. The money from the sale will be placed in the Rawlings Foundation to be used “for the betterment of Pueblo and Southern Colorado,” Jane said.
“Rawlings said it was important that the new owner of The Chieftain be a company committed to carrying on the legacy of owners and publishers Frank Hoag Sr., Frank Hoag Jr., her father and herself – to fight for water, for community projects, to put a spotlight on government and to celebrate the citizens, businesses and institutions that make Pueblo and Southern Colorado unique,” a statement from the newspaper said.
The sale still isn’t official, and the terms of the sale weren’t made public. Representatives from neither GateHouse nor the Chieftain could comment on the deal until the sale is finalized.
