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ASP Westward
IndustryNewspaper
Owner1013 Communications
ParentHearst Corporation
Houston Community Newspapers (ASP Westward) Examiner Newspaper Group/The Rancher/Sugar Land Sun offices

ASP Westward, L.P., or "Westward,"[1] was a local newspaper company, headquartered in Greenspoint, Houston.[2][3] It is owned by 1013 Communications of Reno, Nevada.[4]

Houston Community Newspapers

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In Greater Houston ASP Westward did business as Houston Community Newspapers (HCN),[5] operating a chain of 28 local newspapers.[4] This division was headquartered in Greenspoint, Houston.[6] In 2016 the Hearst Corporation, the parent company of the Houston Chronicle, acquired HCN.[7]

HCN operated several newspapers based out of different offices. Its Southwest Office-Central had the operations of the West U Examiner, River Oaks Examiner, Bellaire Examiner, Memorial Examiner, The Rancher of Katy, and the Sugar Land Sun. Its South Office-Clear Lake has the Bay Area Citizen, Deer Park Broadcaster, Friendswood Journal, Pasadena Citizen, and Pearland Journal. Its Northeast Office - Humble had the operations of the Atascocita Observer, the East Montgomery County Observer, the Humble Observer, the Kingwood Observer, and the Lake Houston Observer. The North Office - The Woodlands had operations of the Spring Observer and The Woodlands Observer. The operations of The Courier were based out of the North Office-Conroe. The Northeast Office-Cleveland housed the operations of the Cleveland Advocate, the Dayton News, and the Easttex Advocate. The Northwest Office - Tomball housed the operations of the Cypress Creek Mirror, the Magnolia Potpourri, and the Tomball Potpourri. The Mirror had Cypress/Cy-Fair and Champions/Klein divisions.[8]

HCN History

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In April 2006, prior to the purchase of the Examiner Newspaper Group, another local newspaper company, HCN had 31 newspapers.[9] In 2006 George Boehme sold the Examiner Newspaper Group to ASP Westward,[10] for $2.1 million.[5] At the time, the purchase price was not disclosed.[9]

HCN hired Boehme as a regional publisher and he held this job for one year. In May 2007, Boehme stopped working for the company. He started InstantNewsNetwork.com Inc. weeks after he left HCN.[5] Boehme announced on January 7, 2008, that it would purchase FortBendNow.com Inc. from Bob Dunn. Later that month HCN announced that it was suing Boehme for violating non-soliciation and non-competition provisions of the purchase agreement.[10]

In 2006 the Houston Press ranked the Fort Bend/Southwest Sun the "Best Community Newspaper Houston 2006".[11]

In 2010 the Houston Press ranked the Examiner Newspaper Group division of the HCN the "Best Community Newspaper Houston 2010".[12]

1013 Communications, a Reno, Nevada company, acquired the company including the HCN group in 2012.[4] In 2016 the Hearst Corporation, the parent company of the Houston Chronicle, acquired HCN.[7] As part of the deal the Examiner papers became a part of the Hearst Corporation.[13]

Ray Biggerstaff was the publisher of The Woodlands Villager and The Courier from 2011 to 2013.[14]

East Texas Community Newspapers

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In portions of East Texas ASP Westward did business as East Texas Community Newspapers (ETCN). This division was headquartered in Longview,[15] and before that, in Carthage.[16]

As of 2014, the ETCN newspapers included:[15]

ETCN history

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In June 2012 Texas Community Media LLC announced that it had agreed to purchase multiple newspapers from ASP Westward. These papers included the daily Longview News-Journal, the Marshall News Messenger, and twelve weekly newspapers. The weeklies included, the Atlanta Citizens Journal, The Big Sandy & Hawkins Journal, the Bowie County Citizens Tribune, the Cass County Sun, The Daingerfield Bee, The Gladewater Mirror, The Grand Saline Sun, the Lindale News & Times, the Mineola Monitor, the Panola Watchman, The Pittsburg Gazette, and the Wood County Democrat. The weekly and daily newspapers had a combined circulation of almost 300,000, with the News-Journal having an over 23,000 daily paid circulation.[17]

Colorado Community Newspapers

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Colorado Community Newspapers was headquartered in Castle Rock and included: Castle Rock News-Press, Centennial Citizen, Douglas County News-Press, Elbert County News, Gleneagle/Black Forest, Highlands Ranch Herald, Littleton Independent, Lone Tree Voice, Parker Chronicle, Pikes Peak Courier View, Teller County Extra, The Tribune/Monument, and Tri-Lakes Tribune/Tri-Lakes.[18]

References

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  1. ^ Home page (Archive). ASP Westward. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.
  2. ^ "Boundary Map Archived 2010-10-19 at the Wayback Machine." (Full map Archived December 22, 2014, at the Wayback Machine) Greenspoint Management District. Retrieved on May 19, 2009.
  3. ^ "ASP Westward, L.P." Google Finance. Retrieved on April 14, 2014. "523 N. Sam Houston Pkwy E., Ste. 600 Houston, TX 77060 USA"
  4. ^ a b c Connelly, Richard. "Surburban Shakeup: Houston Community Newspapers Sold to Nevada Chain." Houston Press. Tuesday August 28, 2012. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.
  5. ^ a b c Zheng, Zen T.C. "Legal battle against local media outlets rages on." Houston Chronicle. March 14, 2008. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.
  6. ^ "Houston Archived 2013-07-29 at the Wayback Machine." ASP Westward, L.P. Retrieved on April 14, 2014. "Houston Community Newspapers 523 N Sam Houston Parkway E, Suite 600 Houston, TX 77060"
  7. ^ a b Lewis, Al (2016-07-29). "Hearst purchases community newspapers across Houston's suburbs". Katy Rancher at the Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2017-01-22.
  8. ^ "2013 Contact Page" (Archive). Houston Community Newspapers. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.
  9. ^ a b "AROUND THE REGION." Houston Chronicle. April 29, 2006. Business. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.
  10. ^ a b Zheng, Zen T.C. "Local news service operator sued." Houston Chronicle. January 16, 2008. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.
  11. ^ "Best Community Newspaper Houston 2006 - Fort Bend/Southwest Sun." Houston Press. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.
  12. ^ "Best Community Newspaper Houston 2010 - Examiner Newspaper Group, Houston Community Newspapers." Houston Press. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.
  13. ^ "Hearst Purchases Locally-Focused Houston Community Newspapers & Media Group at MarketWired". 2016-07-29. Retrieved 2017-01-22.
  14. ^ Mikati, Massarah (2018-12-26). "Ray Biggerstaff, Woodlands publisher and community leader, dies at 74". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  15. ^ a b "East Texas Archived 2013-07-29 at the Wayback Machine." ASP Westward. Retrieved on April 14, 2014. "East Texas Community Newspapers 320 E. Methvin St. Longview, TX 75601"
  16. ^ "[1]." East Texas Community Newspapers. January 25, 2009. Retrieved on December 17, 2017. "East Texas Community Newspapers 109 West Panola Carthage, TX 75633"
  17. ^ "South Texas company buys ET newspapers." The Panola Watchman. Monday June 4, 2012. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.
  18. ^ "Colorado Community Newspapers." "Colorado Community Newspapers 125 Stephanie Place Castle Rock, CO 80109"
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