By The Elkhart Truth
The Paxton Media Group, a fifth-generation family-owned company that owns more than 30 daily newspapers, has purchased The Elkhart Truth from Federated Media.
“We are gratified for the opportunity to assume stewardship of The Elkhart Truth,” said David Paxton, president and CEO of Paxton Media Group, which owns 10 newspapers in Indiana. “It is an award-winning newspaper with a proud history of serving Elkhart County.”
Paxton said The Truth will be in a better position to serve readers and advertisers by combining its strengths with those of other Paxton newspapers, including the La Porte County Herald-Argus, The Michigan City News-Dispatch and The Herald-Palladium in St. Joseph, Michigan.
“Elkhart residents have come to expect quality journalism from The Elkhart Truth’s many media platforms, and this business combination provides the financial security needed to assure the newspaper will continue to serve the community long into the future,” Paxton said.
Federated Media CEO John Dillle, whose family has owned The Truth since 1952, said the sale to Paxton Media will benefit both readers and advertisers.
“A larger company able to bring the advantages of scale and focused entirely on newspapers is an asset,” he said. “We believe Paxton will serve us well in Elkhart and throughout Elkhart County. Hence, the decision to turn the reins over to them.”
Jamie Paxton, vice president and controller for the Kentucky-based company founded by his great-great-grandfather, said Paxton Media has a sole emphasis on local news in all of its publications – and that won’t be any different in Elkhart.
“We have been in business for 120 years, and we believe strongly in local news,” Jamie Paxton said. “If anything changes, it will be even more of a focus on local news and sports. We believe in having feet on the street so we can provide readers with a true picture of what’s happening in their community.”
The company is well aware of The Truth’s history of serving Elkhart County since 1889 and of the high standards set by the family of Dille, which has owned The Truth for more than 60 years, Paxton said.
“We intend to build upon that legacy and to continue it well into the future,” he said.
While The Truth is now part of a company that owns 30 other publications, Jamie Paxton said that the editorial control of the newspaper will remain in Elkhart.
“We let the reporters and editors make editorial decisions at the local level,” he said. “The Elkhart Truth will continue to reflect what’s important to the community.”
