Buy, Layoff, Repeat? What Does Carpenter Media’s Takeover of the Enterprise Mean for Blair?

BLAIR, NEBRASKA (2025 February 4, Tuesday)
Don Harrold, Writer / Editor
editor@blairtoday.com – Facebook

Business is business. It’s cold, calculating, and at the core, ruthless. Any time you hear someone say, “It’s not about the money,” well, you know it’s about the money. When it comes to newspapers, corporate takeovers are rarely about journalism—they’re about the bottom line.

When Enterprise Publishing was sold last week – in what was a surprise move – they sold to Carpenter Media Group, a rapidly expanding media company that has made headlines over the past year for its aggressive acquisition strategy followed by significant layoffs. With its recent purchase of Enterprise Media Group, which publishes newspapers in Blair, Nebraska, concerns have grown over the future of local journalism in our community.

A Troubling Pattern: Buy, Cut, Repeat

CMG has quickly ascended from a little-known regional media company to one of the largest newspaper owners in the country. In 2024 alone, it acquired more than 150 newspapers across the United States and Canada, rapidly expanding its footprint. However, some acquisitions have been followed by mass layoffs, gutting newsroom staff and reducing coverage in local communities.

The Everett Herald in Washington experienced one of the most dramatic examples of CMG’s strategy. In June 2024, shortly after CMG acquired the paper as part of its purchase of Black Press Media, a dozen journalists learned their jobs were eliminated Wednesday, in a move new owners Carpenter Media Group said was meant to ensure long-term success of the newspaper. (Everett Herald, June 20, 2024)

• “This breaks my heart,” said Maya Tizon, a breaking news reporter who was laid off. “There’s still a need to tell people’s stories. How is this going to help the community?” (Everett Herald, June 20, 2024).
• “There’s at least a half-dozen football games just on Friday, and there’ll be one person. One person can’t be in six places at once. Historic moments in children’s and parents’ lives will be lost.” (Everett Herald, June 20, 2024)

CMG’s pattern is not isolated to Washington. In December 2024, the Bend Bulletin in Oregon saw its second round of layoffs in six months.

• “Carpenter cannot legally implement the layoff of unionized employees until they bargain with the Guild,” said Central Oregon NewsGuild President Morgan Owen. “This is the second time in six months employees at the Bulletin have faced layoffs.” (OPB, Dec. 5, 2024)

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Censorship Concerns

CMG’s acquisition of Black Press Media also led to significant cuts at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, where six editorial employees were let go—including the paper’s last remaining photographers. These cuts came despite the fact that these photographers had played a crucial role in covering the Maui wildfires, one of Hawaii’s most devastating disasters in recent history. (Poynter, Oct. 31, 2024)

• The Honolulu Star-Advertiser Guild called out CMG directly: “Perhaps (company chairman) Mr. (Todd) Carpenter should spend more time ‘protecting and leading’ news outlets he has already bought, rather than going on buying sprees for new acquisitions his company evidently can’t afford.” (Poynter, Oct. 31, 2024)

Adding to concerns, CMG has also been accused of censoring news about its own layoffs. After the mass layoffs at the Everett Herald, the paper’s original story on the layoffs disappeared from the website and was replaced with a “toned-down” version more favorable to the company. (KUOW, June 20, 2024)

• “This is what we do. We often publish stories that are unpopular, and it’s difficult to imagine a scenario where we would take a story down because someone in the story didn’t like how they were portrayed.” (KUOW, June 20, 2024)

What This Means for Blair, Nebraska

On January 30, 2025, Carpenter Media Group announced its acquisition of Enterprise Media Group (EMG), the publisher of ten weekly newspapers in Nebraska and Iowa, including Blair’s local papers. While CMG has promised to preserve local journalism, if history is any indication, residents of Blair may soon face the same challenges seen in Washington, Oregon, and Hawaii.

There could be potential staff reductions, downsizing of local coverage, and possible shifts toward syndicated content instead of truly local reporting. Past layoffs have particularly impacted sports, investigative journalism, and photojournalism, key areas of coverage for small communities.

• Fewer reporters covering local government, schools, and community events
• Reduced coverage of high school sports and community activities
• More reliance on wire services and less investigative journalism
• The potential sale of physical newspaper offices, as seen in Astoria and other CMG locations

CMG leadership may claim layoffs are necessary to stabilize newspapers financially. However, journalists and unions argue these moves prioritize short-term cost-cutting over long-term sustainability.

• “The owners have no interest in investing in the newspaper. Their starting wage proposal, $19.50 an hour, was insulting. Who’s living in Snohomish County with that?” (Everett NewsGuild, June 20, 2024)

Community Response and Next Steps

Blair residents who value strong local journalism should remain engaged and vocal about these developments. Supporting truly independent journalism can help maintain accountability and ensure local voices are not lost.

Meanwhile, CMG’s record speaks for itself. As one Everett Herald journalist put it best:

• “It’s like cutting your starting quarterback and trying to win the Super Bowl.” (Everett Herald, June 20, 2024)

For now, Blair’s newspapers remain intact, but if history is any guide, the coming months could bring significant changes that will shape the future of local news in the region.

We reached out to Carpenter Media Group about a potential partnership—just as we did with the Enterprise. My goal for BlairToday is to increase our coverage (which is near 50,000 views a month now). If we can work with a print paper, I’m for it. Seemed like a good idea when we talked with the Enterprise last year.

And, I’m a hopeful and patient person. Time will reveal what’s ahead. If Carpenter Media Group were to break its pattern of acquisitions followed by layoffs and a decline in local coverage, it would be a welcome surprise—not the first in my life, but certainly one worth celebrating for Blair. And, as I was open to working with the Enterprise, I’m willing to consider options with the new owners.

I am, though,“dubiously-optimistic”.

To Blair residents, if you want local stories about Blair, you’ll always find them here at BlairToday. The best, I think, lies ahead on that front.

And to former Enterprise Publishing reporters, writers, and photographers—if you find yourself laid off or feeling undervalued by your new owners, BlairToday welcomes your talents and passion for local news. Together, we can keep Blair informed with the dedicated, high-quality coverage our community deserves.

I have a vision for doing great things in Blair and beyond, and this might be the perfect time for us to connect. If you’re interested, email me at editor@blairtoday.com—let’s talk.