Rogue River (OR) Press Sold
July 27, 2006 -- For Immediate Release
Rogue River, OR - The Rogue River Press, an award-winning weekly newspaper serving the communities of Rogue River and Gold Hill in southwest Oregon, has been sold to a local family, it was announced today.

The 1,850-paid circulation Rogue River Press has been purchased by Valley Pride Publications, LLC of Rogue River. Kendall and Nancy Birdsall of Rogue River own Valley Pride Publishing. Their daughter, Teresa Pearson, also of Rogue River, will serve as the paper’s editor and publisher.

The paper has been owned since 1994 by Dave and Heidi Ehrhardt of Rogue River. “After nearly 12 years, we felt it was time to pursue other opportunities,” said Dave Ehrhardt. “The search for new owners led to an organization that we believe is a good fit to carry on the business and help it continue to grow into the future.”

JP Media Partners, a Gold River, CA based merger-and-acquisition firm for the newspaper industry, represented the Ehrhardt’s in the transaction.

Teresa Pearson has experience as a newspaper reporter, including several months with The Press last fall. Several other members of the Birdsall family will fill key roles at the newspaper. Valley Pride will publish its first edition of The Press August 2.

“With this family team, Valley Pride Publications will utilize the skills and talents of many individuals who will continue to make the Rogue River Press a successful community-based business,” Pearson said.

Founded in 1960, The Press has won over 75 Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association Awards in the past 12 years, including the coveted Elmo Smith Award for General Excellence seven different times.

For more information, contact Jeffrey Potts of JP Media Partners at 916-526-2693.