News Biz: Sun-Focus Chain Sold to ECM

The weekly newspaper that serves Fridley has a new owner.

ECM Publishers, based in Coon Rapids, announced the sealing of a deal this week to buy the local Sun Newspaper Group from Texas-based American Community Newspapers.

in December.

The Sun-Focus newspaper, which covers Fridley and Columbia Heights, is part of the Sun chain.

At MinnPost, David Brauer saw the deal this way:

No purchase price was given, but Sun's struggles before and after a 2009 bankruptcy make it likely the acquisition wasn't a back-breaker. ECM executives have spoken of injecting newsroom resources into the cut-weary titles.

ECM will likely consolidate back-office costs and printing. ...

Today's announcement did not mention consolidating papers.

Meanwhile, another news-media chain with several metro-area newspapers announced plans for a regional news service. Forum Communication said its

newspapers, websites, magazines and broadcast outlets in North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin will provide content for the news service – an effort that will begin immediately. Over the next two years, the company will make continued investments into the news service with the intention of building the most comprehensive, affordable product to which other media outlets throughout the Upper Midwest can subscribe.