The Intelligencer Sold, Company Announces

The Bucks County Courier Times, The Intelligencer and the Burlington County Times will be sold to GateHouse Media, according to Calkins Media, which for 80 years has owned and operated the local newspapers.

Calkins Media sold its TV assets in April; the deal with GateHouse Media includes the sale of The Courier Times, The Intelligencer, the Burlington County Times, the Beaver County Times and the Ellwood City Ledger and Calkins Digital, the companyannounced on the website. The Uniontown Herald-Standard, weekly Greene County Messenger and SWC Properties will be purchased by Ogden Newspapers.

The deals are expected to close June 30.

The decision was "extremely difficult, said Charles C. Smith, who serves on Calkins’ board of directors and is a third-generation family member.

“All of us grew up and many still live in these communities and have a sense of responsibility to serve them,” Smith said. “To not have a role in that anymore is extremely difficult for us.”

According to information on the Bucks County Courier Times website, GateHouse Media publishes 656 community and business publications, including 130 daily newspapers.

PHOTO: Morguefile