GateHouse agrees to buy Fall River, Taunton papers

GateHouse Media, Inc., which owns more than 100 daily and weekly newspapers in Massachusetts, is expanding its Massachusetts holdings, agreeing today to pay about $70 million for daily newspapers in Fall River and Taunton and several weeklies owned by the Journal Register Co.

(Read the press releases from GateHouse Media and Journal Register Co.)

The papers include the Herald News of Fall River, the Daily Gazette of Taunton, both daily newspapers; Free-Press, of North Attleborough; O Jornal, a Portuguese language publication; and El Latino Expreso, a Spanish-language publication.

The deal is expected to close before the end of the year, the memo said.

The acquisition further expands the footprint of GateHouse in New England. Earlier this year, GateHouse, of Fairport, N.Y., bought more than 100 daily and weekly newspapers from Boston Herald Publisher Patrick Purcell, as well as the holdings of Enterprise NewsMedia, LLC, including the Patriot Ledger of Quincy, Enterprise of Brockton and the Memorial Press Group of Plymouth, a chain of weeklies.

The Journal Register Co., of Yardley, Pa., said in August said it would explore the sale of its Massachusetts and Rhode Island newspapers. The combined revenue of the Massachusetts and Rhode Island papers were about $40 million in the 12 months between June 2005 and 2006, the Journal Register said when it announced the possible sale.

The Rhode Island papers aren't included in the sale to GateHouse.

"The Fall River and Taunton assets fit extremely well with our existing base of Massachusetts-area publications and are the premiere local media franchises in their respective markets, " Michael E. Reed, chief executive of GateHouse Media, said in a statement. "Due to their proximity to our existing operations, we will be able to benefit from the cost savings and revenue generation opportunities that are inherent in being part of a cluster."

(By Robert Gavin, Globe staff)

For previous Globe coverage of GateHouse Media, click here.