This story was published in the Stowe Reporter on Aug. 16.
[T]he Other Paper in South Burlington is joining the Stowe Reporter newspaper family.
The purchase took effect today.
That brings to six the number of micro-local weekly newspapers in the Stowe Reporter group. The others are the Shelburne News; The Citizen, which covers Charlotte and Hinesburg; the Waterbury Record; and the News & Citizen of Morrisville.
“We’ve had a long collaboration with The Other Paper, and now we’re part of the same family. The paper’s commitment to community journalism is strong, and we’re excited to now own three newspapers in Chittenden County,” said Greg Popa, publisher of the Stowe Reporter group. “It’s a perfect fit for us.”
Judy Kearns, who has owned The Other Paper for the past decade, will continue working for the paper, focusing on advertising sales and offering her institutional knowledge to the newspaper’s expanded news staff. Kearns will be director of sales and oversee the sales effort for the Shelburne News and The Citizen as well.
“I’m excited to be partnering with everyone at the Stowe Reporter and being able to work closely with the Shelburne News and The Citizen, which the Other Paper has had such a close relationship with for decades,” Kearns said. “But it’s still a little bittersweet. Everyone who works at the OP has poured their hearts into this endeavor and been so loyal, not just to me, but to the whole South Burlington community. The good news is we’re taking this journey forward together.”
Expanding into Chittenden County is a natural move for the Stowe Reporter, Popa said. The newspaper company already has many advertising connections there through its membership in the Burlington Area Newspaper Group, an ad-buying group with eight member papers.
Popa said it’s important to continue the tradition of local news coverage provided by The Other Paper, and no immediate changes are planned.
