July 1, 2014 (La Mesa)--The Mission Times Courier, Mission Valley News and La Mesa Courier are joining the San Diego Community News Network (SDCNN) and its group of award-winning community newspapers, strengthening SDCNN’s community news voice in San Diego.
SDCNN’s purchase of the trio of newspapers from Jim Madaffer’s Mission Publishing Group takes effect July 1. The acquisition also includes Mission Publishing Group’s online news site, ScoopSanDiego.com, a press release issued yesterday by Mission Publishing announced.
“San Diego Community News Network Publisher David Mannis has a long history devoted to offering top-flight community news in San Diego County, and we look forward to that continuing with his acquisition of these Mission Publishing Group newspapers,” Madaffer said.
SDCNN publishes the San Diego Uptown News, San Diego Downtown News and Gay San Diego in providing in-depth, hyper-local community news that has been increasingly ignored by larger media companies in the region.
Mannis, a native San Diegan, has been in the publishing industry for more than 30 years. He previously published the La Jolla Village News, Beach & Bay Press and The Peninsula Beacon, and just celebrated the five-year anniversary of SDCNN in June.
The combined 68,000 circulation of the newly acquired newspapers will give SDCNN a total circulation of 130,000, with a distribution that expands its current reach of Uptown and Downtown neighborhoods into those of eastern and central San Diego, including Mission Valley, San Carlos, Allied Gardens, Grantville, Del Cerro, the College Area, La Mesa and others.
“Jim has done a terrific job over the last two decades and these papers have truly become staples of the neighborhoods they serve,” Mannis said. “The SDCNN team is excited to add these quality newspapers to our family of community papers and we look forward to serving the people and businesses of these vibrant areas.”
A former San Diego City Councilmember, Madaffer is president of Madaffer Enterprises, Inc., a government affairs consulting firm located in Downtown San Diego. He serves on the board of directors of the San Diego County Water Authority and was appointed to the California Transportation Commission earlier this year by Gov. Jerry Brown.
The award-winning Mission Times Courier has become among the most beloved community newspapers in the region since its founding in 1995. Madaffer’s former wife, Sally Ortega, served as editor and publisher from 1995-2010. Jim Madaffer took over operations in 2010, adding the Mission Valley News and the La Mesa Courier since then. Advertising revenues have nearly quadrupled during his tenure as full-time writers, graphic artists, and web staff were hired.
Not included in the sale is the Seaside Courier, which launched in late 2013 and covers the coastal communities of Del Mar north through Oceanside. The monthly newspaper is mailed to 28,000 homes and businesses in Encinitas and its daily website, SeasideCourier.com, regularly beats larger media outlets on stories of importance in the area it covers.
Madaffer will remain busy with his government affairs consulting firm, serial entrepreneurship and volunteer activities.
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