Pamplin Media Group

{{Short description|Media conglomerate, operating primarily in the Portland metropolitan area}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Pamplin Media Group

| type = Private

| industry = Media

| founded = 2001

| founder = Robert B. Pamplin, Jr.

| hq_location =

| owner = Carpenter Media Group

| num_employees = 200

| website = {{URL|pamplinsubscribe.com}}

| area_served = Portland metropolitan area

}}

The Pamplin Media Group (PMG) is a media conglomerate owned by Carpenter Media Group and operating primarily in the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr. founded the company in 2001 and sold it to Carpenter in 2024.{{Cite press release |title=Pamplin Media Group sells to Carpenter Media Group |date=2024-06-03 |publisher=Editor & Publisher |url=https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/pamplin-media-group-sells-to-carpenter-media-group,250127 |language=en |last1= |first1= |last2= |last3= |access-date=2024-06-03}}{{Cite news |last=Rogoway |first=Mike |date=June 3, 2024 |title=Pamplin Media, Portland Tribune’s owner, sells to Carpenter Media |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2024/06/pamplin-media-portland-tribunes-owner-sells-to-carpenter-media.html |access-date=June 8, 2024 |work=The Oregonian}} As of 2019, the company owns 25 newspapers and employs 200 people.{{cite news |last1=Rogoway |first1=Mike |title=Pamplin Media cuts pay, hours amid media industry's continued troubles |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2019/09/pamplin-media-cuts-pay-hours-amid-media-industrys-continued-troubles.html |access-date=September 21, 2019 |work=The Oregonian |date=September 19, 2019}}

Each chain writes and edits its own stories and shares them with each other and several subscribers, including newspapers in Medford, Corvallis, and Albany.{{Cite news |last=Hare |first=Kristen |date=September 24, 2018 |title=In Oregon, three news organizations are teaming up to cover state government |language=en |work=Poynter |url=https://www.poynter.org/news/oregon-three-news-organizations-are-teaming-cover-state-government |access-date=October 30, 2018}}{{Cite news |last=Ingram |first=Mathew |date=September 26, 2018 |title=Zuckerberg's death grip on Instagram |language=en |work=Columbia Journalism Review |url=https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/instagram-founders-leave-facebook.php |access-date=October 30, 2018}}{{Cite news |date=September 24, 2018 |title=Salem Reporter joins 2 news groups to expand state reporting |language=en |work=Salem Reporter |url=https://www.salemreporter.com/posts/40/salem-reporter-joins-2-news-groups-to-expand-state-reporting |access-date=October 30, 2018}}{{Cite news |date=September 24, 2018 |title=Media teams join forces to cover state government, politics |language=en-gb |work=Portland Tribune |url=https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/9-news/407114-305787-media-teams-join-forces-to-cover-state-government-politics |access-date=October 30, 2018}}{{Cite news |date=September 24, 2018 |title=Expanded state government reporting comes to Oregon |work=Blue Mountain Eagle |url=https://www.bluemountaineagle.com/bme/capital-bureau/20180924/expanded-state-government-reporting-comes-to-oregon |access-date=October 30, 2018}}{{Cite news |date=August 1, 2014 |title=EO Media Group, Pamplin launch Salem bureau for statehouse reporting |work=Capital Press |url=http://www.capitalpress.com/Oregon/20140801/eo-media-group-pamplin-launch-salem-bureau-for-statehouse-reporting |access-date=2018-10-30}}{{Cite news |date=February 23, 2015 |title=Newsletter covering Oregon government debuts |work=Blue Mountain Eagle |url=http://www.bluemountaineagle.com/Business/20150223/newsletter-covering-oregon-government-debuts |access-date=October 30, 2018}}

History

Robert B. Pamplin, Jr. purchased Community Newspapers, Inc. in August 2000. The sale included eleven newspapers in the Portland suburbs (Beaverton Valley Times, Forest Grove News-Times, Lake Oswego Review, Tigard Times, Tualatin Times, West Linn Tidings, Our Town, Sherwood Gazette and Southwest Community Connection). The total staff was about 130.{{Cite news |last=Tims |first=Dana |date=August 4, 2000 |title=Purchases solidify newspaper opposistion |work=The Oregonian |pages=95}} The company also acquired the Sellwood Bee around that time in a separate sale.{{cite news |last=Fitzsimons |first=Eileen G. |date=September 2006 |title=The Bee 100 Year Retrospective: 1981-2006: Reflection |url=http://www.readthebee.com:80/images/BEE_100th_Anniv_-_P_4.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090902053325/http://www.readthebee.com:80/images/BEE_100th_Anniv_-_P_4.pdf |archive-date=2009-09-02 |work=The Bee}} The papers were to be managed by Oregon Publications Corp., a subsidy of R.B. Pamplin Corp.{{Cite news |last=Samuels |first=Barbara |date=March 4, 2001 |title=Business Briefing |work=The Columbian |pages=46}} The business' name was later changed to Pamplin Media Group.

In November 2000, the company bought four titles from Lee Enterprises. The sale included The Gresham Outlook, the Sandy Post and two monthly publications: The East County News and Lifestyles Northwest.{{Cite news |last=Tomlinson |first=Stuart |date=November 12, 2000 |title=Millionaire buys four more news operations |work=The Sunday Oregonian |pages=40}} In February 2001, Pamplin founded the Portland Tribune, which would serve as the media group's flagship title.{{Cite news |last=McCall |first=William |date=2001-02-08 |title=Portland's venerable daily newspaper gets a competitor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-desert-sun-portlands-venerable-dail/155283182/ |access-date=2024-09-14 |work=The Desert Sun |pages=87}} In February 2005, Pamplin purchased the monthly newspaper King City Regal Courier from the Hieb family.{{Cite web |title=Regal Courier |url=https://muckrack.com/media-outlet/regal-courier |access-date=September 20, 2024 |website=Muck Rack}} In September 2012, the company launched the Hillsboro Tribune.{{cite news|last=Redden|first=Jim|title=Survey: City hits home run|url=http://portlandtribune.com/ht/117-hillsboro-tribune-news/114740-survey--city-hits-home-run|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016102834/http://portlandtribune.com/ht/117-hillsboro-tribune-news/114740-survey--city-hits-home-run|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 16, 2012|access-date=7 September 2012|newspaper=Hillsboro Tribune|date=September 5, 2012}}

On January 8, 2013, Pamplin bought five newspapers from Eagle Newspapers, Inc. in the Portland area (Canby Herald, Wilsonville Spokesman, Molalla Pioneer, The Newberg Graphic, and the Woodburn Independent), along with The Madras Pioneer in Central Oregon.{{cite news|title=Pamplin Media Group acquires 6 weekly papers from Eagle Newspapers|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/01/pamplin_media_group_acquires_6.html#incart_river_default|access-date=8 January 2013|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=January 8, 2013}}{{cite news|last=Giegerich|first=Andy|title=Pamplin Media buys more papers|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2013/01/08/pamplin-media-buys-more-papers.html|access-date=8 January 2013|newspaper=Portland Business Journal|date=January 8, 2013}} In June 2013, it also purchased the Central Oregonian from Eagle along with its printing facility in Prineville.{{cite news|last=Giegerich|first=Andy|title=Pamplin group buys Prineville's Central Oregonian paper|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2013/06/27/pamplin-group-buys-prinevilles.html|access-date=27 June 2013|newspaper=Portland Business Journal|date=June 27, 2013}}{{cite news |author= |date=June 27, 2013 |title=Pamplin newspaper group buys Central Oregonian |url=https://www.portlandtribune.com/news/pamplin-newspaper-group-buys-central-oregonian/article_128eab2c-6d7e-5a64-b4b1-01ecf1234cb2.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106114344/https://www.portlandtribune.com/news/pamplin-newspaper-group-buys-central-oregonian/article_128eab2c-6d7e-5a64-b4b1-01ecf1234cb2.html |archive-date=January 6, 2023 |access-date=January 6, 2023 |newspaper=Portland Tribune}}

In 2014, Pamplin partnered with the EO Media Group, which publishes the East Oregonian and several other weekly and monthly publications in Oregon, to form the Oregon Capital Bureau and publish the Oregon Capital Insider newsletter. The partnership came as the number of reporters assigned to state capital bureaus nationwide was on the decline.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2014-08-07 |title=Defying trend, newspaper companies launch new Salem bureau |url=https://www.portlandtribune.com/news/defying-trend-newspaper-companies-launch-new-salem-bureau/article_dd303f76-f016-585e-bfdc-f91ec72f5871.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222175641/https://www.portlandtribune.com/news/defying-trend-newspaper-companies-launch-new-salem-bureau/article_dd303f76-f016-585e-bfdc-f91ec72f5871.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 22, 2023 |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=Portland Tribune |language=en}} That same year Pamplin launched the Business Tribune, a business newspaper published as an insert section in the Portland Tribune.{{cite news |last=Tong |first=Vance W. |date=January 26, 2016 |title=Business news times two |url=http://www.pamplinmediagroup.com/but/239-news/290486-166454-business-news-times-two |accessdate=2017-05-25 |newspaper=Business Tribune}}

In 2018, the newly launched Salem Reporter joined the bureau, and its publisher, Les Zaitz, was assigned to lead its three reporters. The Salem Reporter left the cooperative in early 2020 and Zaitz left the operation. The Oregon Capital Bureau as of late winter 2020 includes just the EO Media Group and Pamplin.{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=https://www.oregoncapitalinsider.com/site/about.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122093903/https://www.oregoncapitalinsider.com/site/about.html |archive-date=2021-11-22 |access-date=2022-07-25 |website=Oregon Capital Insider |language=en}} Also in 2018, Pamplin completed a $1 million expansion on its Gresham press plant.{{Cite web |last=Wells |first=Shannon O. |date=2018-03-27 |title=Pamplin Media rolls out its press plant expansion |url=https://www.forestgrovenewstimes.com/news/pamplin-media-rolls-out-its-press-plant-expansion/article_de7b0d88-ce51-5679-9cc9-41416880c624.html |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=Forest Grove News-Times |language=en}}

In August 2019, the Hillsboro Tribune was merged into the Forest Grove News-Times.{{cite news |author=Pamplin Media Group |author-link=Pamplin Media Group |date=August 7, 2019 |title=Hillsboro Tribune will publish under News-Times flag: Newspaper will be published as zoned edition of the News-Times |url=https://pamplinmedia.com/ht/117-hillsboro-tribune-news/435448-345868-hillsboro-tribune-to-be-replaced-by-news-times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190808080732/https://pamplinmedia.com/ht/117-hillsboro-tribune-news/435448-345868-hillsboro-tribune-to-be-replaced-by-news-times |archive-date=August 8, 2019 |access-date=August 8, 2019 |newspaper=Hillsboro Tribune |pages=A1, A16}} In January 2020, the Canby Herald and Molalla Pioneer were merged to form The Herald-Pioneer.{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=John |date=2020-01-13 |title=Financial reality in Molalla means real changes |url=https://www.canbyherald.com/opinion/financial-reality-in-molalla-means-real-changes/article_88adadd5-c522-5277-830d-315bd3ff5c03.html |access-date=2024-09-20 |website=Canby Herald |language=en}} In March that same year, about 20 newsroom employees were laid off and staff hours were reduced following a loss of revenue stemming from the COVID-19 recession in the United States.{{Cite web |last=Singer |first=Matthew |date=2020-04-03 |title=Veteran Sportswriter Kerry Eggers Is Among Those Laid Off by Pamplin Media Group |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2020/04/02/veteran-sportswriter-kerry-eggers-is-among-those-laid-off-by-pamplin-media-group/ |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=Willamette Week |language=en}} In July 2022, Pamplin announced it would no longer host a comments section on the articles published to its websites.{{Cite web |last=Pursinger |first=Geoff |date=July 26, 2022 |title=Column: Our comments are leaving; our commitment isn't |url=https://www.theoutlookonline.com/opinion/column-our-comments-are-leaving-our-commitment-isnt/article_6004bb54-9690-559e-9e65-d6183cc649da.html |access-date=October 11, 2024 |website=The Gresham Outlook |language=en-us}}

In April 2023, Pamplin launched YourOregonNews.com, which aggregates stories from all of its newspapers.{{Cite news |date=April 24, 2023 |title=Pamplin Media launches regional website – YourOregonNews.com |url=https://www.youroregonnews.com/news/pamplin-media-launches-regional-website-youroregonnews-com/article_42030593-3979-571d-b061-5f5195058146.html |access-date=July 10, 2023 |work=YourOregonNews.com}} That same year in June, Pamplin agreed to sell its 39,000-square-foot Milwaukie-area building headquarters to Clackamas County for $11 million.{{Cite web |last=Redleman |first=Raymond |date=2023-06-01 |title=Portland Tribune parent company Pamplin Media Group to sell Milwaukie-area headquarters to Clackamas County |url=https://www.bendbulletin.com/business/portland-tribune-parent-company-pamplin-media-group-to-sell-milwaukie-area-headquarters-to-clackamas-county/article_10198fec-00c4-11ee-bff0-47cb339f98a2.html |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=The Bulletin |language=en}} In August, the Clackamas Review switched from weekly to monthly publication and was renamed to the Milwaukie Review. The Oregon City News switched to monthly publication as well.{{Cite web |last=Monihan |first=J. Brian |date=2023-06-28 |title=Changes happening to the Clackamas Review |url=https://www.clackamasreview.com/news/changes-happening-to-the-clackamas-review/article_ba67f5e6-15e7-11ee-b424-cb080a068f69.html |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=Milwaukie Review |language=en}}

In December 2023, Pamplin announced its Gresham printing plant would close the following month and about two dozen employees would lose their jobs. Pamplin shifted production of its newspapers to The Columbian{{'s}} plant in Vancouver, Washington.{{Cite web |last=Jaquiss |first=Nigel |date=2023-12-18 |title=Pamplin Media Group Will Shut Down Printing Press |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/business/2023/12/18/pamplin-media-group-will-shut-down-printing-press/ |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=Willamette Week |language=en}}

In June 2024, Pamplin was sold to Carpenter Media Group. Six weeks later an unknown number of employees were laid off, including longtime statehouse reporter Peter Wong.{{Cite web |last=Kish |first=Matthew |date=2024-07-17 |title=New owner of Portland Tribune, other Oregon newspapers lays off some staff |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2024/07/new-owner-of-portland-tribune-other-oregon-newspapers-lays-off-some-staff.html |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=The Oregonian |language=en}} That same month the Sherwood Gazette ceased publication{{Cite web |last=DeBuse |first=Nikki |date=2024-07-24 |title=Sherwood Gazette to cease publication |url=https://www.sherwoodgazette.com/news/sherwood-gazette-to-cease-publication/article_2e22fd3c-4562-11ef-ae93-bf51e66e97fd.html |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=Sherwood Gazette |language=en}} and the Estacada News was later shuttered.{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Steve |date=2024-08-22 |title=Help the Estacada News: Our newspaper is making big changes, but it's not too late to help |url=https://www.estacadanews.com/news/help-the-estacada-news-our-newspaper-is-making-big-changes-but-its-not-too-late/article_76c224c4-5be1-11ef-b769-c7f13166a413.html |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=Estacada News |language=en}}