Democrat-Gazette, Stephens Media seek to merge news operations in northwest Arkansas

Democrat-Gazette, Stephens Media seek Ark. merger

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Stephens Media and WEHCO Media Inc. are seeking a joint venture that would merge the newsrooms of two longtime competitive northwest Arkansas newspapers.

Both companies said on their Web sites Thursday they had asked the Justice Department for approval.

Under the plan, Las Vegas-based Stephens Media would put its flagship paper in the region, The Morning News, up for sale. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette would handle business operations and cover regional and state news, while Stephens would oversee local newsrooms in Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers and Springdale.

The local papers would be wrapped around a zoned edition of the Little Rock-based Democrat-Gazette.

The newspapers have been battling for readers for the past decade but have been hit hard by the economic downturn.