Jim and Sandy Poole, owners of the Times-Journal in Cobleskill, New York, have sold the newspaper after 32 years of ownership, according to John Cribb, Cribb, Cope & Potts who represented the Poole family in the transaction. The T-J was sold to Mark Vinciguerra, owner of Capital Region Independent Media.
A champion of local journalism, Vinciguerra publishes the Ravena News-Herald, Greenville Pioneer, Granville Sentinel and The Whitehall Times among his six weeklies and many specialty magazines.
“Mark knows the value of local news, and he very much recognizes that people in rural communities can’t get reliable news without dependable papers,” Jim Poole said. “At the same time, Mark’s innovative by boosting the digital side. He’ll raise the Times-Journal to a level it hasn’t been before.”
Vinciguerra’s experience includes stints at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and the Syracuse Post-Standard. As daily papers changed and contracted their coverage, he saw opportunities in weeklies — both as essential news for readers and valuable advertising outlets for businesses.
“I’m very much looking forward to working with the members of the T-J team and to carry on Jim’s work and continue to bring quality local news and information to the area,” Vinciguerra said.
The T-J has strived to have a mix of news people need to read and what they want to read, plus sports, feature stories and a lively opinion page bolstered by letters to the editor.
“Much of the Times-Journal’s success stems from its staff that’s dedicated to the news business,” Jim Poole said. “Just as important are the devoted readers who interact with the paper every week.”
Poole started as a reporter for the Times-Journal in 1977 and became editor in 1979 before he and Sandy Poole bought the T-J and The Printers, the commercial printing business, in 1992.
C.L. Ryder was the publisher from 1919 until 1974, a stretch of 55 years. Jim Poole is the second-longest T-J publisher at 32 years.
“I’m proud to be second, but it’s a very distant second,” he said.
Jim Poole will remain with the T-J during the transition and plans to continue as a reporter.
About Cribb, Cope & Potts:
John Thomas Cribb of Cribb, Cope & Potts represented the Poole family in the transaction. Cribb, Cope & Potts is a leading merger and acquisition firm with offices in Arkansas, Montana and California.
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