Journal Register Company
The Journal Register Company signed a "stalking horse" agreement with 21st CMH Acquisition Co., a unit of Alden Global Capital. JRC declared bankruptcy in September.

The purchase may seem a little weird because Alden already owns Journal Register Company. At the time JRC declared bankruptcy, Digital First Media CEO John Paton sent an FAQ to employees (PDF) that said the company could "no longer afford the legacy obligations incurred in the past."

Many of those obligations, such as leases, were entered into in the past when revenues, at their peak, were nearly twice as big as they are today and are no longer sustainable. (more...)

San Jose Mercury News
Bay Area News Group (BANG) has reversed its decision to combine its East Bay papers into two mastheads after getting negative feedback from the community. BANG also announced Thursday that it will halt home delivery on Mondays of the Oakland Tribune, The Argus and the Hayward Daily Review, starting sometime in November. Monday papers will still be available at stores and news racks; there will also be electronic versions.

BANG and parent company MediaNews Group said they plan to emphasize social media and community participation, with the addition of a community media center in the new Oakland Tribune newsroom. "This strategy is in the forefront of the newspaper industry's transition from print-centric businesses to a locally focused provider of news and information across multiple platforms," says MediaNews Group CEO John Paton. The San Francisco Chronicle reported rumblings about these moves on Oct. 21.