August 6, 2009
MEMORANDUM
TO: Employees of the Austin American-Statesman
FROM: Michael Vivio, Publisher, Austin American-Statesman
SUBJECT: The Austin American-Statesman No Longer For Sale
I am pleased to announce that the Austin American-Statesman is no longer for sale and will remain part of Cox Enterprises. Since Cox announced its intent to sell the paper in August 2008, the Statesman received substantial interest from potential buyers. However, Cox did not feel that the offers reflected the true value of the Statesman.
The Longview News-Journal, The Marshall News Messenger and their associated publications remain for sale, and I will continue to keep you updated on the sales process.
To-date, Cox has sold the following properties:
· Colorado:
o The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction)
o The Nickel (Grand Junction)
· North Carolina:
o The Daily Reflector (Greenville)
o Rocky Mount Telegram (Rocky Mount)
o The Daily Advance (Elizabeth City)
o Beaufort-Hyde News (Bellhaven)
o Bertie-Ledger Advance (Windsor)
o The Chowan Herald (Edonton)
o Duplin Times (Kenansville)
o The Enterprise (Williamston)
o Farmville Enterprise (Farmville)
o Perquimans Weekly (Elizabeth City)
o Standard Laconic (Snow Hill)
o Times-Leader (Ayden-Grifton)
o Weekly Herald (Robersonville)
o Saving Source Direct
· Texas:
o Waco Tribune-Herald (Waco)
o The Lufkin Daily News (Lufkin)
o The Daily Sentinel (Nacogdoches)
I want to thank each of you for your commitment to our paper throughout the last year. You have done a great job since Cox’s initial announcement of its intention to sell the Statesman, and you continue to play a critical role. With this announcement, we can return to business as usual and continue to be the primary source of news and information for our community.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
-Michael
