21st Century Buys Brill Media Newspapers

By: Lucia Moses Pontiac-based 21st Century Newspapers Inc. will be able to deliver advertisers a bigger slice of Michigan, thanks to its purchase last week of the bankrupt Brill Media Co.'s newspaper properties.

With the deal, 21st Century acquired its fourth daily, The Morning Sun in Mount Pleasant, as well as 23 weeklies in central and northern Michigan. The price was not disclosed.

The papers were bought at an auction held under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The deal marks 21st Century's fifth acquisition since Frank Shepherd founded the company in 1995, and its second this year. The company purchased Heritage Newspapers in March.