Times Media Group acquires Picket Fence Media

Times Media Group President Steve Strickbine has announced that his company has acquired Picket Fence Media’s award-winning Southern California brands.

Picket Fence Media publishes the weekly San Clemente Times, Dana Point Times and the bi-weekly Capistrano Dispatch (covering San Juan Capistrano and Rancho Mission Viejo). The group joins Times Media Group’s other Southern California community news properties, including the Pasadena Weekly, LA Downtown News, The Argonaut in Santa Monica and the Ventura County Reporter among others.

“We are very excited to expand our footprint into these thriving communities, providing news and information to readers as well as opportunities for advertisers with the same high standards of excellence Norb Garrett and his team have established over the past 17 years,” said Strickbine.

Media executive and entrepreneur Garrett founded Picket Fence in 2006. The company consists of the newspapers, websites, social media channels, custom magazine publishing and e-newsletters. Last year, The Dana Point Times earned the prestigious CNPA California Journalism Award for General Excellence for weekly newspapers. PFM has been at the fore of great journalism in the SoCal area for most of its history, having earned nearly 100 editorial awards since the San Clemente Times, its original newspaper, launched in 2006.

PFM’s media products cover the desirable coastal and historic South Orange County communities of San Clemente, Capistrano Beach, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano and Rancho Mission Viejo.

“Steve and I share the same belief in the power and importance of original, hyper-local community journalism,” said Garrett, who along with his wife and general manager, Alyssa, has operated PFM since its launch. “By merging our businesses together and leveraging the deep resources of Times Media Group, I believe we’ve secured a bright future for The San Clemente Times, Dana Point Times and The Capistrano Dispatch. I believe we’ve found the perfect match for Picket Fence Media’s brand ambitions.”

Times Media Group will continue to operate the Picket Fence Media publications from PFM’s address in Capistrano Beach.

Times Media Group, founded in 1997 by Strickbine, owns and operates more than 35 publications throughout Arizona and Southern California, including more than 25 weekly community newspapers and companion websites. TMG also owns and operates AZ Integrated Media, a media distribution and custom publishing company.