Tribune-Review Co. Buys Six Weeklies in Pennsylvania

By: The parent company of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has a tentative agreement to purchase a group of six weekly newspapers in Westmoreland County.

Known as the Laurel Group Newspapers, they are The Mount Pleasant Journal; The Independent Observer of Scottdale; The Ligonier Echo; The Times Sun of West Newton; The Advisor, which serves Youngwood and New Stanton; and the Jeannette Spirit.

A purchase price was not released.

Tribune-Review Publishing Co. president and CEO Ralph Martin said the company plans to continue publishing the papers, some of which have been in business for more than a century. The weeklies have a combined staff of about 24 people and the sale is not expected to affect their jobs.

Tribune-Review Publishing is also the parent of the daily Tribune-Review in Greensburg and four other dailies; the Trib PM, an afternoon tabloid; 18 other weekly newspapers; and various Web sites and magazines.