Community Publishers to Buy Tulsa Publisher, Add 19 Papers

Community Publishers Inc. of Bentonville announced Oct. 26 it has reached an agreement to purchase Retherford Publications of Tulsa.

Retherford is the largest privately owned newspaper firm in Oklahoma, operating 15 community newspapers and four specialty publications.

CPI is owned by Wal-Mart heir Jim Walton.

The deal is expected to close before the end of the year. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Michael R. Brown, executive vice president of CPI, will be publisher of the Tulsa-area publications after the sale closes, said Steve Trolinger, president of CPI. Brown was most recently publisher of the Benton County Daily Record at Bentonville.

Trolinger said CPI had only been looking at purchasing Retherford for about three weeks before the announcement. The deal was not a reactionary move to Wehco Media Group’s decision to purchase the Northwest Arkansas Times of Fayetteville, Benton County Daily Record of Bentonville and eight weekly newspapers from the Walton-owned CPI, Trolinger said.

Wehco, owned by Walter Hussman, was in the fifth year of a 10-year lease agreement with CPI. The group had an option to buy at any time during the 10-year period. CPI had a similar option to force Hussman to buy.

“We’re always looking for quality newspapers to acquire,” Trolinger said. “There’s a lot of growth in suburban Tulsa.”

Retherford publications included in the deal are the Bixby Bulletin, Broken Arrow Daily Ledger, Catoosa Times, Collinsville News, Coweta American, Daily Commerce and Legal News, Glenpool Post, Guffey’s Real Estate Journal, Jenks Journal, Keystone Marketplace, Mannford Eagle, Owasso Reporter, Pennysaver, Sand Springs Leader, Sand Springs Marketplace, Skiatook Journal, Tulsa Business Journal, Tulsa County News and the Wagoner Tribune.

CPI owns 10 daily and weekly newspapers in Arkansas and Missouri as well as a commercial printing business in Harrison and Springfield, Mo.

Retherford Publications was founded in 1965 when the late Bill Retherford purchased the Tulsa County News. The company is owned by the Retherford family, including Mary Retherford, widow of the founder, and Lisa Walker, his daughter.