Southeast Iowa Union acquires Henry Co. papers

MT. PLEASANT — The Southeast Iowa Union has announced the addition of two weekly publications to its ownership, the Winfield Beacon-Wayland News, and the New London Journal. The papers will join the Mt. Pleasant News, Fairfield Ledger, Washington Journal and Clarion Plainsman as SEIU-branded news outlets in the area.

The publications will keep their current subscribers, but get fresh local content written by the company’s reporters in its other daily outlets. Publisher Matt Bryant said the news team was committed to a high bar of quality for the papers.

“We are excited to be in a position to continue the long-standing traditions of these two publications,” Bryant said. “Both fit nicely into our footprint and we feel that our team at the Southeast Iowa Union can keep these newspapers relevant, informative and locally focused. More than anything, we are committed to keeping these newspapers in the communities they serve and highlighting the friends, families and neighbors that make these areas special.”

The Winfield paper printed its first edition under new ownership Thursday, Feb. 16, and the New London publication is set for its own on March 2.

The purchases continue a chain of acquisitions and new products from the Union, which has in the last year acquired six publications in the Iowa and Poweshiek County area (Hometown Current, Hometown Marketplace, Poweshiek County Chronicle Republican, Belle Plaine Star Pres Union, Marengo Pioneer Republican and the Williamsburg Journal Tribune) plus the Clarion-Plainsman, a weekly publication in the Richland area. The paper has also spread its wings in social media streaming, with the Washington Live!, Mt. Pleasant Live! and Fairfield Live! video platforms.