In what looks like a match made in heaven, Jim O’Rourke has added Donna Allen’s Times Publishing Newspapers to his growing stable.
Announcing the acquisition in the Bucks County, Pennsylvania masthead, Donna Allen says she and her husband Mark are “so happy to have found Jim O’Rourke because he has proven that he’s able to successfully acquire, strengthen, and continue publishing into the future.
“We expect great things to come.”
O’Rourke, whose O’Rourke Media Group is based in Gilbert, Arizona, sees the strategic acquisition as part of continued expansion in the US’ east/northeast region. It also operates local newspapers, websites and niche publications in Delaware, Virginia and Vermont.
“Each of our acquisitions are so intriguing to me in that they present opportunities to learn from great entrepreneurs and business operators, like Donna Allen,” says O’Rourke. “We are excited to invest in and build a digital audience around the Times Publishing Newspaper brands along with bringing our digital agency solutions to local businesses in these markets.”
He says OMG plans to replicate and expand the business model in “many more” markets in the Philadelphia region over the next few years.
All Times’ employees are continuing with the company at its established office in Morrisville.
The Times Publishing papers include Doylestown Observer, Fairless Focus, Langhorne Ledger, Morrisville Times, Newtown Gazette, Northampton Herald, New Hope News, Lower Southampton Spirit, Warwick Journal and the Yardley Voice.
Donna Allen founded the company more than 29 years ago, launching each newspaper from scratch. Editions are distributed through the post office to over 120,000 households 11 months a year.
O’Rourke Media Group – which launched in December 2018, “totally bootstrapped” – now operates in nine states and 38 markets with 51 publications and hyperlocal websites.
Pictured (from left): Chelsea Allen, Mark Allen, Donna Allen (with Jazzy), Mike Smith, Jim O’Rourke, Geoff Hansell, and Erica McNamee.
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