Hersam Acorn Newspapers
Encyclopedia
Hersam Acorn Newspapers is a family-owned weekly newspaper
company based in Ridgefield, Connecticut
, USA. The company publishes 19 weeklies in Farfield
and New Haven
counties, Connecticut
, and Westchester County
, New York
, and several shopper
publications in Connecticut, Massachusetts
, New York and Vermont
.
Hersam Acorn was founded in 1997 after the merger of the Hersam Publishing Company, founded in 1908, with Acorn Press, founded in 1937. In September 2007, the company made its largest acquisition to date, buying the former Hometown Publications and Trumbull Printing, founded in 1959, from Journal Communications
, which had purchased them in 1979.
s and publish on Thursday. Following the Hometown acquisition, Hersam Acorn redesigned its 11 newest papers and said it would give them a local focus. Hersam Acorn newspapers in late 2007 (with weekly circulation in parentheses) were:
Weekly newspaper
A weekly newspaper is a general-news publication that is published on newsprint once or twice a week.Such newspapers tend to have smaller circulations than daily newspapers, and are usually based in less-populous communities or small, defined areas within large cities; often, they may cover a...
company based in Ridgefield, Connecticut
Ridgefield, Connecticut
Ridgefield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Situated in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, the 300-year-old community had a population of 24,638 at the 2010 census. The town center, which was formerly a borough, is defined by the U.S...
, USA. The company publishes 19 weeklies in Farfield
Fairfield County, Connecticut
Fairfield County is a county located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The county population is 916,829 according to the 2010 Census. There are currently 1,465 people per square mile in the county. It is the most populous county in the State of Connecticut and contains...
and New Haven
New Haven County, Connecticut
New Haven County is a county located in the south central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2010 Census, the county population is 862,477 making it the third most populated county in Connecticut. There are 1,340 people per square mile...
counties, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, and Westchester County
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and several shopper
Pennysaver
A pennysaver A pennysaver A pennysaver (or free ads paper, Friday Ad (British English or shopper) is a kind of free community periodical available in North America (typically weekly or monthly publications) that advertises items for sale. Frequently pennysavers are actually called The Pennysaver...
publications in Connecticut, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, New York and Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
.
Hersam Acorn was founded in 1997 after the merger of the Hersam Publishing Company, founded in 1908, with Acorn Press, founded in 1937. In September 2007, the company made its largest acquisition to date, buying the former Hometown Publications and Trumbull Printing, founded in 1959, from Journal Communications
Journal Communications
Journal Communications, Inc. is a publicly traded media company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It publishes the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a daily newspaper, and it also owns television stations, radio stations and weekly newspapers, among other businesses.-History:The Milwaukee Journal was...
, which had purchased them in 1979.
Properties
The original eight Hersam Acorn newspapers are all broadsheetBroadsheet
Broadsheet is the largest of the various newspaper formats and is characterized by long vertical pages . The term derives from types of popular prints usually just of a single sheet, sold on the streets and containing various types of material, from ballads to political satire. The first broadsheet...
s and publish on Thursday. Following the Hometown acquisition, Hersam Acorn redesigned its 11 newest papers and said it would give them a local focus. Hersam Acorn newspapers in late 2007 (with weekly circulation in parentheses) were:
- Amity Observer of Orange, ConnecticutOrange, ConnecticutOrange is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 13,233 at the 2000 census. A 2007 Census Bureau estimate puts the population at 13,813. The town is governed by a Board of Selectmen.-History:...
(8,582 -- from Hometown; also covers BethanyBethany, ConnecticutBethany is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,040 at the 2000 census. Bethany was first settled in 1717 but it was not until May 1832 that Bethany separated from Woodbridge to become incorporated as a town. This slightly remote, sparsely populated,...
and WoodbridgeWoodbridge, ConnecticutWoodbridge is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,983 at the 2000 census. It is one of the wealthiest towns in Connecticut, ranking 16th in the state in terms of per capita income, and is home to many of the faculty of Yale University...
) - Bridgeport News of Bridgeport, ConnecticutBridgeport, ConnecticutBridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
(9,874 -- from Hometown) - The Darien Times of Darien, ConnecticutDarien, ConnecticutDarien is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. A relatively small community on Connecticut's "Gold Coast", the population was 20,732 at the 2010 census. Darien was listed at #9 at CNN Money's list of "top-earning towns" in the United States as of 2011...
(6,454) - Easton Courier of Easton, ConnecticutEaston, ConnecticutEaston is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,490 at the 2010 census. Easton contains the historic district of Aspetuck....
(1,601 -- from Hometown) - Fairfield Today of Fairfield, ConnecticutFairfield, ConnecticutFairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Redding and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 59,404...
(6,362 -- from Hometown) - Greenwich Post of Greenwich, ConnecticutGreenwich, ConnecticutGreenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
(14,901 -- acquired in 2003) - New Canaan Advertiser of New Canaan, ConnecticutNew Canaan, ConnecticutNew Canaan is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, northeast of Stamford, on the Fivemile River. The population was 19,738 according to the 2010 census.The town is one of the most affluent communities in the United States...
(6,815 -- founded in 1908) - Lewisboro Ledger of Lewisboro, New YorkLewisboro, New YorkLewisboro is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 12,411 at the 2010 census. The town is named after John Lewis.- History :...
(2,201) - Huntington Herald of Shelton, ConnecticutShelton, ConnecticutShelton is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,559 at the 2010 census.-Origins:Shelton was settled by the English as part of the town of Stratford, Connecticut, in 1639...
(5,666 -- from Hometown) - Milford Mirror of Milford, ConnecticutMilford, ConnecticutMilford is a coastal city in southwestern New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located between Bridgeport and New Haven. The population was 52,759 at the 2010 census...
(14,542 -- from Hometown) - Monroe Courier of Monroe, ConnecticutMonroe, ConnecticutMonroe is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 19,479 at the 2010 census. The current first selectman is Steve Vavrek....
(3,783) - The Redding Pilot of Redding, ConnecticutRedding, ConnecticutMark Twain, a resident of the town in his old age, contributed the first books for a public library which was eventually named after him.-Government:...
(2,566) - The Ridgefield PressThe Ridgefield PressThe Ridgefield Press is an American weekly newspaper published each Thursday for Ridgefield, Connecticut. The newspaper was established in 1875 and has a paid circulation of about 7,000 copies...
of Ridgefield, ConnecticutRidgefield, ConnecticutRidgefield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Situated in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, the 300-year-old community had a population of 24,638 at the 2010 census. The town center, which was formerly a borough, is defined by the U.S...
(7,296 -- oldest paper in the chain, established in 1875) - Stratford Star of Stratford, ConnecticutStratford, ConnecticutStratford is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Housatonic River. It was founded by Puritans in 1639....
(14,719 -- from Hometown) - Trumbull Times of Trumbull, ConnecticutTrumbull, ConnecticutTrumbull, a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut in the New England region of the United States, is bordered by the towns of Monroe, Shelton, Stratford, Bridgeport, Fairfield and Easton along Connecticut's Gold Coast. The population was 36,018 according to the 2010 census.Family Circle magazine...
(6,520 -- from Hometown) - Valley/Oxford Gazette of Derby, ConnecticutDerby, ConnecticutDerby is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,391 at the 2000 census. With of land area, Derby is Connecticut's smallest municipality.The city has a Metro-North railroad station called Derby – Shelton.-History:...
(17,626 -- from Hometown; also covers AnsoniaAnsonia, ConnecticutAnsonia is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, on the Naugatuck River, immediately north of Derby and about northwest of New Haven. The population was 19,249 at the 2010 census. The ZIP code for Ansonia is 06401. The city is serviced by the Metro North railroad...
, OxfordOxford, ConnecticutOxford is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,272 at the 2010 Census. There are several areas in Oxford: Quaker Farms, Riverside and Oxford Center. Oxford belongs to the Naugatuck Valley Economic Development Region and the Central...
and SeymourSeymour, ConnecticutSeymour is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named for Governor Thomas H. Seymour. The population was 15,454 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
) - The Weston Forum of Weston, ConnecticutWeston, ConnecticutWeston is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The population was 10,179 at the 2010 census. The town is served by Route 57 and Route 53, both of which run through the town center. About 19% of the town's workforce commutes to New York City, about to the southwest.Like many towns in...
(4,103) - The Wilton Bulletin of Wilton, ConnecticutWilton, ConnecticutWilton is a town nestled in the Norwalk River Valley in southwestern Connecticut in the United States. It is located in Fairfield County. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 18,062. In 2007, it was voted as one of CNN Money's "Best Places to Live" in the United States.Located along...
(3,406)