The sole newspaper in Hopkinsville has been sold. Kentucky New Era Media Group made the announcement to employees Friday that it sold its five papers to Paxton Media Group.
In addition to the New Era, the newspaper reports the Dawson Springs Progress, the Princeton Times Leader, the Providence Journal-Enterprise and the Oak Grove Eagle Post are also part of the deal and will join Paxton Media Group, which is a family-owned company headquartered in Paducah. Paxton Media Group also owns WPSD Channel 6 in Paducah.
Publisher-editor Taylor Hayes said in the article it was important to his family to keep it in the commonwealth and pass it on to another family.
Paxton now owns more than 35 daily newspapers and numerous weekly publications across ten states.
The paper was founded in 1869 by John D. Morris and Asher Graham Caruth, as the Weekly Kentucky New Era, according to Wikipedia. In 1881, attorney Hunter Wood became sole owner of the paper. Daily publication began in 1888, although the weekly also continued publication until World War II.
In 1997, Hunter Wood’s great-great-grandson, Taylor Hayes, became CEO and publisher of the paper.
