HD Media

HD Media
TypeLimited Liability Company, Private
IndustryNewspapers, Magazines
Founded2013; 13 years ago (2013)
HeadquartersHuntington, West Virginia
Key peopleDoug Reynolds, Managing Director
Phil Perry, president
SubsidiariesThe Herald-Dispatch
Charleston Gazette-Mail
Websitehdmediallc.com

HD Media Co., LLC is a Huntington, West Virginia, based publisher of daily and weekly newspapers and magazines. It was established by Doug Reynolds in 2013 to purchase The Herald-Dispatch from Champion Industries.

History

In 2013, Champion Industries sold The Herald-Dispatch to local politician Doug Reynolds, the son of Champion's chief executive. In 2014, the paper's holding company, HD Media acquired the Wayne County News and The Tri State Weekly (serving West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio) in Wayne, West Virginia.

In 2017, HD Media acquired the Logan Banner, Williamson Daily News, the Coal Valley News in Madison and The Pineville Independent Herald in Pineville from Civitas Media. In 2018, HD Media acquired the Charleston Gazette-Mail.

In February 2021, HD Media had next acquired Lincoln Journal and Lincoln News Sentinel. In October 2022 HD Media acquired The Webster Echo. Also at that time, it had purchased The Virginia Mountaineer. On April 7, 2023 HD Media purchased The Lebanon News.

On July 5, 2024, HD Media acquired the Portsmouth Daily Times from AIM Media Midwest. On May 27, 2026, The Lebanon News and The Virginia Mountaineer were sold to Virginia Media. In August 2026, HD Media acquired 19 publications from AIM Media Midwest and six publications from AIM Media Indiana.

Antitrust lawsuit against Google and Facebook

In February 2021, HD Media filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google and Facebook in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on the basis of digital advertising manipulation. According to News Media Alliance, this is the first lawsuit of its kind being filed by a news outlet. Managing director Doug Reynolds has stated in an interview that "“These companies are more powerful than Standard Oil in its heyday, so no one wants to be the first to take them on. We felt the political and legal climate have moved in our favor and are ready to go ahead.” Paul Farrell, the lead lawyer for the suit has pointed out the digital advertising revenue of the company has declined despite a growing digital audience. Reynolds has reportedly spoken with other publishers and expects some will join the suit in the future.

Assets currently and formerly owned

References

  1. ↑ "Perry named president of HD Media, publisher of Gazette-Mail, Herald-Dispatch, weeklies". Charleston Gazette-Mail. June 27, 2025. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  2. ↑ Ross, Jim (June 25, 2013). "Champion to sell Herald-Dispatch for $10 Million". The State Journal. Archived from the original on July 30, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Herald-Dispatch, WV Acquires Wayne County Publications". Editor & Publisher. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Quarterly Updates – 2nd Quarter 2017". Dirks, Van Essen & Murray. June 30, 2017. Archived from the original on October 29, 2017. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
  5. ↑ Pierson, Lacie (March 8, 2018). "HD Media is successful bidder for Gazette-Mail". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  6. ↑ Diehl, Erika (February 16, 2021). "Lincoln Journal, News Sentinel acquired by HD Media". West Virginia Press Association. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  7. ↑ "HD Media purchases Virginia weekly". Editor & Publisher. October 3, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  8. ↑ Dirks; Van Essen; April. "Dirks, Van Essen & April | Trusted Media Advisory". dirksvanessen.com. Retrieved June 8, 2026. West Virginia deal HD Media purchased the Webster Echo, a weekly newspaper in Webster Springs, West Virginia, from the Cochran family. The purchase allows HD Media to continue growing its reach from its core in the southern half of West Virginia. The company also recently purchased the Virginia Mountaineer, a weekly in Grundy, Virginia.
  9. ↑ Cooper, Chad (April 20, 2023). "HD Media purchases Lebanon News". The Virginia Mountaineer. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  10. ↑ "HD Media purchases Daily Times". Portsmouth Daily Times. July 8, 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Virginia Media Inc. acquires The Virginia Mountaineer, The Lebanon News". Virginia Press Association. June 3, 2026. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  12. ↑ "The Lebanon News sold to Virginia Media". The Lebanon News. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on June 8, 2026. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  13. ↑ "HD Media to acquire 25 publications from AIM Media Management". Editor & Publisher. August 19, 2026. Retrieved August 19, 2026.
  14. ↑ Alpert, Lukas I.; Hagey, Keach (February 4, 2021). "A Small West Virginia Newspaper Takes On Google and Facebook". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  15. ↑ Hagey, Keach; Ngo, Vivien (November 7, 2019). "How Google Edged Out Rivals and Built the World's Dominant Ad Machine: A Visual Guide". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  16. ↑ "HD Media Files First of Its Kind Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google and Facebook". Editor & Publisher. January 29, 2021. Retrieved February 5, 2021.