An article from the DRC stated the two organizations are currently in the discovery phase and plan to close the acquisition in 2023.
DENTON, Texas — The Denton Record-Chronicle announced Monday morning they were in discussions with KERA for the local radio station to acquire them.
An article from the DRC stated the two organizations are currently in the discovery phase and plan to close the acquisition in 2023.
“This arrangement gives us the opportunity and the ability to preserve local journalism for the people of Denton County,” DRC owner and publisher Bill Patterson said. “As our population continues to grow, it’s imperative that we grow as well. With KERA’s commitment and expertise, our organization will be able to serve our audiences well into the future.”
The National Trust for Local News is facilitating the transaction, they are a national nonprofit that works with news organizations across the country to help them stay local and grounded in their communities.
A guarantee of the transaction, the article said, is that DRC will remain local and hype-focused on the people and issues of Denton County.
“Local journalism is the bedrock of a strong, healthy community,” said KERA President and CEO Nico Leone. “Denton is a thriving city, integral to the makeup of North Texas, and it is growing every day. We couldn’t be more honored to be in these conversations with the legacy paper, and not only sustain, but expand, local reporting in Denton.”
Patterson said DRC’s audiences and customers can expect to see even more coverage with more relevance to their daily lives.
“KERA’s history and knowledge of our communities will only help us bring more context and clarity to the issues that matter in North Texas,” Patterson said.
KERA will become the only major-market public broadcasting station to have a local PBS station, three radio stations and a newspaper following this acquisition.
“The timing of these plans with the Record-Chronicle was as much a surprise to us as anyone,” Leone said. “But this opportunity is much bigger than KERA or even the Record-Chronicle. It’s about the people of Denton and ensuring their access to reporting on the issues that deeply and intimately impact their everyday lives. Serving them is much more than an opportunity for KERA — it’s our mission and purpose.”