Detroit, January 27, 2026 –
USA TODAY Co. will acquire The Detroit news from MediaNews Group, continuing the publication of both Detroit dailies separately, the companies announced Monday.
- USA TODAY Co. is reacquiring The Detroit News, a newspaper it previously owned as Gannett Co.
- The acquisition concludes a 36-year joint operating agreement between The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press.
- Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but USA TODAY Co. will finance the purchase with cash and funds from Apollo Global Management.
- Both The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press will continue to publish separately.
USA TODAY Co., owner of the Detroit free Press, has agreed to acquire The Detroit News, it announced Monday. The transaction, expected to be completed by the end of the month, will see the two Detroit newspapers remain independently published.
the company said it signed a binding letter of intent to purchase The News from MediaNews Group. “Welcoming The Detroit News fully to our network will enable the continued delivery of trusted, high-quality news and content to our audiences and advertisers in the region,” CEO Mike Reed said in a statement. The acquisition, Reed added, “reinforces our commitment to local journalism in the Detroit metropolitan area.”
Background and Context
The acquisition marks the latest chapter in a complex ownership history for Detroit’s two major newspapers. On December 28, a 36-year joint operating agreement (JOA) between The News and the Free Press concluded. Under the JOA, business operations were merged under USA TODAY Co. management, while the newsrooms maintained separate editorial control.
As the companies prepared to operate independently, The News announced plans on December 26 to launch a separate Sunday edition beginning January 18. Though, those plans were abruptly delayed on January 9, according to reports.
USA TODAY Co.,formerly known as Gannett Co.,will finance the purchase with a combination of cash and funds managed by Apollo Global Management,its primary lender,the company said. The company did not disclose the purchase price. “Apollo continues to be a great partner of USA TODAY co.,” Reed’s statement said. “Their commitment enables us to fund this strategic acquisition.”
The sale to USA TODAY Co. represents a return for The news to its former corporate parent. The News was originally sold to Gannett in 1986 after 113 years of independent ownership by the Scripps family.
Why It Matters
The consolidation of ownership of Detroit’s two major newspapers under one parent company, while not unprecedented – Cox Enterprises similarly owns the Atlanta Journal-Constitution – raises questions about the future of local journalism and potential impacts on editorial independence. Similar media mergers have drawn scrutiny from the Department of Justice, as seen with the initial JOA between The News and the Free press in 1986, which was legally contested until 1989.
The Detroit News has a long and storied history, founded in 1873 by James E. Scripps as The evening News. The paper was a pioneer in several areas of media, founding WWJ-AM (950) in 1920 and launching WDIV-TV (Channel 4) in 1947. The News also won three Pulitzer prizes, including the inaugural photography award in 1942 for a photograph of striking Ford Motor Co. workers.
The acquisition comes as local news organizations across the country continue to face financial challenges. The continued separate publication of both papers, as stated by USA TODAY Co., may offer some reassurance to readers concerned about diminished coverage of the Detroit area.
