Champion Media

Champion Media is a Media conglomerate headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina.[1] It was founded in 2017.

History

Champion Media was founded by Scott Champion and his son Corey Champion in 2017.[2] According to the company's management, Champion was founded with the purpose of alleviating the decline of newspapers.[2] Specifically, by acquiring publications from large corporations. Then providing "back end support" such as accounting and human resources to the acquired papers, while leaving editorial and advertising to the paper's management.[2][3]

In June 2017, Champion Media acquired five dallies and 17 weeklies from based in North and South Carolina from Civitas Media.[4] In October 2017, the company sold its recently acquired Mount Airy based papers to Adams MultiMedia.[5] In February 2018, the Maysville Ledger Independent was acquired from Lee Enterprises.[6] In August 2019, the Times Leader was acquired by Avant Publications, a joint venture of Champion Media and MIDTC.[7][8]

In June 2025, Champion Media paid a $102,500 settlement after a lawsuit by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which alleged that they canceled an interview with a deaf job applicant, due to the candidate's deafness.[9] In August 2025, they acquired four South Dakota newspapers after the bankruptcy of News Media Corporation.[10] This was met with a largely positive response,[3] though some were concerned that Champion would make the same mistakes as NMC.[11]

Publications

Title[12] Location
The Anson Record Wadesboro, North Carolina
The Bladen Journal Elizabethtown, North Carolina
The Brookings Register Brookings, South Dakota
Brown County Press Williamsburg, Ohio
Clermont Sun Williamsburg, Ohio
Devils Lake Journal Devils Lake, North Dakota
Discover Barrington Deer Park, Illinois
Herald-Advocate Bennettsville, South Carolina
Huron Plainsman Huron, South Dakota
Laurinburg Exchange Laurinburg, North Carolina
Maysville Ledger Independent Maysville, Kentucky
Moody County Enterprise Flandreau, South Dakota
Mount Olive Tribune Clinton, North Carolina
Newberry Observer Newberry, South Carolina
News Democrat Williamsburg, Ohio
People’s Defender West Union, Ohio
Redfield Press Redfield, South Dakota
Richmond County Daily Journal Rockingham, North Carolina
Ripley Bee Williamsburg, Ohio
The Robesonian Lumberton, North Carolina
Sampson Independent Clinton, North Carolina
Sentinel Progress Easley, South Carolina
Thief River Falls Times Thief River Falls, Minnesota

References

  1. ↑ "WELCOME -". championcarolinas.com. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  2. 1 2 3 Hult, John (2025-09-15). "Q&A: New owner hopes revived SD newspapers will 'continue forever,' if not always in print • South Dakota Searchlight". South Dakota Searchlight. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  3. 1 2 Keene, C. J. (2025-08-20). "Champion Media buyout saves papers in Brookings, Flandreau, Redfield and Huron". SDPB. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  4. ↑ Allabaugh, Denise (June 16, 2017). "Civitas Media | Company sells 22 more papers". Citizens' Voice. Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. pp. A4.
  5. ↑ Owens, Jacob (October 27, 2017). "Cecil Whig parent company buys North Carolina media co". The Cecil Whig. Elkton, Maryland. pp. A10.
  6. ↑ "State Briefs | Lee Enterprises sells newspaper to Champion". The Madison Courier. February 2, 2018. p. 2.
  7. ↑ Halpin, James (August 2, 1019). "Times Leader Newspaper Sold To North Carolina-based Media Company". AP News. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  8. ↑ Halpin, James (August 3, 2019). "N.C. firm buys Times Leader". Citizens' Voice. Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. pp. C1.
  9. ↑ "Champion Media Agrees to Pay $102,500 to Employee in EEOC Disability Discrimination Suit". U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  10. ↑ Schultz, Ray. "South Dakota Presses On: 4 More News Media Corp. Papers Are Saved". www.mediapost.com. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  11. ↑ Heidelberger, Cory Allen (2025-08-17). "So Much for Local Control: North Carolina Publisher Snaps up Register, Three Other Shuttered SD Papers". Dakota Free Press. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  12. ↑ "Our Locations". Champion Media. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
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