How do I find a community newspaper or magazine for sale?

Most small papers and magazines are owned by a person or a family who has put years into one town or one subject. They seldom post a sale, because advertisers and staff may worry when they hear of it. That means a buyer who only watches listing sites will see a small part of the market. Use the public channels, then work the people around the title.

Start with listings, under several names

Search business-for-sale sites under newspaper, magazine, publication, publishing and media, and save the searches. A title may be listed as a marketing business or a print shop with a masthead attached, so read the description, not the label. If a broker holds the listing, ask whom the broker acts for and what the owner will share before you sign a confidentiality agreement.

Approach owners and the people around them

Independent publishers often know which colleagues are tired or planning to retire. Printers and distributors see which titles have thinned out or lost a carrier. Press and media associations run networks where owners talk. A short, courteous note that says who you are and what you hope to run can start a conversation that never reaches a listing. Keep it discreet.

Know what you are looking for first

• The community or subject you can serve and understand.
• Whether you want a weekly paper, a monthly magazine or something less frequent.
• How much of the work you plan to write and sell yourself.
• The staff and freelancers you would want to keep.

If you also run a trade-based search, how to find a hobby shop for sale shows a similar approach for a niche retail business.