A few weeks back, The Lawton Constitution's relatively new owners, the Burgess brothers, announced they were selling The Lawton Constitution – the third largest Oklahoma newspaper in terms of circulation – to Houston-based conglomerate Southern Newspapers.
Here are the details via the Southern Newspaper Association:
Bill Burgess, Jr. and Brad Burgess have announced that they have entered into an agreement to sell the Lawton (Okla.) Constitution to Southern Newspapers, headquartered in Houston, Texas. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed...
The Lawton Constitution has paid circulation Monday through Saturday of 16,500 and 18,000 on Sundays. The Burgess brothers, who practice law and operate other businesses in Lawton, acquired the company in 2012 from long-time local owners Steve and Don Bentley.
Brad Burgess said, "My brother and I have enjoyed being stewards of this important community institution the past six years. We believe we have selected a new owner that will carry on in the best interests of Lawton, the readers of the Constitution and our wonderful employees."
Well, it looks like Brad Burgess must have attended the Howard Schultz School of Picking New Owners.
Less than a month after acquiring the Lawton Constitution, Southern Newspapers – the conglomerate that was supposed to carry on in the best interests of Lawton, the readers of the Constitution and it's "wonderful employees" – has implemented a round of Office Space-style layoffs that will drastically affect the paper and the role it plays in covering and reporting news in southwestern Oklahoma.