The Ogden Newspapers will purchase The Dominion Post from the Raese family of Morgantown and its West Virginia Newspaper Publishing Co., the two companies announced Wednesday.
Ogden CEO Robert Nutting said his family has long valued the work done by The Dominion Post and its staff to serve Morgantown and the surrounding region. He commended the Raese family for its century-long stewardship of the newspaper and said his family looks forward to continuing their legacy of community-focused journalism in the greater Morgantown region and throughout north-central West Virginia.
“We are extremely proud to be given the opportunity to carry on the work done by the Greer and Raese families for the past 101 years at The Dominion Post,” Nutting said. “The newspaper has served the residents of Morgantown well since its founding, and we plan to honor and build on their legacy of strong community journalism well into the future by continuing to publish — both in print and on digital media platforms — community-focused content that covers the issues most important to readers.”
The Raese family’s roots in the newspaper business began in 1923 when Morgantown businessman Col. H.C. Greer became the owner and publisher of the Morgantown Post. The Morgantown Post in 1973 merged with The Dominion News to create The Dominion Post.
“This transaction will give us the opportunity to focus on our other media activities, which have substantially grown over the last decade. We look forward to the continued growth, diversification and growth of our WVRC Media Group, West Virginia’s largest media group,” said David Raese, joint owner of The Dominion Post.
The Ogden Newspapers also has deep roots in West Virginia. The company, headquartered in Wheeling and operated by the Nutting family, began on Sept. 22, 1890, with the purchase of the Wheeling News. It has grown over the past 134 years to include additional daily and weekly newspapers and magazines.
Nutting said The Dominion Post will be an exciting addition to his family’s West Virginia and regional publications. In addition to daily newspapers in Wheeling, Weirton, Parkersburg, Martinsburg and Elkins, and weekly newspapers serving communities in New Martinsville, Sistersville and Shepherdstown, The Ogden Newspapers also publishes the Herald Standard in Uniontown, Pa., and the Observer-Reporter in Washington, Pa.
“The Dominion Post is becoming part of the largest news-gathering team in West Virginia,” Nutting said. “This will provide opportunities to readers in all our markets — both in print and online — to experience more comprehensive news coverage and in-depth reporting on regional issues, including important news and sports stories at West Virginia University.
“Also, with daily newspapers in Uniontown and Washington, just minutes from Morgantown, and our other West Virginia locations just a short distance away we’re particularly excited about the potential to create greater marketing opportunities for local businesses seeking to expand their footprint in the region.”
The Nutting family and The Ogden Newspapers have strong ties to WVU as well through a longstanding commitment to the university’s journalism programs. That includes funding a visiting professor for nearly two decades at WVU’s Reed College of Media and also significant investments in the university’s Media Innovation Center at Evansdale Crossing, where future journalists are learning new methods and models to deliver the most important news to their communities.
The Nutting family also has given back to WVU and the state through service. The late G. Ogden Nutting was a member of the WVU Foundation’s board for more than 20 years, and company Vice President William Nutting served on WVU’s Board of Governors for nearly a decade. Robert Nutting also is a past president of the West Virginia Press Association and a former board chairman of the West Virginia Independent Colleges and Universities.
Following the ownership change, which is set for Sept. 30, The Dominion Post will remain the trusted and independent source of local news, sports, opinion and entertainment serving residents and businesses in the greater Morgantown community.
“We continue to believe very strongly in the power of printed newspapers and their value to readers, advertisers and communities. We believe the role of newspapers such as The Dominion Post are fundamental to communities now more than ever,” Nutting added.
