USA Today publisher Gannett Co. has recently held merger talks with GateHouse Media, according to people familiar with the matter, a possible deal that would bring together the nation’s two largest newspaper groups by circulation.
Gannett—which two weeks ago defeated Digital First Media in a proxy fight and fended off the hedge-fund backed publisher’s hostile takeover bid—has also been speaking recently with others about potential deals, including Tribune Publishing Co. TPCO 6.59% and McClatchy Co. MNI 18.10% , the people said.
All the companies have struggled over the past decade with steep advertising and print readership declines. This year, both GateHouse and Gannett have had substantial rounds of layoffs, while McClatchy offered buyouts to hundreds of employees.
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