Sale ends ownership tradition

By DANIEL RIORDAN

Wilson & Horton (publisher of the New Zealand Herald) has bought the Wairarapa Times-Age, one of the country's last independent newspapers.

No sale price was disclosed, and Wilson & Horton director Phil Eustace would not comment on industry talk of a $6 million price tag.

The Times-Age was owned by about 15 mainly local shareholders. Managing director Gordon Kinvig, who with his family held about 75 per cent, will remain through the transition to new ownership, but then has other plans, said Eustace.

Times-Age editor Andrew Wyatt, general manager Keith Davidson and the commercial print managers, including Gordon Kinvig's son Tim Kinvig, will all be staying.

The Masterton-based afternoon daily, which has an audited daily circulation of 7713, traces its roots back to 1874 and the founding of the Wairarapa News. The News became the Wairarapa Daily Times, which merged with the Wairarapa Age in 1938, creating the Times-Age.

The Times-Age publishing group bought by Wilson & Horton includes two associated free weeklies - the Wairarapa Midweek and Manawatu Guardian - and a strong commercial printing business.

The Times-Age has 70 full-time and 120 part-time staff, but Eustace said no redundancies were planned.

Wilson & Horton is owned by APN News & Media, which is 41 per cent owned by Independent News & Media, controlled by Sir Anthony O'Reilly.