According to a report on The Ledger’s web site it appears that negotiations are underway between the New York Times and Halifax Media Group involving HMG’s purchase of the NYT Regional Newspaper group which includes both The Ledger and the News Chief.

According to the report, “The Daytona Beach-based Halifax Media Group owns The Daytona-Beach News Journal, five other news organizations in Florida and other newspapers across the south. On Monday morning, the Halifax Group’s Web site listed all of the Times Company’s regional papers as its own, tipping off the media blogger Jim Romenesko.” Romenesko’s blog post is here.

A spokesman with the New York Times has declined comment.

You can read the entire article here.

• Central Florida Physician’s Directory and Medical Provider Guide: Publishing annually on the final week of January, this is PCMA’s endorsed directory of all area Physicians and Healthcare providers in the local medical industry. The basic white page listing in the directory is complimentary for physicians and other health care professionals.
• Central Florida Doctor Magazine: As a quarterly publication, which will publish mid-month in February, May, July, and October, this will be an industry news magazine, and it will also serve as PCMA’s official newsletter.
• Central Florida Health News: This will be a monthly publication aimed to serve the general consumer and present specific, health-related topics for a broad audience. The magazine will debut in the spring of 2011 and publish the final Week of each month.
• In addition to print media, all three of these publications will be represented on the website, www.CentralFloridaHealthNews.com.

Central Florida Media Group was founded by Kirkland in 2010 and currently publishes Central Florida Ag News in coordination with the Polk County Farm Bureau and the Crime Stoppers News Magazine in coordination with Heartland Crime Stoppers. The company’s offices are located in downtown Winter Haven in the USF Polytechnic Blue Sky East Business Accelerator.

The new company’s first publication will be Polk Ag News and will launch in the summer of 2010. Agriculture has a significant impact on local communities and our overall economy. The Central Florida Economic Development Council’s Study of Regional Impact identified agriculture and agri-technology as one of the key sectors in our region with the most long term advantages to the economic well-being and future of the county. A variety of industries are tied to local agriculture, including agri-education, flavors and essence manufacturing, fruit packing, phosphate mining and processing facilities.

According to Kirkland, “Polk Ag News and www.polkagnews.com will provide up-to-date news, information and community connections that farmers, ranchers and Polk residents care about including political news from Bartow, Tallahassee and beyond. “We’ll also focus on the youth in local FFA and 4H programs.”

Central Florida Media Group (CFMG) plans to publish Polk Ag News monthly in print and to develop a robust internet site featuring photos and video. Readers can expect contributions from The Polk County Farm Bureau, Florida Citrus Mutual, Florida Citrus Commission, Florida Cattlemen’s Association and other organizations and agencies focused on agriculture.

Company Gets Nod from USF Poly Accelerator

CFMG announced its selection by USF Polytechnic’s business accelerator, Blue Sky East, which uses technology and research to support companies building new products and services.

Blue Sky is Polk’s first university-based incubator/accelerator program and is engaged in a competitive application process to select the right mix of companies for its inaugural year. The incubator provides mentoring, network opportunities, access to academic and business expertise as well as technology support for selected companies.

Kirkland added, “We’re thrilled to be working with Blue Sky. A lot goes into developing new products and services and the atmosphere of collaboration at a business accelerator makes the process easier and more successful.”

“We’re going to be aggressive in distribution,” said Kirkland. “We’ll reach more than 5,000 greenbelt property owners located in Polk County and have more than 550 other distribution locations. We expect to circulate in excess of 25,000 copies each month in addition to our web presence.”

For additional information on Central Florida Media Group and Polk Ag News, contact Kirkland or visit www.centralfloridamediagroup.com.

In February Kirkland left the New York Times Company after a 24-year career most recently serving as publisher of  the News Chief newspaper in Winter Haven.

“Community publishing is what I love to do,” said Kirkland. “I’m excited to put my experience to work for niche audiences and companies in Central Florida.”

10. DCA approval of the CSX intermodal rail facility

9. Winter Haven Hospital completes $40 million addition.

8. PCC one of nine community colleges to offer four-year degrees

7. Ledger New York Times buys News Chief

6. Winter Haven opens new airport terminal

5. City plans for Chain of Lakes property

4. Winter Haven Hospital attains Magnet status

3. Six Ten Corporation/T3 Communications “Inland Fiber and Data Technology Park” downtown

2. Winter Haven Parks Grow by 250 acres since 2000

1. Cypress Gardens closes … to reopen in March 2009

What would you add to this list?

The Chamber extends our best wishes for a bright and prosperous 2009. And remember … buy from local merchants, the job you save may be your own!

The Ledger today announced the acquisition of the Winter Haven-based News Chief daily newspaper.

Nelson Kirkland, Advertising Director for The Ledger was named publisher. The purchase does not include the News Chief’s current building. The sale is expected to close within a week and the News Chief’s news operation will relocate to the current Ledger East Polk building which will be renamed for the News Chief. The production of the paper will be done in The Ledger’s Lakeland plant.

Further details are available here.

M. M.”Dad” Lee (left) founder of the News Chief.

History of the News Chief

The News Chief in Winter Haven, Fla., traces its beginnings to Sept. 28, 1911, when the first edition of the weekly Florida Chief was published by its founder, M.M. “Dad” Lee.

Everything originally was handset, but, within four years, Lee had moved the newspaper to larger quarters and eventually acquired three linotype machines. During its 10th anniversary in September of 1921, the newspaper went to twice-a-week publication, and three years later went to five days a week, Mondays through Fridays.

Lee continued the newspaper through two severe hurricanes (1926 and 1933), a fire (1930) and the Great Depression before selling the newspaper in January 1948 to W.W. Galvin of Ohio.

Galvin immediately acquired a weekly, The Winter Haven News, and combined it with the Florida Chief into the News Chief.

The newspaper passed to other owners who also acquired the weekly Auburndale Star. Then disaster struck on Nov. 13, 1954, with a major fire that destroyed the building and severely damaged most of the equipment.

A four-page Sunday edition was printed at The Winter Haven Herald to keep intact the record of not missing a scheduled publication day.

In March of 1964, the News Chief became one of the early leaders in Florida journalism in converting to offset printing.

In December of 1972, the News Chief moved from its downtown plant to new quarters.

The News Chief added to its holdings with the purchase of the Winter Haven Shopping Guide in 1978.

In 1995, the News Chief and its other holdings became part of Morris Communications Co. with the Morris purchase of the Stauffer Communications chain of publications. The News Chief had been a Stauffer publication since April 1990, when the newspaper was purchased from Multimedia Inc.

In late 2007, the News Chief and its other holdings, including the Polk Shopper, became part of GateHouse Media Inc. which placed the paper on the market and the New York Times made the purchase.