Barry County Advertiser welcomes new owners
October 11, 2023
By AJ Fahr, [email protected]
Stan Melton and Marty Jenkins handed over the keys to Stone County Republican and the Barry County Advertiser to Regional Publisher Mandy Farrow. Photo by AJ Fahr.
News coverage in three counties in southwest Missouri begin a new chapter as two newspapers have sold and are under new management.
The Stone County Republican/Crane Chronicle and the Barry County Advertiser were purchased by the Branson Tri-Lakes Newspapers Inc., located in Branson on Sunday, Oct. 1.The Branson Tri-Lakes Newspapers, Inc. is owned by Lancaster Management Inc., who owns and operates 23 publications in eight states, including the Branson Tri-Lakes News and the Stone County Shopper. Lancaster Management Inc. also owns and operates Think Tank Media, a digital marketing agency focused on internet, mobile app and OTT advertising.
Branson Tri-Lakes News Publisher Mandy Farrow will take the helm of the two newly acquired papers and has been named Regional Publisher. She will run the day to day operations of all three publications.
“With the purchase of the Stone County and Barry County papers we have the opportunity to keep a couple of small community papers alive,” Farrow said. “I have seen how important community news is to the residents of small towns. The newspaper is the life blood of a community and I am proud to work for a company that sees the need to keep these papers going. I am so proud to be able to bring the Stone County Republican and the Barry County Advertiser into our family of papers.”
When Farrow was first approached by the Stone County Publishing Company Owner Stan Melton and General Manager Marty Jenkins about them both wanting to retire and sell the papers, she said she was excited and saw the potential of not only the papers but the communities.
“When I was first approached to see if we would be interested in buying these two exceptional community newspapers, I was 100% in,” Farrow said. “I reached out to the Lancasters and they saw the vision and importance of keeping these papers alive for their communities. I am grateful to be able to work for a family owned business which understands the value of hometown newspapers.”
Melton, whose parents, the late Missouri State Senator Emory Melton and Jean Melton, founded the Barry County Advertiser, said he was honored to have followed in his parents footsteps serving the communities he loves.
“I have felt very privileged to succeed my father, former State Sen. Emory Melton as owner of the Barry County Advertiser and the Stone County Republican/Crane Chronicle newspapers,” Melton said. “We have been very proud to continue the rich history and tradition of both newspaper operations as highly valued and successful members of the Barry County and Stone County communities.”
LMI President and Owner Charles Lancaster, who has family ties to the area, said he is happy to bring these papers into their family of local newspapers to continue the traditions alive the Meltons established.
“We have been in the Branson area for more than 42 years bringing the news to Taney and Stone county residents and visitors alike,” Lancaster said. “My brother, Jimmy, lives in the area and we have a strong bond with the region. We will continue the legacy these papers have established over more than a century. With the experience of the Branson Tri-Lakes News and now these two community newspapers, we hope to keep small town news alive and available for the people of southwest Missouri.”
Jenkins said he knows the future of the papers are in good hands with Farrow and LMI.
“A key factor to us, relating to the sales of the newspapers, has been to connect with a new owner with an outstanding record of ownership and operations of community based weekly newspapers,” Jenkins said. “The LMI group and Mandy will be exceptional and very successful as the new owners of the newspapers. Their leadership team will bring a strong background of very successful management and operations to our newspapers and will continue to build the success and future growth of the newspapers. I feel our newspapers very successfully accomplish one of our key missions to document the present, which then becomes a record of our history. Mandy and Lancaster Management will continue to carry on this mission in the future.”
The transition of ownership will not affect what readers have come to expect from both papers, according Farrow.
“Readers of the Stone County Republican and the Barry County Advertiser will see we are dedicated to keeping them informed on what is happening in their neck of the woods,” Farrow said. “Our Branson Tri-Lakes News Stone County Reporter AJ Fahr is excited to continue to build more relationships within Stone County as well as building all new relationships in Barry County. She will be a part of the team for all three papers and I am confident in her abilities. I would like to thank Renee, Elaine and Adriana from Barry County and Sara and Braden at the Stone County Republican for their dedication to their communities. I look forward to leading them into the future.”
The Stone County Republican/ Crane Chronicle is one of the oldest operating businesses in Crane. The newspaper, through a series of mergers and name changes, has been covering the area for more than 130 years. The Stone County News Oracle was founded in Galena in 1886. The Crane Chronicle, established in 1904, merged with the Stone County News Oracle. Leon Fredrick, who purchased the Crane Chronicle in 1965 and published both papers, founded the Stone County Republican in 1957. In 1982, the Meltons merged both papers to create the current Stone County Republican/Crane Chronicle.
The Barry County Advertiser is a free weekly newspaper with an office located in Cassville, the county seat of Barry County. The paper was first published on Dec. 13, 1967. It is now distributed each week to 13,500 homes across Barry County, and focuses on local news.
The Branson Tri-Lakes News has a rich history covering the news of Taney and Stone counties for more than 127 years. The roots of the paper date back to the Taney County Republican, which was first published in 1895. In 1992, the Taney County Republican merged with three area papers; Branson Beacon, White River Leader and the Southwest Missourian to form the Branson Tri-Lakes Daily News, which later shortened its name to The Branson Daily News. In 2009, the paper went to a bi-weekly publication and changed its name to the Branson Tri-Lakes News.
Farrow said her approach is to continue giving the readers the quality news coverage they have come to expect from these papers, while being able to offer local businesses more options for advertising, including the online advertising.
For more information email Farrow at [email protected].
The Stone County Republican/Crane Chronicle and the Barry County Advertiser were purchased by the Branson Tri-Lakes Newspapers Inc., located in Branson on Sunday, Oct. 1.The Branson Tri-Lakes Newspapers, Inc. is owned by Lancaster Management Inc., who owns and operates 23 publications in eight states, including the Branson Tri-Lakes News and the Stone County Shopper. Lancaster Management Inc. also owns and operates Think Tank Media, a digital marketing agency focused on internet, mobile app and OTT advertising.
Branson Tri-Lakes News Publisher Mandy Farrow will take the helm of the two newly acquired papers and has been named Regional Publisher. She will run the day to day operations of all three publications.
“With the purchase of the Stone County and Barry County papers we have the opportunity to keep a couple of small community papers alive,” Farrow said. “I have seen how important community news is to the residents of small towns. The newspaper is the life blood of a community and I am proud to work for a company that sees the need to keep these papers going. I am so proud to be able to bring the Stone County Republican and the Barry County Advertiser into our family of papers.”
When Farrow was first approached by the Stone County Publishing Company Owner Stan Melton and General Manager Marty Jenkins about them both wanting to retire and sell the papers, she said she was excited and saw the potential of not only the papers but the communities.
“When I was first approached to see if we would be interested in buying these two exceptional community newspapers, I was 100% in,” Farrow said. “I reached out to the Lancasters and they saw the vision and importance of keeping these papers alive for their communities. I am grateful to be able to work for a family owned business which understands the value of hometown newspapers.”
Melton, whose parents, the late Missouri State Senator Emory Melton and Jean Melton, founded the Barry County Advertiser, said he was honored to have followed in his parents footsteps serving the communities he loves.
“I have felt very privileged to succeed my father, former State Sen. Emory Melton as owner of the Barry County Advertiser and the Stone County Republican/Crane Chronicle newspapers,” Melton said. “We have been very proud to continue the rich history and tradition of both newspaper operations as highly valued and successful members of the Barry County and Stone County communities.”
LMI President and Owner Charles Lancaster, who has family ties to the area, said he is happy to bring these papers into their family of local newspapers to continue the traditions alive the Meltons established.
“We have been in the Branson area for more than 42 years bringing the news to Taney and Stone county residents and visitors alike,” Lancaster said. “My brother, Jimmy, lives in the area and we have a strong bond with the region. We will continue the legacy these papers have established over more than a century. With the experience of the Branson Tri-Lakes News and now these two community newspapers, we hope to keep small town news alive and available for the people of southwest Missouri.”
Jenkins said he knows the future of the papers are in good hands with Farrow and LMI.
“A key factor to us, relating to the sales of the newspapers, has been to connect with a new owner with an outstanding record of ownership and operations of community based weekly newspapers,” Jenkins said. “The LMI group and Mandy will be exceptional and very successful as the new owners of the newspapers. Their leadership team will bring a strong background of very successful management and operations to our newspapers and will continue to build the success and future growth of the newspapers. I feel our newspapers very successfully accomplish one of our key missions to document the present, which then becomes a record of our history. Mandy and Lancaster Management will continue to carry on this mission in the future.”
The transition of ownership will not affect what readers have come to expect from both papers, according Farrow.
“Readers of the Stone County Republican and the Barry County Advertiser will see we are dedicated to keeping them informed on what is happening in their neck of the woods,” Farrow said. “Our Branson Tri-Lakes News Stone County Reporter AJ Fahr is excited to continue to build more relationships within Stone County as well as building all new relationships in Barry County. She will be a part of the team for all three papers and I am confident in her abilities. I would like to thank Renee, Elaine and Adriana from Barry County and Sara and Braden at the Stone County Republican for their dedication to their communities. I look forward to leading them into the future.”
The Stone County Republican/ Crane Chronicle is one of the oldest operating businesses in Crane. The newspaper, through a series of mergers and name changes, has been covering the area for more than 130 years. The Stone County News Oracle was founded in Galena in 1886. The Crane Chronicle, established in 1904, merged with the Stone County News Oracle. Leon Fredrick, who purchased the Crane Chronicle in 1965 and published both papers, founded the Stone County Republican in 1957. In 1982, the Meltons merged both papers to create the current Stone County Republican/Crane Chronicle.
The Barry County Advertiser is a free weekly newspaper with an office located in Cassville, the county seat of Barry County. The paper was first published on Dec. 13, 1967. It is now distributed each week to 13,500 homes across Barry County, and focuses on local news.
The Branson Tri-Lakes News has a rich history covering the news of Taney and Stone counties for more than 127 years. The roots of the paper date back to the Taney County Republican, which was first published in 1895. In 1992, the Taney County Republican merged with three area papers; Branson Beacon, White River Leader and the Southwest Missourian to form the Branson Tri-Lakes Daily News, which later shortened its name to The Branson Daily News. In 2009, the paper went to a bi-weekly publication and changed its name to the Branson Tri-Lakes News.
Farrow said her approach is to continue giving the readers the quality news coverage they have come to expect from these papers, while being able to offer local businesses more options for advertising, including the online advertising.
For more information email Farrow at [email protected].
