USA Today Co., owner of the Detroit Free Press, announced on January 26, 2026, that it plans to acquire The Detroit News, consolidating two major Detroit newspapers under a single owner. The deal ends an almost 40-year joint operating agreement between the papers and is being funded through cash and financing from Apollo Global Management, a private equity firm. The acquisition was expected to close by the end of January 2026.
The consolidation reflects intensifying financial pressures in the news industry. Both newspapers have operated in Detroit for more than a century and built significant journalism records before the partnership that allowed them to compete separately while sharing overhead costs.
A Historic Partnership Ends
USA Today Co., the nation’s largest newspaper chain, is consolidating Detroit’s two major newspapers. The acquisition ends a competitive arrangement established in 1989 under federal law allowing newspapers in the same city to share business operations while maintaining separate newsrooms.
The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press operated under their joint operating agreement for 36 years, through decades of industry consolidation and changing reader habits. The partnership allowed the papers to compete on editorial coverage while pooling overhead costs for printing, distribution, and advertising—an arrangement that kept both publications alive during periods of industry decline.
The Transaction Details
Under the terms announced, the sale price was not disclosed. USA Today Co. said the acquisition is being funded through cash and financing arranged by Apollo Global Management, the private equity firm that has financed recent media acquisitions for newspaper chains.
Both newspapers will continue publishing separately under USA Today Co., though the company provided few other details about how combined operations would function. “Both companies have a mutual desire to ensure that these publications and their distinct journalism continue to serve the greater Detroit area,” Guy Gilmore, chief operating officer of MediaNews Group, the current owner of The Detroit News, said in a statement.
Legacy of Two Institutions
The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press have each operated for more than a century. The Detroit News has won three Pulitzer Prizes, while the Detroit Free Press has won ten, including the 1968 prize for reporting on the Detroit riots and coverage honored for service to readers during turbulent periods of American history.
Despite their distinguished records, both publications face the financial pressures that have affected newspapers nationwide. Revenue from advertising and subscriptions has declined as readers and advertisers migrated online. USA Today Co., formally known as Gannett, is the largest newspaper publisher in the United States but has faced persistent revenue challenges in the digital era.
The acquisition was expected to close by the end of January 2026, according to USA Today Co.’s announcement.
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