2 daily papers, 1 weekly in St. Mary Parish sold

The two daily newspapers in St. Mary Parish n The Daily Review of Morgan City and the St. Mary and Franklin Banner-Tribune n have been sold to Louisiana State Newspapers.

Terms of the agreement with Shirley Newspapers were not disclosed. Both groups are privately owned. Louisiana State Newspapers is a division of Lafayette-based The Moody Co. LLC.

The ownership change, which became effective Saturday, also includes the weekly St. Mary Journal.

Current Banner-Tribune Editor and Publisher Allan Von Werder has assumed the same positions for both daily newspapers and will oversee the Journal’s operations.

Louisiana State Newspapers now owns 30 newspapers, including four daily publications in the state. Most are located in Acadiana.

“We welcome the Shirley Newspapers group to our family of newspapers and look forward to continuing the quality local coverage that the readers in St. Mary Parish have become accustomed to,” said Darrell Guillory, chief operating officer for Louisiana State Newspapers.

Von Werder said no layoffs were contemplated as a result of the deal.

Shirley Newspapers founder Doyle E. “Red” Shirley acquired The Daily Review in 1973 and the Franklin Banner Tribune in 1985 from Southern Newspapers Inc.

Steve Shirley, editor and publisher of The Daily Review, has retired. Andy Shirley, associate publisher and general manager, will help guide the publication during a transition period.

In a joint statement, the Shirleys said they had been discussing a possible sale since the summer of 2009 and went forward “with mixed emotions.”

“However, we leave with the satisfaction of knowing that we have played a key role over the past 37 years in making St. Mary Parish a better place to live, work and raise a family,” the statement said.

“At the same time, we are confident that the broader assets of Louisiana State Newspapers will allow The Daily Review and the Banner-Tribune to continue to grow, prosper and expand their roles in the local communities they serve.”

The Audit Bureau of Circulations said it did not have circulation figures for the publications because they are not listed as members of that organization.