Coastal Bend Publishing buys five newspapers in Texas

BEEVILLE – Coastal Bend Publishing, an affiliate of McElvy Media Group, is taking ownership of the Beeville Bee-Picayune effective February 1, 2020.  In addition to the Bee-Picayune, Coastal Bend Publishing is purchasing the other four papers owned by Beeville Publishing Company — The News of San Patricio, The Progress, The Advance-Guard Press and Karnes Countywide.

Brothers Jeff and Chip Latcham who have 39 and 42 years, respectively, working in this family business, expanded the company during their years as co-publishers to include newspapers in Live Oak, McMullen, San Patricio, Karnes, Refugio and Goliad counties.

Gary Borders with Grimes, McGovern & Associates represented the sellers in the transaction.

“The Beeville newspaper is in its 125th year in the Atkins and Latcham family ownership,” said Jeff Latcham. “While Chip and I are the fourth-generation publishers, community journalism has fed five generations of the family. It’s been an honor and a blessing all these years to service our communities, but it’s time for new ownership, new ideas and new voices. It’s time for a change.”

McElvy Media began in 2012 with one community newspaper and eight employees. Today, the company employs more than 100 people and publishes 25 print editions weekly.