The Hoskins family, owners of Better Newspapers, Inc. (BNI), has sold 15 newspapers in Illinois and Missouri to Paxton Media Group. The transaction was handled by John Cribb of Cribb & Associates. Financial details were not disclosed.
The Illinois publications involved in the sale include The Morning Sentinel in Centralia, Union Banner in Carlyle, Washington County News in Nashville, Greenville Advocate in Greenville, Salem Times-Commoner in Salem, The Breeze Courier in Taylorville, The Daily Record in Robinson, and Daily News in Robinson.
In Missouri, the sale covers The Daily Journal in Park Hills, The Democrat News in Fredericktown, The Farmington Press in Farmington, Wayne County Journal Banner in Piedmont, Reynolds County Courier, The Mountain Echo in Ironton, and The Ste. Genevieve Herald in Ste. Genevieve.
BNI was founded in 1991 by Greg Hoskins and grew to more than 40 publications and radio stations across Illinois and Missouri. After Greg Hoskins’ death in 2024, his son Scott Hoskins became president. The company will continue to operate several other publications and radio stations not included in the sale.
