Detroit Newspaper Agency Reorganized; Gannett acquires the Detroit Free Press; MediaNews Group acquires Agency interest and The Detroit News

Knight Ridder is selling its partnership interest in the DetroitNewspaper Agency to the two newspaper publishers. The partnership willmanage the business operations of the Detroit Free Press and TheDetroit News, including production, advertising and circulation.

MediaNews Group will acquire The Detroit News from Gannett andGannett will acquire the Detroit Free Press. Gannett will become thegeneral partner in the Detroit newspaper partnership and MediaNewsGroup will become the limited partner.

The terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

Among changes expected in early 2006 as a result of thetransaction:

-- The Detroit News will become a morning publication.

-- The Free Press and The Detroit News each will publish a separate Saturday edition.

-- The Detroit Free Press will become sole publisher of the Sunday newspaper. Currently, the Saturday and Sunday editions are a joint publication of the News and the Free Press.

Gannett President and CEO Craig Dubow said: "Two daily newspapers,competing editorially in the city of Detroit. That's the bottom lineof today's transactions. Detroit is the winner here, and Gannett isproud we were able to make this happen. We believe in this community.

"We welcome MediaNews Group to Detroit. They are great friends ofours and we are pleased to have them join us in this partnership. Moreimportantly, we are looking forward to the robust competition in thenewsroom. We know The Detroit News and its employees will be in goodjournalistic hands.

"Working with Knight Ridder in Detroit since 1989 has been a greatexperience for both of us. We know each other well and understandtheir decision. They have our thanks."

William Dean Singleton, vice chairman and CEO of MediaNews Group,said: "We are glad to be joining our friends at Gannett in the newventure in Detroit. Like Gannett, we believe in Detroit and in twonewspaper voices. So, stand by for some robust competition betweennewsrooms, as well as a renewed spirit of cooperation in the backoffice."

A number of personnel changes are happening as a result of thetransaction.

Gannett announced:

David L. Hunke will become president and publisher of the DetroitFree Press. Hunke was president and publisher of the Rochester (NY)Democrat and Chronicle. Hunke also has worked at the CincinnatiEnquirer, the Miami Herald, the Wichita Eagle and the Kansas CityStar.

Paul E. Anger will become editor of the Detroit Free Press. Angerhas been vice president and editor of the Des Moines (IA) Registersince 2002 and formerly was with The Miami Herald as executive sportseditor; editor and publisher of the Herald's Broward Countypublications; and news editor of the Knight Ridder News Service post9/11.

Mark S. Mikolajczyk will become president and CEO of the DetroitNewspaper Partnership, L.P. Mikolajczyk currently is senior vicepresident/operations for the Gannett Newspaper Division. Ed Humphreyhas been acting CEO and will return to his regular duties as seniorvice president/circulation.

Mark Silverman will join the Gannett's Newspaper Divisioncorporate news staff. He was publisher and editor of The Detroit News.

MediaNews Group announced:

David J. Butler will become publisher and editor of The DetroitNews. Butler was editor of the MediaNews Group's Daily News, publishedin Los Angeles.

Knight Ridder said:

Carol Leigh Hutton, Thom Fladung and Jerry Teagan will remain withKnight Ridder. Hutton was publisher and editor of the Detroit FreePress; Fladung was managing editor; and Teagan was vice president andbusiness manager.

About Gannett Co., Inc.

Gannett Co., Inc. is a leading international news and informationcompany that publishes 101 daily newspapers in the USA, including USATODAY, the nation's largest-selling daily newspaper. The company alsoowns more than 800 non-daily publications in the USA and USA WEEKEND,a weekly newspaper magazine. Gannett subsidiary Newsquest is theUnited Kingdom's second largest regional newspaper company. Newsquestpublishes more than 300 titles, including 17 daily newspapers, and anetwork of prize-winning Web sites. Gannett also operates 21television stations in the United States and is an Internet leaderwith sites sponsored by its TV stations and newspapers includingUSATODAY.com, one of the most popular news sites on the Web.

About MediaNews Group, Inc.

MediaNews Group, Inc. is the nation's seventh largest newspapercompany, with headquarters in Denver, CO. MediaNews Group and itsaffiliated companies publish 50 daily newspapers and 121 non-dailypublications in 12 states with daily and Sunday circulation ofapproximately 2.1 million and 2.4 million, respectively. In addition,MediaNews Group owns a CBS affiliate in Anchorage, Alaska and fourradio stations in Texas. MediaNews Group maintains 74 Web sites forits daily newspapers and an umbrella site, newschoice.com.