Jonathan McElvy and McElvy Media, LLC, Have Purchased The Leader Newspaper
July 24, 2012
By: Press Release | The Leader News
Jonathan McElvy and McElvy Media, LLC, have purchased The Leader Newspaper that serves Houston’s Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest and adjacent communities from Burge Publishing, which had owned it since 1957, three years after the newspaper’s founding.
McElvy is former editorial vice president of ASP Westward’s groups of community newspapers, Houston Community News, Colorado Community News and East Texas Community News, which were sold recently. He was credited with raising the editorial and design standards of the 60-plus ASP Westward papers during his six years there, and he built the company’s online and social media presence.
“We had the great opportunity to buy a newspaper with an incredible brand,” McElvy said. “People love The Leader, and you can’t say that about every newspaper and its reader base these days. For us, it’s really just a matter of building on that brand, not being afraid to try new ways of reaching the younger demographics, while serving our traditional readers with solid reporting and local advertising.”
Taking over as editor and general manager of The Leader is Charlotte Aguilar, who edited the four Examiner Newspapers of HCN for six years, and who, for the past year, had served as digital editor for the Examiners and seven other HCN editions in the Fort Bend County, the Cinco Ranch and Cypress areas of greater Houston.
“Community news is the one thriving segment of the print newspaper business in Houston,” said Aguilar, “especially when you blend a successful print presence with hyperlocal online news and social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. These are some of the most vibrant, growing and eclectic areas in Houston, and it’s a joy to serve our traditional readers and give newer residents more reasons to follow The Leader.
“Already, in its first three weeks, the new ownership has unveiled an upddated design, changing to broadsheet from its former tab size, modernized and upgraded its web presence (www.theleadernews.com) and created Twitter (@heightsleader), Facebook (THE LEADER.) and Pinterest accounts.
