The Capital Times Co. of Madison has acquired WisPolitics.com, the online subscription political news service.
The announcement came from Clayton Frink and John H. “Jack” Lussier, president and chairman of The Capital Times Co., and from WisPolitics.
Jeff Mayers will continue as president of the non-partisan, Madison-based news service, and J.R. Ross will continue as the WisPolitics.com editor. WisPolitics will continue to operate under the same name and from its current offices on the Capitol Square.
“WisPolitics has built a track record of success in its 10 years,” said Frink. “It will maintain its non-partisan mission of delivering timely, objective information on state politics and government to hundreds of subscribers and thousands of web viewers.”
Frink said WisPolitics will be run as a wholly owned subsidiary, with no integration of staff or connection to the editorial philosophy of The Capital Times. “Media companies spend countless hours talking about how to monetize news and information on the web,” Frink said. “WisPolitics has been doing it.”
“With Capital Times Co. ownership, we hope we can help take WisPolitics to another level from its very solid foundation,” Frink said.
Mayers said, “This is a creative business deal that will ensure WisPolitics.com’s long-term growth and a future of quality service.”
The Capital Times, formerly a Madison-based daily afternoon newspaper, has since 2008 produced daily websites – captimes.com for public affairs and 77square.com for arts and entertainment coverage – and also prints the weekly Cap Times and 77 Square magazines in tabloid formats.
Paul Fanlund, Capital Times editor, said, “We hope The Cap Times can gain from what WisPolitics has learned about online business models.”
The Capital Times Co., along with Lee Enterprises of Davenport, Iowa, co-owns Madison Newspapers Inc., which publishes the Wisconsin State Journal and The Capital Times.
WisPolitics.com, founded in June 2000, also operates WisBusiness.com,
WisOpinion.com and produces events for its subscribers and the public.
The MKE Politics bulletin is jointly produced by BizTimes Media and WisPolitics.com.
