Cox Media Group selling Florida, Texas newspapers

Atlanta-based Cox Media Group said Tuesday it plans to sell its newspapers in Florida and Texas.

“As the media business continues to change, we must adapt our business strategy to navigate these disruptive times for the benefit of our entire media portfolio,” CMG President Kim Guthrie said in a news release.

CMG said it will sell the Palm Beach Post, Palm Beach Daily News, the Austin American-Statesmen and related community newspapers in Texas. CMG owns a number of television and radio stations across the country, as well as The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Dayton Daily News in Ohio.

In Atlanta, CMG also owns radio and television properties, including WSB-TV and News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB radio.

“We have made the decision that we will be better equipped to operate our newspapers in Atlanta and Ohio, where we have the integrated opportunity with our TV and radio operations,” Guthrie said. “We are deeply grateful to the employees in Austin and Palm Beach for the great work they have done over the years.”

The company did not disclose any would-be purchasers for the newspapers.

Guthrie said the company is committed to the value of strong journalism and its role in democracy.

“Our company got its start nearly 120 years ago with a single newspaper in Dayton, and we have a long history of award-winning journalism in all of our newspaper markets,” she said.