CherryRoad Media acquires Cass County Star-Gazette in Illinois

Jun 12, 2023

BEARDSTOWN, Illinois ⁠— CherryRoad Media has acquired the Cass County Star-Gazette from Delphos Herald Inc. and the Cohen family.

Dirks, Van Essen & April, a media merger and acquisition firm based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, represented Delphos Herald Inc. and the Cohen family in the transaction. Terms were not disclosed.

The Star-Gazette has been the newspaper of record for Beardstown, Illinois, and Cass County since its founding in 1866. The operation regularly wins Illinois Press Association awards, including recent first place finishes for feature writing-personality profile, portrait/personality, special sections and single-page design, and many second place honors.

“We are excited to be the new owners of the Cass County Star-Gazette,” Jeremy Gulban, CEO of CherryRoad Media, said. “Beardstown and Cass County have such a rich history which this newspaper has been a part of. We look forward to continuing the legacy established by the Cohen family.”

Roberta Cohen said her family has owned the Star-Gazette for many years.

“I am delighted to be turning the reins over to CherryRoad Media,” she said. “The company’s strong commitment to local community journalism is a perfect fit for how my family has approached ownership of the Cass County Star-Gazette for many years. My father, Murray Cohen, loved the region that the Star-Gazette covers – and he particularly appreciated the history of Beardstown and how beautifully the city has preserved Abraham Lincoln’s early career as a lawyer who fought for justice. My sister, Jennifer Shneiderman, and I are confident that Jeremy Gulban and his experienced team will ensure that the stories of our readers and advertisers will be told for years to come.”