Hometown Communications Purchases Mirror Newspapers

Posted on July 8, 1998

Richard Aginian, president of HomeTown Communications Network, announced that it has purchased the assets of Oak Communications Inc., publisher of the Mirror newspapers. Owner and publisher George S. Willard founded Oak Communications in 1992, when he began publishing the Mirror of Royal Oak. The Mirror of Clawson followed in 1993, the Mirror of Ferndale/Pleasant Ridge and the Mirror of Berkley/Huntington Woods in 1994 and the Mirror of Birmingham in 1997.

Willard, a former publisher of the Mount Clemens-based Macomb Daily and Royal Oak Daily Tribune, began his newspaper career at the Observer & Eccentric newspapers, owned by HomeTown Communications Network (formerly Suburban Communications Inc.). Willard is currently serving his second term as president of the Greater Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce.

Willard will join the staff of HomeTown Communications Network, where he will continue as publisher of the Mirror newspapers. "Our focus has always been on community journalism, and that is true of the HomeTown newspapers as well," Willard said. "Our local focus will continue and be strengthened by this sale. In many ways, this will be a homecoming for me, and I look forward to working with the folks at HomeTown to provide even better newspapers for our loyal readers."

HomeTown Communications Network, headquartered in Livonia, publishes more than 60 weekly and twice-weekly community newspapers, as well as a variety of specialty publications for target audiences. Its wholly owned subsidiaries include the Observer & Eccentric newspapers in Oakland and Wayne counties, HomeTown Newspapers in Livingston and Oakland counties, Community Newspapers in suburban Lansing, Community Press newspapers in Cincinnati and Kentucky, Camden Publications and Specialty Communications. The corporation also includes the Michigan Directory Company, which publishes 25 telephone directories in Michigan and northern Kentucky.