Moser Community Media acquires four publications from Hartman Newspapers

In a purchase effective Jan. 1, Moser Community Media, LLC has acquired the Fort Bend Herald, Alvin Sun, Alvin Advertiser and Wharton County Leader-Journal from Hartman Newspapers.

“The Moser family, like the Hartmans and others who have been the owners of record of this newspaper, will continue to have the same attitude about the publication,” said Clyde King, who served as publisher of the Herald-Coaster and most recently The Herald. “All these who have had the newspaper’s reins at one time or the other have felt like they were caretakers. The newspaper actually belongs to the citizens of West Fort Bend County and always will.”

David Rigas has assumed the post of group publisher and manager for the publications. Other principals in Moser Community Media, LLC are Jim Moser and Charles Moser. Jim Moser served as advertising director for the Fort Bend Herald (formerly the Herald-Coaster) in the late 1990s before he was promoted to publisher of the McKinney Courier-Gazette, which was also owned by Hartman Newspapers at the time.

 Charles Moser worked most of his career for the Hartman family, including 40 years as publisher of the Brenham Banner-Press.

Rigas has already moved to the area. He is a veteran of the newspaper business with over 33 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at his hometown newspaper, The News-Register in Wheeling, W.Va., where he started in the advertising department and later served as circulation manager.

More recently, Rigas has served as publisher of The Juneau (Alaska) Empire, Peninsula Clarion and Homer News. Prior to that, he worked as publisher or in advertising sales and marketing for several newspapers and the Georgia Press Association. In these markets and others, Rigas was active with the Rotary Club, the chambers of commerce and other community organizations.

“I am genuinely excited about becoming an active member of the community,” Rigas said. “ I look forward to working with the staff members here to continue producing the best community newspapers possible that satisfy the needs of all our readers and advertisers.”

Herald Executive Editor Scott Reese Willey said Moser Community Media’s purchase is the best possible outcome for The Herald.

“The Herald has been a family-owned newspaper for more than a century, and it will continue to be a family-owned newspaper well into the next century,” he said. “When many newspapers around the nation are being gobbled up by hedge funds and other conglomerates, the fortunate ones like The Herald end up in the hands of family-owned newspaper groups that truly care about serving the communities they join. 

“Herald reporters will still provide award-winning coverage of local news, sports and features under the new ownership, and we’re excited about the future.”