O’Rourke Media Group buys Cannon Falls (Minnesota) Beacon, Shopper

May 28, 2020

The Cannon Falls Beacon and the Cannon Shopper have been acquired by the O’Rourke Media Group, a media company that specializes in publishing local community newspapers. The company also provides cost-effective digital marketing solutions and print/design services to local businesses. The sale was effective May 6, 2020.

“I’m excited and honored with the opportunity to continue Mike, his father and his family’s legacy of publishing a local community newspaper for the past 140 years,” Jim O’Rourke, owner and CEO, said. “We believe strongly in the value of quality local news and journalism in the communities we serve, and we look forward to continuing the great work of the Dalton family.”

Julie Bergman, vice president of newspapers for Grimes, McGovern & Associates, represented the Dalton family in the transaction.

O’Rourke Media Group has a track record of retaining local employees at a time when many other media companies focus on outsourcing work out of state or out of the country. O’Rourke says that readers and local businesses in Cannon Falls can expect the same. Additionally, Mike Dalton will work closely with the team through the transition period and will continue to assist and contribute in the Editorial area of the business.

The Beacon was founded in 1876 by John Leonard and purchased in 1880 by Silas S. Lewis. It has been in the Lewis-Dalton family for 140 years encompassing five generations of editors. Current editor/publisher Mike Dalton, took over from his father Dick in 2012. The elder Dalton died on Saturday, May 2, three days before the sale.