STAFF REPORTS
Parent companies of the most widely read news sources in San Marcos — SanMarcosMercury.com and SanMarcosLocalNews.com — have merged effective this week, their owners announced on Monday.
The sites collectively recorded more than 20,000 visits to the San Marcos IP address in the last 30 days and tens of thousands more from surrounding cities and counties. Visitors read an average of four stories per visit and logged a total of 76,000 pageviews during that period.
The websites will continue to operate as separate titles for the immediate future before consolidating under the San Marcos Mercury brand later this year. The new company, Mercury Media San Marcos LLC, is owned by Brad Rollins, Scott Gregson and Barton Publications Inc., parent company of the Hays Free Press.
“Our readers will benefit from the expanded resources of both teams working together. Our advertisers will benefit from a larger platform to put their products and services in front of customers,” said Rollins, who will serve as editor and publisher for both publications until Hays Free Press writer Wes Ferguson takes over as editor of the Hays Free Press. “The Bartons are longtime giants of the Hays County news industry and Scott is a pioneer who built a successful online news business where others were afraid to go. I am honored to work with both of them.”
“I am excited to move forward with a consolidation of local news sources within our community and county. With this merger, the sum of the parts is greater than each venture continuing to stand alone. It has always been my belief that local news should be provided by local sources, not those just looking to use the news as a way to export advertising dollars and their profits out of our community,” Gregson said.
“We are excited to be able to offer the best and largest news coverage in Hays County. With our multi-media approach, we are able to offer readers not just in the Interstate 35 corridor, but also everyone in Hays County — full, balanced news for San Marcos, Buda, Kyle, and the county,” said Cyndy Slovak-Barton, Barton Publications general manager and publisher of the Hays Free Press.
San Marcos Mercury advertising representative Delilah Reyes will meet with current advertisers this week to discuss the transition. Advertisers with active contracts will be offered space on both sites at their existing rates. The company will offer combination rates in partnership with the Hays Free Press, giving advertisers further reach at affordable rates.
Sean Batura has been named assistant editor of the San Marcos Mercury/San Marcos Local News. Mercury co-founder Bill Peterson, who has served as San Marcos Local News editor since January 2009, is relocating to Los Angeles, Calif. to pursue other opportunities.
San Marcos Local News launched in January 2008 as Newstreamz San Marcos. The San Marcos Mercury started in April 2008.
