BY TIMOTHY BOLGER
Schneps Media has acquired Dan’s Independent Media, which publishes Southampton-based Dan’s Papers, a free weekly lifestyle publication covering the South Fork.
Schneps, parent company of the Long Island Press, purchased the publication for an undisclosed sum from Isis Venture Partner’s Manhattan Media, with the transition being complete after the Labor Day issue of Dan’s Papers.
“As a longtime Westhampton resident, I’ve loved the area, its diverse and distinct communities, and Dan’s Papers forever,” said Schneps Media President Victoria Schneps-Yunis, who founded the company in 1985 with the launch of The Queens Courier. “It’s a pleasure and privilege for us to welcome Dan’s into the Schneps Media family.”
Schneps Media publishes the commuter daily amNewYork Metro, 33 community newspapers, 28 magazines and specialty publications, and 20 websites throughout New York City, Long Island, Westchester and now Philadelphia, making it the largest local news group in the New York Metro area. It also hosts dozens of annual events, which have gone virtual since the coronavirus pandemic.
“We have long admired and respected the people, history, and quality of Dan’s Papers,” said Schneps Media CEO Josh Schneps. “We know that it was a great fit for our company now and into the future. As we have with all of our media, we will invest to make it even better as the East End emerges through this pandemic.”
In addition to the flagship Dan’s Papers, Schneps will also be acquiring the food festival series Dan’s Taste of Summer, the real estate franchise Behind The Hedges, Dan’s Best of the Best ratings and the largest social media following on the East End. Earlier this year in June, Dan’s completed the merger with Ronald O. Perelman’s weekly The Independent.
“It’s been a remarkably fun and successful 10 years,” said Richard Burns, chairman of Dan’s Independent Media. “We’re extremely proud of the way, with a highly talented team, we took a legendary weekly newsprint publication and transformed it into a vibrant diversified media and marketing company.”
Burns and Perelman said in a joint statement that they’re optimistic about the future of Dan’s in Schneps Media’s hands.
“While we’re sad to part ways with Dan’s Independent Media, we took a decision to place the business into the hands of the strongest community media company in the region,” they said. “This will ensure the long term continued success of this Hamptons gem for our valued readers, advertisers and staff.”
