Metro Newspapers purchases Cupertino Courier.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 11, 1995--Metro Publishing Inc. will acquire the Cupertino Courier from Select Communications Inc. of Los Altos, principals at the two companies announced.

The Courier will merge with The Neighbor March 15, the Cupertino-based weekly newspaper that Metro began publishing in 1993, Dan Pulcrano, president of Metro Publishing Inc., said. The combined newspaper will publish as the Cupertino Courier, he added, in keeping with a community tradition that dates back to 1947.

The Courier was purchased by Select Communications from the Tribune Company of Chicago two years ago. Select will continue to publish the Los Altos Town Crier, owner and president Paul Nyberg said.

Metro Publishing Inc. is the Santa Clara Valley's largest locally owned newspaper publisher. It also publishes the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, the Saratoga News, the Sunnyvale Sun and the Willow Glen Resident, as well as regional weeklies in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Sonoma Counties. The company, founded in 1985, publishes nine newspapers and, through its subsidiary, Virtual Valley Inc., operates two online services.

"Paul and Liz Nyberg rescued the Courier from out-of-town ownership, and we are pleased to continue the tradition of a locally owned newspaper that is committed to the community and high journalistic standards," Metro Publisher David Cohen said.

Once the flagship of the valley-wide, Cupertino-based Sun newspaper group, the Courier had been published until 1978 by Cupertino resident Mort Levine, who sold it to the Meredith Corp. of Des Moines, Iowa. It was acquired in 1986 by Meredith executive Terrence Donnelly, who sold it to Tribune Co. in 1988.

CONTACT: Metro Newspapers

Dan Pulcrano, 408/298-8000 (after hours press 1-202)

Montreal Mirror

Eyal Kattan, 514/393-1010