Bee Newspapers sold

Sorry in advance, for another newspaper story from the before times. Bee Newspapers have been sold to the Sample News Group. Mike Measer will likely never get to be publisher. The line will end with his father, Trey (George Measer III).

If you live in a white, first ring Buffalo suburb, chances are you subscribe to a Bee Group newspaper. It is the easiest place to get coverage of town government, high school sports, community events and more.

I worked there from the late 1980s into the early 1990s, mostly as Clarence Bee editor. Yesterday, Editor and Publisher announced the Bee News Group has been sold to the Sample News Group.

It is the end of a 150-year plus legacy. George Measer, Trey’s dad, was the publisher when I worked there. He wore a bowtie and was proud of his family business, his Rotary and all things Williamsville. He died in April. I have heard nothing about it but it would not be surprising to find out the sale is somehow related to settling George's estate.

On of the most annoying things ever as an editor was to find a press release from some organization on your desk with a sticky note reading “Must go! GJM.”

His son Trey was 2nd in command and the logical successor. He is the current publisher. Mike was Trey’s son, still in high school.

The newsroom was filled with struggling 20-somethings, sometimes using it as a stepping stone to other papers and sometimes moving on to other careers in tourism, teaching or even law.

What becomes of the Bee is not yet known. Sample already owns papers in Genesee and Livingston counties and, has on occasion, shut down papers.

Back in the 1990s, we drove them crazy with our antics at the Tonawanda News, first with the Amherst Record, which forced them to create “Free Bees” and then with Soundoff.

Soundoff was a dedicated phoneline upon which people could call and leave messages which we would transcribe and publish daily on the opinion page.

Trey cornered me one day at the Clarence Center Labor Day Fair and asked me all about it. Shortly thereafter “Bee Heard” started.

The Sample Group had its origins in George Sample, a newspaperman from Pennsylvania. His son now runs the chain. Sample Sr. was part of the American Publishing Co. which owned the Tonawanda News.

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/sample-news-group-acquires-b…